>> Hello and thanks for joining us in Chicago tonight, Latino voices.

I'm joined on this.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas.

Here's what we're looking at.

47 years in prison.

The new documentary examines one man's journey in the politics of parole.

2025 is just around the corner.

We explore how different Latino cultures are ringing in the new Year.

>> We got them.

It's unknown >> and how a passion for collecting led to an exciting business venture.

>> And now just some of today's top stories.

The new year is bringing in some new laws.

One of which is an increase in the state's minimum wage.

Starting on New Year's Day, the minimum wage in Illinois was eyes to $15 an hour.

It marks the final increase of a six-year effort.

That was Governor JB Pritzker's first major legislative victory.

Illinois workers earning minimum wage will soon see a one dollar an hour bump.

Additionally tipped workers will see their wages rise to $9 an hour according to National Employment Law Project, Illinois will be one of 10 states with the minimum wage of $15 or more to learn about other new laws coming in 2025.

Check out our Web site W T W Dot Com Slash News.

Despite higher costs for groceries and other goods.

Holiday spending increase this year, sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, according to MasterCard spending.

Plus, which tracks various types of payments, including cash and debit cards that beats the 3.1% increase from last year.

The data released today excludes auto sales and is not adjusted for inflation.

And Chicagoans are celebrating Kwanzaa with celebrations across the city, including this event at Malcolm X College.

Organizers hosted a marketplace in the celebration that included a drum call performances the candle lighting and a recounting of the Holiday's history.

The 7 Day holiday is a celebration of African-American culture.

The free program at Malcolm X College begins at noon and runs through January.

1st.

Up next, a new documentary looks at the politics of parole.

>> Chicago tonight, Latino voices.

It's made possible in part by the support of these donors.

>> Ronnie eels serve nearly 47 years in prison before being released 1977 as an 18 year-old he was convicted of killing an off-duty Chicago police officer given a 200 to 600 year prison sentence in new documentary in their hands.

Highlights his journey while raising questions about mass incarceration.

The parole system and the meaning of getting a second chance.

Joining us here, our director and producer Dan protests and Ronnie got a skier whose story is followed in this film.

Thank you both for being here.

I got to watch the documentary running very impactful.

I want to start with you.

You spent as as I just said, most of your life, adult life in prison towards the end of the film.

You mentioned that your sister, Janet asked you questions.

She said, what are you going to do when you get out of prison?

Now it's been over a year since you were released.

How did you feel to realize you are actually home with your family?

My sister's name is they were day or sorry and >> it's a blessing to be home to be family members that you haven't ever live the Rafah so long to see the different.

Habits of where they live, how they how they speak.

So just best the end of Senate in that arena.

Participate with them after the spent 47 years basically in the present system.

Along with me struggling with me paying bills with me sending money and they're just paying lawyers and hosting dinners and just building them.

It continues a building off not only helping me but you can't help but help other people commission uses or dare have a very day or have a very special bond.

>> Yes, we do.

Yes, we do very special bond.

She was You call gators.

He's a go-getter 2, just read this and to basically call it the home.

Everybody rotating minor.

she, you know, call on call out and people respond.

And and you know, why was important to to follow Ronny and his family to make this film?

>> Well, I am so Ronnie's attorney Jennifer Soberal approach me with the story.

at first I have to admit I was not 100% certain whether I wanted to tell the But there are a couple things that drew me and one was.

>> As Ronnie was just talking about his family, I knew that just logistically it only be able to spend so much time interviewing him in prison in capturing his life.

And so you need in any documentary, some human element that's going to draw the audience and and I saw that his family was really compelling in the way that they stood by him for 47 years and rallied around him and fought for his freedom and then also the parole board itself.

I found to be quite compelling and never been to a parole hearing before I went to Ronnie's parole hearing found it to be an unusual process.

I've spent a bunch of time in courtrooms.

It's definitely not a courtroom.

The prisoner review board members are ultimately the judges of sorts.

But they're also kind like the witnesses they you know, they've been presented these piles of evidence from each from Ronnie's attorney and on the other side from the Fraternal Order of Police who are fighting his release.

But but ultimately they they spend a fair amount of time.

I would say pontificating about what might have happened on one night in 1976. overlooking who Ronnie is today.

So that made you jump on board emotional aspect and runny in the film.

We get an inside look of the process of you being denied parole more than 30 times.

