>> Brandis: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES."

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT, HOW CHICAGO'S DAY LABORERS MANY OF WHOM ARE UNDOCUMENTED ARE FINDING AND NOT FINDING WORK DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.

>>> HOW THE DEBATE OVER RAISING THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE IS PLAYING OUT IN ILLINOIS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>>> WE INTRODUCE YOU TO A CHAPLAIN WHO IS HELPING PEOPLE FIND SPIRITUAL HEALTH.

>> AND PRIDE OF BEING BLACK AND LATINA.

>> AND A CHICAGO WOMAN GIVES US LA ULTIMA PALABRA ON HER EXPERIENCE BRIDGING CULTURES AS A BLACK LATINA.

>> FIRST OFF TONIGHT, AS WE NEAR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST SHUT DOWNS IN ILLINOIS, MANY LABORERS ARE FINDING THEMSELVES IN DIRE STRAITS.

RECENT YEARS MORE DIFFICULT THAN EVER.

AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF MANY OF THEIR LIVES MAKE THEM PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO INFECTION AND FINANCIAL DEVASTATION.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THE OUTLOOK FOR DAY LABORERS ARE, RIGOBERTO COMP POSE.

AND NICK THEODORE.

>> RIGOBERTO, LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE, LET'S SKETCH OUT HOW THE DAY LABORERS TYPICALLY WORKS.

AND HOW IT'S BEEN EFFECTED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LAY OUT THE CHALLENGES, THEY WAKE UP EVERYDAY WITH HOPES OF TRYING TO FIND WORK AND WHETHER THAT MEANS THEY WERE ABLE TO PICK SOMETHING UP, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO WHAT HAPPENS AT THE HIRING SITES.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE LUCKY AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT.

BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS REALLY MADE THAT SITUATION A LOT MORE DIFFICULT.

I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR RENT AND FOOD AND BILLS, AND HONESTLY, THE CHALLENGE THERE IS THAT THEY'RE HAVING TO MAKE FINANCIAL DECISIONS THAT ARE REALLY HARD.

AND WHEN YOU ADD TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF WITH COVID, IT MAKE IT IS REALLY CHALLENGING BECAUSE IF YOU GET SICK, THAT'S A DAY AWAY FROM WORK AND THAT'S MONEY THAT YOU NEED.

>> NICK THEODORE WHAT ASPECTS OF THE LIVES OF DAY LABORERS MAKE THEM MORE EXPOSED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND INFECTION.

>> HAVING TO WORK IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH OTHER WORKERS, ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS, THERE'S A LOT OF EXPOSURE ISSUES THAT MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOW WAGE WORK, INSECURE WORK OVER ALL.

THE PRESSURE TO RETURN TO THE DAY LABOR HIRING SITE TO TRY AND FIND WORK DAY AFTER DAY, DESPITE HAZARDS THAT EXIST IT VERY REAL FOR DAY LABORERS.

>> RIGOBERTO, HOW ARE YOU SUPPORTING THEM AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME?

>> AT THE MOMENT WE'RE GOING OUT THERE AND OFFER PPE, HANDING OUT CASH ASSISTANCE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN.

SHARING INFORMATION ON FOOD PANTRIES, TRYING TO OFFER THEM OR SUPPORT GROUP WHERE THEY COULD WEPT AND PROCESS HOW THEY'RE FEELING AT THE MOMENT.

THE REALITY IS A LOT OF NEEDS GO BEYOND WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW.

IT'S A LOT OF INTENTIONAL WORK ON POLICY CHANGE AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE.

>> Brandis: ARE THEY FINDING WORK IN THESE TIMES?

>> HONESTLY, IT'S ON AND OFF AND MOSTLY OFF.

THE REALITY IS IT HAS EFFECTED THE MARKET.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S EFFECTED THE MARKET THEY'RE WAKING UP EVERYDAY REALLY EARLY IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL FIND SOMETHING.

BUT EVEN WHEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME LOOKING FOR THEM, THERE ARE PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT THEY'RE IMMIGRANT WORKERS LOOKING FOR WORK AT A CORNER SITE AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING THEM MUCH AT ALL.

>> NICK, THE LAST YEAR SAW AN ECONOMIC DOWN TURN IN MOST AREAS, THOUGH WE MOW SOME INDUSTRIES DID REMAIN ROBUST, WHAT EFFECT HAS THE ECONOMY HAD ON THESE LABOR WORKERS?

>> IT'S HAD A TREMENDOUS EFFECT BOTH ON THE SLOW DOWN RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORK.

WORKERS BEING DISPLACED FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES, AS RESTAURANTS AND BARS SHUT DOWN DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, WORKERS WERE BEING EXPELLED FROM THOSE INDUSTRIES AND FOR MANY OF THEM THEY TURNED UP ON THE STREET CORNER LOOKING FOR DAY LABOR WORK.

THEY'RE PUTTING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON DAY LABOR MARKETS WHICH PUTS PRESSURE ON WAGES AND JOB AVAILABILITY.

DURING EVERY DOWN TURN WHETHER THE PANDEMIC OR THE GREAT RECESSION, A DECADE AGO, EVERY TIME WE SEE DOWN TURN IN THE ECONOMY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR DAY LABOR WORK INCREASES DRAMATICALLY.

>> WHAT OTHER ASSISTANCE ARE DAY LABORERS ELIGIBLE FOR PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED, AND IS THE VACCINE EVEN A POSSIBILITY FOR THEM?

>> WELL, HONESTLY, AT THE MOMENT THERE'S NOT A LOT.

USUALLY, THE CITIZENS WERE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO UNEMPLOYMENT AND OTHER ASSISTANCE.

THEY NEED IT.

THERE ARE SOME APPLICATIONS OPENED UP SINCE MARCH OF 2020 THAT HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO APPLY FOR, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MISTRUST WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND JUST GENERAL INSTITUTIONS THAT THEY'RE SO SCARED ABOUT RISKING OR PUTTING THEIR NAME OUT THERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT FAITH AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF DO THAT OUTREACH, BUT THE REALITY IS IS THAT THEY'RE STILL REALLY SCARED AND THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN WITH THEM TO TRY TO WORK COLLECTIVELY ON THOSE ISSUES.

>> Brandis: NICK, AS BUSINESSES SLOWLY BEGIN TO REOPEN, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT CONDITIONS WILL GET BETTER FOR THESE WORKERS?

>> WELL, THERE'S SOME SIGN THAT THERE'S A BIT OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THIS COUNTRY EVEN AS UNEMPLOYMENT IN SOME SECTORS TONIGHT TO MOUNT.

IN THE AREA OF CONSTRUCTION WHERE A LOT OF DAY LABORERS WORK, THE FOLKS THAT HIRE THEM CAN ONLY PUT OFF PROJECTS SORE SO LONG.

AND CERTAINLY IN CHICAGO WITH THE SPELL OF VERY SEVERE WINTER WEATHER THAT WE JUST EXPERIENCED, MY GUESS IS THAT YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR DAY LABORERS AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION TYPE OF WORK.

THERE MAYBE IN THE SHORT RUN A BUMP IN THIS KIND OF WORK, BUT WHAT THE LONG RUN HOLD SUNSHINE ANYBODY'S WITH GUESS.

>> Brandis: THERE'S ALSO THE TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIER AS WELL?

WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME.

>> A LOT OF THE HELP OUT THERE IS BEING PASSED OUT OR ASSIGNED ON ONLINE.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THEY ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THESE MEDIUMS WHERE THIS INFORMATION IS BEING SHARED.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.

AND SO, THE REALITY IS WHICH IS WHAT WE DO, AND WE.

>> RIGOBERTO, WE'RE ACTUALLY OUT OF TIME.

BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, RIGOBERTO, AND NICK, ALL THE BEST TO YOU.

>> NEGOTIATIONS ON THE LATEST COVID RELIEF BILL ON UNDERWAY IN CONGRESS, BUT A KEY DEMOCRATIC PRIORITY IS IN QUESTION.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAD INITIALLY PUSHED FOR PROPOSAL IN THE BILL THAT WOULD RAISE THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE TO 15 DOLLARSES BY THE YEAR 2025.

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, CHICAGO GOES TO $15.

PRESIDENT OF THE ILLINOIS RETAIL MERCHANT IT IS ASSOCIATION AND ADRIANNA AN MCDONALD'S EMPLOYEE AND A LEAD OF IN THE CHICAGO CHAPTER FOR FIGHT FOR 15.

>> YOU KNOW, I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS EVERYONE'S FIGHT.

I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE STRUGGLING HERE IN ILLINOIS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BUNCH OF PEOPLE OUT THERE STRUGGLING, SO I BELIEVE THAT THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE SHOULD GO UP TO $15 AN HOUR.

>> ROB CAR, YOU REPRESENT BUSINESSES IN ILLINOIS, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR MEMBERS ABOUT THE MOST RECENT HIKE IN ILLINOIS AND IN CHICAGO EXPECTED TO GO TO $15 THIS SUMMER.