>> But you are undefeated by that.

How did you manage to stay positive?

>> Well, watching my my brothers, my my father, my family just every year of getting in cars and spending the money and the time the energy to go through hearings and faith that they had in the system.

They believed in the system that it was going on what was in in on the Lobos 2 Grammy parole.

It can to find out after so many times after want to impose on you work over 30 times, then something wrong.

There.

So not being something not being activated in there that.

They believe then.

So they started out exploring different channels by having meetings with attorneys and different Different ways to advocate for my release.

>> know, and and talking about your family, how was it like for you to look back at the film and see your family in that hole?

You know that this journey has taken on them.

>> It's emotional to watch You know, you and a prison and you can see, you know, that hearing goes on, you know, that they went there.

I actually got a chance to see what Dan captured physically.

sit there watch the video to watch emotions as the Niles go on of that.

It tears and out games in You know it another defeat.

And but we just as a family, we group and you're ready.

We're going to do.

We're going back to Swedish happened that time and that Jen.

So we strategize again and again.

What that say about your family?

family's amazing.

You they're amazing.

They were really let in the end, the struggle, you know, each one came like a different season.

Sometimes one brother would.

But the charge on for a year 2 years.

And then still be there.

But then assisted were coming for the charge on for from my book.

One when they call each other, came.

They came out.

>> The passion there.

And we also see in the film that police officers in the police union come to probed hearings every year.

They are adamant that anyone who was killed a cop should be never be released from prison.

You know, how do you respond to that sentiment?

When I see that?

>> They're in the law enforcement.

So my understanding of that is when you first go to prison, you try to find not going to get them out of prison.

And then all that held me or any person at that time says that sentence for his he was an offense.

I was sentenced for this year's amount fence wasn't part B to that.

This is you have to move east or to use full citizenship and this would gain my releasing the N we proved in the court that they would deny my right to be restored.

So I believe law enforcement, judges are melita anybody takes an office, they take an to uphold the Constitution all of the of the country and of the state.

And the Constitution said I had the the right to be the store.

It becomes personal with some ice is we're going ignore that.

We're going to put that to the side and we're going to leave it on a guy who try to make a guy.

Then there's there's a breach in the program is a region that should be a red flag to the higher authority.

Something has to change hope pray that this document exposes that people can come to the table and the fairness and equity that they call it.

equality of justice actually becomes justice instead injustices.

You know, talking about that down, the film explores the battle between politics and law and how it played into Ronnie's case.

What do you want people to take away from how the parole board handled?

>> The case?

>> Well, yeah, as I said earlier, they really kept coming back to what he did as a trunk, 18 year-old where he, you know, committed a reckless at that, though he did not intend to kill a Chicago police officer.

The evidence shows that they kept coming back to that one action and is run.

He said the Illinois state Constitution calls on us to restore offenders to use full citizenship.

And that was Ronnie now is a useful for this.

And I mean, he's he's here.

He's out among us.

He's value to his family and its community coast from church to church and and talks about his journey.

He we have been denying us citizens of Illinois.

We have been not denying ourselves Ronnie's presence and he's a value to the community.

And and I just wish the board would have seen that earlier.

instead continuing to return to his actions as an 18 year-old that one point run, he said that I believe you said to the board.

I'm the oldest eighteen-year-old you you've ever met because that's how they treated them as as a 65 year-old 18 year-old.

I think your sister even who remembers a version that we were when we were 18 years old.

and Ronnie while in prison.

passion about Latino unity, you share your own personal traumas and experiences growing up.

You started different initiatives in prison.

What made you want to make that change?

>> I felt good.

>> We were there.

We can keep continuing the doing this to ourselves.

They we had return to our families better people.

We have to live with each other so we can live with each other in that environment.

We can spread that word to our communities.

So we reached out call culture committee that we started.

He's been a culture committee.

So Max, there was a bench and a parole board member upon presently one member.

And we sat down and negotiated how to bring the school's from our community from home, apart into the prison and requested the warden's and everybody they allowed us to do it and it it stopped the a lot of violence.

It was where once upon a time you didn't speak to each other and then you speak to each other.

And in the hand.

Basically many enemies that you would see in the street gang like that.

I had we're there to ask for >> thank you.

Thank you for sharing your story.

Ronny, and thank you, Dan, for filming it.

Thank you.

And you can watch in their hands tomorrow night at 9 on W T Tw.