>> I THINK STRUGGLING IS A GREAT WORD FOR IT, IT'S GOING TO IMPOSE, I THINK FOR US, FOR WASHINGTON ILLINOIS'S A CAUTIONARY TALE IN THAT YOU WANT TO THINK TWICE ABOUT DOING IT AT ALL BUT CERTAINLY DURING A PANDEMIC.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE NONPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE SAYING THAT RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 AN HOUR, WOULD LIFT MANY PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY BUT IT COULD ALSO LEAD TO THE LOSS OF 1.4 MILLION JOBS.

COULD IT ACTUALLY HURT BUSINESSES?

>> PERSONALLY I DON'T THINK.

THE MORE MONEY I HAVE IN MY POCKET, I'M NOT GOING TO BE SAVING MONEY, I'LL BE SPENDING IT BACK INTO THE ECONOMY.

>> SEVERAL DECADES, IT REALLY HASN'T GONE UP IN FACT, IT IT'S GONE DOWN, SHOULD THE MINIMUM WAGE AT LEAST KEEP UP WITH INFLATION?

>> I THINK THAT CALCULATION DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU GET THAT FROM.

NO, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE A WAGE ON AUTOMATIC INCREASE.

SALES ARE NOT AN AUTOMATIC INCREASE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE RETAIL SECTOR I REPRESENT.

IT'S BEEN HORRIBLE POLICY FOR THE STATE OF ILLINOIS TO CONTINUE WITH MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE AND THAT WOULD BE A TERRIBLE APPROACH.

>> ROB IS SAYING THERE SHOULDN'TING AUTOMATIC RAISES BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MINIMUM WAGE ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, IT HASN'T MOVED THE A ALL, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 50 YEARS.

>> IT HASN'T, IT'S BEEN THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE HAS BEEN STUCK SINCE 2009 AND EVERYTHING ELSE HAS GONE UP.

WE HAVE TO WORK TWO OR THREE JOB TOSS BUY ESSENTIAL STUFF AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT.

AND $7.25 IS NOT ENOUGH.

>> WE SPOKE WITH A CHICAGO RESTAURANT OWNER TODAY WHO PAYS HIS EMPLOYEES ABOVE MINIMUM WAGE.

>> AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I HAVE TO HOLD MYSELF TO A HIGHER STANDARD, I THINK IF YOUR CHASING AFTER A DOLLAR, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHO YOU'RE STEPPING OVER.

WE TELL EVERYBODY, STIMULUS CHECK TO SPEND MONEY AND BOOST THE ECONOMY.

BUT THEN YOU WILL DON'T WANT TO PAY PEOPLE ENOUGH MONEY TO WHERE THEY COULD BOOST THE ECONOMY.

>> WHAT ABOUT THAT, ROB, ON THE MACRO SCALE, MORE MONEY IN THE POCKETS WOULD BOOST THE ECONOMY.

>> WE'VE NEVER SEEN THAT WORK ANYWHERE IN THE HISTORY OF MAN KIND, NOT ONCE.

WERE THAT TRUE, THE RATIONAL WOULD BE LET'S TAKE IT A LOT HIGHER BUT WE'VE NEVER SEEN THAT EFFECT EVER.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT EMPLOYERS AND PARTICULAR IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC WHO ARE, NOW THAT SOME OF THEM JUST GETTING OPEN LIKE RESTAURANTS AND TAVERNS.

SUPPLIERS, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO.

SO, UNLESS WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ENHANCE THEIR SALES, THAT MATH DOESN'T WORK.

>> HAS COVID-19 DO YOU BELIEVE IT'S CHANGED THE CALCULOUS OR BUSINESSES AND THE IMPORTANCE TO BOOSTING MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 WHEN YOU DO SEE A LOT OF BUSINESSES STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH, THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN AWFUL ON EVERYONE.

YOU KNOW, ME, MYSELF, I HAD MY HOURS CUT AND IF I WAS MAKING THE $8.50 I WAS MAKING WHEN I STARTED, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FEED OR MY SON.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO.

OUR STORE STAYS BUSY BECAUSE OUR INSIDE ISN'T OPEN, THE DRIVE-THRU IS ALSO PACKED, WE'RE MAKING CONSTANT MONEY AND I DON'T SEE WHY IT'S FAIR THAT WE HAVE TO STRUGGLE.

>> WHAT ABOUT DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR MINIMUM WAGE, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO TO HAVE A UNIFORM WAGE ACROSS THE NATION WHEN THERE'S COST OF THE LIVING IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

>> THE GOVERNOR REJECTED THAT APPROACH, WE ALSO SUGGESTED SUPPORT FOR A $15 MINIMUM WAGE IF YOU PHASED IN LONGER, FOR EXAMPLE CITY OF CHICAGO EMPLOYERS WOULD HAVE HAD 10 YEARS TO GET TO $15 AN HOUR.

AND NOW THEY'RE BEING EXPECTED TO DO IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THAT POLICY SUGGESTION WAS ALSO REJECTED.

>> WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE MIGHT KNOW IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.

MY THANKS TO ROB CAR AND ADRIANNA ALVAREZ.

WE'RE BACK WITH MORE "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> >> Brandis: ONE OF THE KEY CORONAVIRUS METRIC THAT IS POLITICIANS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS IS HOSPITAL CAPACITY.

MAKING SURE THERE ARE ENOUGH BEDS TO TAKE CARE OF AS MANY PATIENTS.

SPOKE WITH A CHAPLAIN AT GOTTLIEB MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN MELROSE PARK ABOUT THE CHANGES OF DEALING IN THE HOSPITAL DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> THOUGHT ABOUT ILLNESS AND THE END OF LIFE FOR A LONG TIME.

PROCESS.

>> AN EXPERIENCE THAT HELPS PUT JORGE ON THE PATH HE STILL WALKS.

>> I LEARNED HOW TO ACCEPT THAT SOMEONE DIED, IT WAS NOT SAD FOR ME, IT WAS MORE LIKE REASSURANCE OF LIFE.

>> JORGE SPENT MANY YEAR IN SEMINARY BEFORE DECIDING AGAINST BECOMING A PRIEST, HE ALSO SPENT TWO YEARS AS A MISSIONARY IN FIGI.

>> RELIGION IS AN INSTITUTION THAT FAITH AND PERSONAL BELIEFS.

>> HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN IN 2004.

JORGE SAYS HIS MINISTRY HAS TAUGHT HIM TIME AND AGAIN... >> THERE'S A GREAT AMOUNT OF STRENGTH IN EVERYONE.

I REMEMBER A LADY IN HER 80'S AND SHE SAID I NEED TO GO HOME TO TAKE CARE OF MY MOM.

HER MOM WAS 103 YEARS-OLD.

AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, A LADY LIKE HER, IN HER AGE, SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BUT SHE'S TAKING ARE CARE OF, SHE'S STILL A CARE GIVER.

>> AS A NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKER, JORGE IS ABLE TO PROVIDE COMFORT TO PATIENTS WHO SOMETIMES FIND IT DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE WITH STAFF.

>> I APPRECIATE WHEN WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER IN OUR OWN LANGUAGE.

>> IN HIS EARLY YEARS AS A CHAPLAIN, JORGE SAYS HE WAS UNSURE IF HE WAS FINDING THE RIGHT WORDS ESPECIALLY IN ENGLISH, HE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES HIS PRESENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT HE SAYS.

>> FOR SOME PEOPLE IT'S JUST TO SHOW THEM SOMEONE IS THERE WHOSE NOT A DOCTOR OR NURSE BUT IS IT GOING TO BE BY YOUR SIDE.

>> BEING BY A PATIENT'S SIDE TO HOLD THEIR HAND OR GATHERING WITH THE FAMILY TO PRAY OR TALK WAS ALL UPENDED LAST SPRING BECAUSE OF COVID.

>> THE iPAD, THEY COULD GO INSIDE AND DO THE FACETIME TONE CALLS.

>> WHILE THE WORK OF TAE CHAPLAIN IS ADAPTABLE, THE WORK ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES ANXIOUS AND SAD.

>> EVEN SOME STAFF MEMBER WAS EXPERIENCING ANGER NOT BEING ABLE TO HELP THE PATIENT TOSS RECOVER, I'M 52 YEARS-OLD AND I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING THIS HIGH OF STRESS.

>> EARLIER THIS YEAR, JORGE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAD BEEN BATTLING FOR MONTHS.

>> IT WAS A STRUGGLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I THINK AT THE END I BECAME STRONGER IN KNOWING THAT I SHARE THAT WITH PATIENTS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS AND STAFF AS WELLING.

>> ONE PATIENT STANDS OUT IN GEORGEs MIND, A MAN IN HIS 40'S WHO CAME IN LAST SUMMER.

HE EXPECTED TO GET WELL, HE DIDN'T.

HE LEFT BEHIND A WIFE AND A BABY.

>> HIS WIFE SAID THE BABY WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIFT EVER GIVEN TO HER BY HER HUSBAND.

SO, IT IS A LOT ABOUT HOPE, RESILIENCY AND ALSO SEEING LIFE CONTINUES EVEN KNOW THERE WAS A TRAUMATIC END HERE, BUT THE BABY IS LIFE.