Up next, a look at Latino celebrations of the new Year.

Stay with us.

With less than a week until New Years Eve people are planning how to step into 2025.

With their best foot forward Latino cultures.

That could mean practicing age old traditions like eating 12 grapes wearing white in clean your house, all for good luck.

Of course.

Now we contacted some locals to see how there ringing in the New Year.

Joining us here are my teeth of Alaska's founder of the marinated Kitchen.

So Matic assess owner of Mi Codus on cafe in Pilsen and Maria Duro from the Brazilian Culture Center of Chicago.

Thank you, ladies for being here now.

There are a lot of superstitions, which is so funny because I think like every culture has some Medea.

I want to start with, you know, what are some superstitions you heard growing up in Brazil and how how do you believe in the stories?

as some of the start of I'm to donations through the community.

>> You know either your family and have superstitions.

What are some that you would say that yellow?

So some of the superstitions they were brought with some up on app to for example, one that everybody dies it, actually is a reference to a pumpkin seed cultural and heritage is sweating, white, very white because about the middle, which lead community to come when comes to white.

Everybody ways is for peace.

And now some means I rule.

So this one up them.

Second one, we have the grapes.

eat.

lot of people eat the grapes right with you on phone.

Interesting was eating lentils.

We do need to land those that come from the and community the grapes.

Coming how Are the communities as And we have they won.

That comes from the Greek Brazil.

pull.

Make good on And the savings from cedis like 7 seed you put in your wallet.

>> And you can with you for whole So stop without getting lost.

I think I would lose just we make sure that there a that America How about you?

What are some superstitions that you say that you do bring to ring in the new year?

So in my household, my mom, it was obvious like we have to clean up cleanup.

>> It's like Miami where we're going to compete for coming over.

Is Year's Eve know the House needs to be clean.

So it's like start to have a clean slate.

Everything needs to be crane.

So this way you starting the New Year's can sway, you know that was pretty much one of one yes, tell you, for my family would be eating the 12 grapes, but extra measure would be under the table.

Okay.

I have that under the table you're supposed eat the 12 grapes at midnight.

>> Under the table and it's supposed to bring you like you me.

with all these things mean a mother, Rita, as we know so much of the holiday season is celebrating with food and drinks and you brought a little something which is cool.

Keep though, very true, very poor to traditional drink.

Tell me what's inside.

So the people in my household, my husband makes a cookie But this year I took to cancel.

The goalkeeper has coconut cream coconut milk.

paraded milk and condensed milk and some spices.

So is best to lead us it for today's and this meant as a little cocktail drink, not a big cup because once you have killed people, I tell my home though, right?

As we can't forget, has Ron.

So if such additional drink that we have this kind of like lot.

But the and we this does not have aches.

So everyone makes it different.

Is the tradition of what your family, the recipe to share it.

I think in Mexican culture because I believe in Mexico as well.

Right.

it's it's the pointer for us which is like hop punch.

you know, for you, you know what traditions or you look forward forward to practicing.

I think you had mentioned that, you know, you would celebrate New Year's Eve for grandma's birthday.

My grandmother.

Yeah.

Her birthday was 30th 31030th.

But yet she passed away.

So every.

Every year for her breakthrough get together a family cut a cake scene for her then just celebrate her.

is going to look like this year this year we might visit her at the cemetery.

You know, we still get togethers the family.

She's very missed.

But, >> you know, it's that's brings us together you the way.

And we got to remember her.

Do you feel like you also honor that and in your cafe and by Cathy Yan make half an eye open then on a grandmother everything was honor of her.

If I was him close to my grandmother's, I grew up.

I wouldn't be as in touch with my culture.

You see pictures of her in the cafe drinks.

The food is all inspired by here that decorations as well.

It's all thanks to make onto your cafe and love how colorful.

like in many of a deal of renewal and starting over is big.

An Afro.

>> Brazilian kalter.

How do you teach the younger generation about these new beginnings?

>> One think that we actually like if you why, because we as a thankfully you go to the ocean speculation Lake we have jumping opened the week so we have the 7 times as a way weed And I was so you ask us.

The news spare ETA healthy from the new year.

I didn't know anybody else to get the call the holding hands families friends and they knew jump over the waves 7 times.

So everybody is on coastal they'll be like need as a people.

We also have the celebration the flowers that I want you to the and they will shun playing him a job.