AND NEW LIFE FOR HER.

>> DESPITE THE TOLL OF ILLNESS AND DEATH OVER THE PAST YEAR, JORGE STILL FINDS HOPE LIKE FROM HIS FATHER IN SOUTHERN CHILI, HE RECENTLY GOT HIS DOSE FOR HIS COMMUNITY.

>> WE NEED THIS DAY TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND TO TAKE CARE OF THE LOVED ONES WE LIVE WITH AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M NICK BLUMBURG.

>> AND ONE OTHER WAY GOTTLIEB MEMORIAL HOSPITAL PROVIDES COMFORT TO PATIENTS, A PROGRAM TO GIVE OUT PLUSH HAND MADE BLANKET.

>> MILLIONS OF AVENUE FRO LATINOS SPEAK THEIR CULTURE IN THEIR LANGUAGE.

IN TONIGHT'S LA ULTIMA PALABRA, BLACK LATINA.

>> HELLO, MY NAME IS THIS IS MY STORY.

BEING AN AFRO LATINA, I ALWAYS CALL IT A BEAUTIFUL COMPLEX EXPERIENCE.

BEAUTIFUL IN THE SENSE BECAUSE IT IS AN HONOR TO KNOW MY.

I FEEL IT WHEN I HEAR THE MUSIC THAT BRINGS RHYTHM INTO MY SOUL, I SEE IT IN MY BEAUTIFUL BLACK SKIN AND BLACK FEATURES AND MY BIG HAIR OR MY CROWN.

HOWEVER, IT'S ALWAYS THE IDEA AND THIS STAND BETWEEN TOO LATINA TO BE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, BUT TOO BLACK TO BE LATINA, I WAS BORN IN THE.

I WAS TOO DARK AND WHEN I CAME TO CHICAGO IN THE 1990s NOBODY NEW WHAT A DOMINICAN WAS, SO TRY TO GO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANAGE THAT, THAT EARNING FOR A COMMUNITY IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT OFTEN TIMES EXCLUDED YOU BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO PUT YOU REALLY FELT LIKE A DRAINING SPECIES, IT WAS EXHAUSTING AS A CHILD.

BUT I GREW UP IN A BEAUTY SHOP, MY MOM'S A HAIR STYLIST, I ALWAYS HEARD THE STORIES THAT THE WOMEN USED TO SHARE AT THE BEAUTY SHOP AND I STARTED REALIZING THAT AS THEY SHARE THEY ARE STORIES, THEY BUILD COMMUNITY.

WHEN I BECOME A MOTHER, I HAVE IN INTENTIONALITY ABOUT HOW DO I EXPLORE SHARING MY EXPERIENCE WITH MY CHILDREN.

IT HAPPENED WHEN MY DAUGHTER CAME HOME AND SHE SHARED HOW KIDS AT SCHOOL WERE MAKING FUN OF HER BECAUSE SHED BIG HAIR AND SHE WAS JUST DIFFERENT.

AND THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED I HAVE TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL.

AND THAT'S WHEN I EXPLORED THAT EXPERIENCE HOW DO I DO THIS?

ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I DID IT WAS TO GO NATURAL.

INSTEAD OF STRAIGHTENING MY HAIR.

I WENT NATURAL.

AND I STARTED A BLOG AND I HAD AN EXPLORATION IN GROUNDING MYSELF IN MY PRIDE OF BEING BLACK AND LATINA.

AND IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT HAIR, IT WAS ABOUT SELF EXPLORATION AND ACCEPTING MYSELF NATURALLY AND DEEMING MY AFRICAN FEATURES AS A BEAUTIFUL GIFT THAT MY ANCESTORS LEFT BEHIND.

I AM AM THEIR LEGACY.

>> WE COULDN'T QUITE FIT AS MUCH OF HER STORY ON TONIGHT'S SHOW AS HE WOULD LIKE.

IF YOU ENJOYED HEARING HER STORY, WE'VE GOT A LONGER STORY ON OUR WEBSITE.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE news.wttw.com FOR THE VERY LATEST FOR THE VERY LATEST ON THE NEWS INCLUDING DETAILS ON A MASS VACCINE SITE SET TO OPEN NEXT MONTH AT THE UNITED CENTER.

JOIN ME TOMORROW NIGHT IN BLACK VOICES.

AND, SAMMY DAVIS JR. ON MAO MEDIA REPRESENTATION EFFECTS POPULAR PERCEPTION IN A PROGRAM CLIP.

AND ON A PROMISING NOTE, CHICAGO TONIGHT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" IS OFF FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN, THANKS FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT T. Realtime Closed Captioning provided by U.S. Captioning Company