But the job we've really beautiful yet.

So there several ways that we celebrate because dizziness have to be needed country come unique.

so we did all so many different types the dancing is so interesting you.

Have you seen people do it here in Chicago?

His Chicago, today's a space where we go from the flowers because at the end of the year before midnight to have to one's me and my job was to kind of to see that's this is my they see we put in in the and then anybody.

Everyone is a group of being get loans to been leak and they put go to the that sounds really and moderating.

You found your business, the marinated kitchen in 2020.

Why was it important for you to create a space that preserves Puerto Rican recipes?

So for Mister, the marinated kitchen?

Because I want to create a legacy for my family.

>> And just to keep the tradition, you know, of cooking with throwing garlic pieces.

One, my brands.

I was going to bring some Biden have any.

So if I could keep those sold out in the >> And I just wanted to keep that tradition of, you know, how do we cook you start with?

Because they do, which is my mom's, you know, pot and just to show them how to cook and what you need to add into device to give a flavor because in the Puerto Rican culture, you need goods.

Food that taste.

You know, the league has season with a lot of.

So the Garlic with us a song that is very important.

It's important distance a feat, though.

It's like, Oh, I can cook Maisel.

People will so funny.

People.

>> just to keep those traditions everyone in the family could just.

The United and keep my mom's legacy a life now.

So chill.

I wanted to.

Keep the family together because as tradition continues, I noticed, you know, we start separating because no one wants continue with the cookie and a lot of work.

Who's gonna holes and just keeping the families together.

So that was one of the theme basically to create a legacy for my family keep the recipes like I live.

Well, thank you all for sharing your traditions and so beautiful.

And I can't even believe the new year is what a week away.

yeah.

So I guess I think that you're thank you, ladies.

Thank >> Up-next exploring the curated collections and hidden gems at a local antique shop.

Chicago is filled with hidden gems.

We recently visited antique shop in Pilsen taking customers back in time.

Here's another look.

If you're walking down 18th street, it's hard to pass this storefront without wondering what's as soon as you step in.

>> You realize it's just about People found like And as soon people beaches getting.

>> The I mean that, you know, this and just our home.

>> mailing you know, the bait.

He coaching me.

I doubt I'm saying all love on this call.

>> school little school is the owner of it on the quality retro weird stuff.

Cool junk.

He says his passion for collecting began when he was just a kid in Mexico.

>> I like this.

and I fallen a little piece of metal and on there the water and see It was very interesting piece and sees that I mean time.

>> Quirky vintage items, gadgets and a collection of Latin American book statues and artifacts are found throughout the shop.

>> This is the best part of the story because we tried to find their rears books coach Goggle.

>> And if you hang around long enough, they'll start to feel like you've entered a whole other world.

This is very personal thing culture, the bad and the good.

>> And you can see in the back there in 6 originals.

said like a guy from a person got make a miracle.

And Dale first to the north and this is in a very I think, an old tradition.

>> school opened the shop 6 years ago, runs it with his wife, Alex and his daughter.

Gabby.

>> use the cub because it very much is hoarding.

>> Our house or the house only growing up and we would go to school and just what he does here he would do at home.

So it all the furniture rearranged give.

He says the more unusual, the discovery, the better it is.

>> This summer, I hear it's a doctor trying to keep death away from taking the woman.

So many love asked about this fun and so many who have offered or like know this.

It's just a rare find.

>> school says the shop is a representation of his roots.

He wants it to be a space to celebrate his culture.

>> In love for all things strange.

>> And I was today for the people this is not a place is more like a concept.

>> Everything in the store is intentionally curated.

Nothing here is new.

I mean, everything is and we're trying like you said everything that you have here has a story.

>> And I believe every item.

>> To it's like calling for as what I'm being So on every item.

>> It's unknown give credits her parents for the success of the antique shop in the community.

It's not just another store to them.

It's >> like them opening their home.

And yeah, I mean, they can come here have an experience.

>> Great place to explore the family recently opened a second location across the street.

There you can find furniture, a large collection of paintings and decor.

And if you visit on the weekend, fransisco wife cells baked goods.

Now that's our show for this Thursday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5.37, for a special edition of the Week in Review where we look at the biggest stories from 2024. now from all of us here Chicago tonight, I'm joined at 9 this.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe.

>> When as much just.

>> Closed captioning made