"CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALLSTATE AND CIBC.

>> Alex: GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES".

I'M ALEX HERNANDEZ OF UNIVISION CHICAGO WHICH AIRS EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING AT 5 AND 6.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

JOINING THE SHOW TONIGHT, AVONDALE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BECOME A CENTER OF CONTROVERSY OVER HOW CHICAGO TREATS ITS RESIDENCES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

AND AN ARTIST LOOKS BACK AT HIS PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH IN A NEW EXHIBIT.

>> AND A LOCAL GELATIN ARTIST IS MAKING DELIGHTFUL DESSERTS.

>>> FOR THE PAST YEAR, A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAS ESTABLISHED AN ENCAMPMENT AT FIREMAN'S PARK.

THE GROUP WAS GIVING NOTICE THAT THE CITY IS PLANNING TO CLEAN THE PARK, MANY ARE CONCERNED THEIR LOCAL THEIR BELONGINGS AND THEIR PLACE TO LIVE.

THE FIREMAN'S PARK COMMUNITY IS ONE OF SIMILAR ENCAMPMENTS ALL OVER CHICAGO.

AND IF THE ILLINOIS HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IS EXPECTED TO END.

JOINING US NOW, ONE OF THE RESIDENTS OF FIREMAN'S PARK AND CARLOS RAMIREZ-ROSA AND ALI SIMMONS, A STREET ORGANIZER WITH THE CHICAGO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AND CARLOS RAMIREZ-ROSA WHO'S DISTRICT INCLUDES FIREMAN'S PARK.

THE CITY PERFORMED THE CLEANING OF FIREMAN'S PARK THIS WEEK.

WHEN THE CLEANINGS OCCUR, WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN?

>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE NO PLACE TO STAY NO MORE.

WE SLEEP ON THE BANKS AND THE SIDEWALKS AND EVERYTHING.

>> Alex: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM IF YOU COULD TALK TO THEM?

>> LEAVE US ALONE.

WE'RE NOT DOING NOTHING BAD.

WE'RE NOT HURTING PEOPLE.

THE PEOPLE THAT COME AND GIVE US FOOD TAKE CARE OF US, YOU KNOW, LIKE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT TAKES CARE OF US EVERY EVENING.

>> Alex: ALDERMAN RAMIREZ-ROSA, THE OFFICE SAYS YOU DID NOT GIVE ENOUGH TIME, THE CUSTOMARY NOTICE FOR IMPENDING SWEEP OF FIREMAN'S PARK.

CAN YOU TELL US HOW CLEANINGS OF ENCAMPMENTS GO AND WHAT WAS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ONE?

>> WELL, OUR OFFICES HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STREET SANITATION.

NORMALLY WHAT WE SET UP AT THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION WILL REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE AND GO INTO PLAN TO CLEAN AN AREA TO CLEAN.

WE WORKED WITH RESIDENTS AT THE ENCAMPMENTS TO SCHEDULE A POWER WASH WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION.

NORMALLY THE CITY DEPARTMENT REACHES OUT TO US AND WE DO OUTREACH TOGETHER.

I'LL GO TO THE ENCAMPMENTS.

WE WILL PRODUCE NOTICES THAT SAY THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLACE ANYMORE, IT'S ABOUT CLEANING UP THE AREA AND FOLKS CAN MOVE THEIR ITEMS AND WE CAN POWER WASH AND BRING THEIR ITEMS BACK.

THAT'S NOT WHAT OCCURRED HERE.

OUR OFFICE FOUND OUT THROUGH ENCAMPMENT RESIDENTS THROUGH COMMUNITY LEADERS WITH AVONDALE MUTUAL AID WHO FOUND OUT TWO SATURDAYS AGO THE CITY OF CHICAGO CAME OUT IN TWO SQUAD CARS, HIGHLY UNUSUAL, AND SAID, "YOU'VE GOT TO GO," AND PROCEEDED TO PUT STICKERS ON TENTS WHICH WE'RE TOLD BY OUR PARTNERS AT THE CHICAGO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL AND A TACTIC THEY'VE NOT SEEN IN SEVERAL YEARS.

IT'S A TACTIC USED BY THE CITY TO MAKE IT CLEAR FOR A SPECIFIC TENT.

>> Alex: WERE THEY OFFERED A PLACE TO GO?

THEY WERE JUST TOLD TO LEAVE?

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, WHEN I SPOKE WITH THEM, TOLD ME THAT INDIVIDUALS WERE OFFERED SHELTER.

HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT SHELTER IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE.

WE KNOW THERE ARE OFTENTIMES BEDBUG OUTBREAKS AT SHELTERS, WOMEN AND INDIVIDUALS ARE ASSAULTED AT SHELTERS OFTENTIMES.

I'VE SPOKEN WITH PEOPLE AT SHELTERS WHO SAY THEY WERE WOKEN UP AT 6 A.M.

IN THE MORNING AND FORCED TO READ THE BIBLE BY PEOPLE WHO RUN THE SHELTERS.

A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS CHOOSE TO LIVE IN TENTS RATHER THAN BE SUNDAY TO THE CONDITIONS THEY HAVE TO FACE THEMSELVES.

A SHELTER IS NOT GOING TO OFFER SOMEONE HOUSING.

IT'S A FAR CRY FROM ACTUALLY OFFERING HOUSING WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT THE CITY TO DO HERE.

>> Alex: ALI SIMMONS, CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF REALLY THE SCALE OF THE HOMELESSNESS OF THE CITY?

HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM?

>> PRETTY BIG.

IT'S GETTING BIGGER, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF COVID.

YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS COMMUNITIES POPPING UP IN AREAS WHERE THEY NORMALLY WEREN'T.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL OVER THE STREETS.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SLEEPING ON BUS STOP BENCHES, WHEN YOU DRIVE PAST AND IT GETS TO BE 1, 2, 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

YOU SEE THEM EVERYWHERE.

IT'S ONLY GETTING WORSE.

IT'S GETTING WORSE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE FOLKS.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.

THEY HAVE NOBODY TO RELY ON ANYONE.

THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE LEFT OVER.

>> Alex: SO MORE RESOURCES ARE NEEDED.

ALDERMAN, WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE CURRENTLY TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS?

FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT DOES YOUR OFFICE OFFER?

>> WELL, OUR OFFICE HAS WORKED ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THESE ENCAMPMENTS IN THE 35TH WARD.

MOST NOTABLY WE HAD GREAT SUCCESS AT THE BELMONT ENCAMPMENT WHICH EXISTED IN SOME FORM OR FASHION FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.

WHEN OUR OFFICE STARTED TO WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS THERE, TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AROUND THE ENCAMPMENT, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO MOVE THE ENCAMPMENT OFF THE SIDEWALK TO MAKE SURE THE SIDEWALK WAS CLEAR FOR PEOPLE'S WHEELCHAIRS AND THE ENCAMPMENT IS NOW IN A SPACE THAT IS ON I DOT LAND.

WE WITH THE COMMUNITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STREET SANITATION AND THE RESIDENTS OF THE ENCAMPMENT HAVE BEEN WORKING TO KEEP THE AREA CLEAN.

THE ENCAMPMENT USED TO HAVE 12 TO 14 RESIDENTS.

BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP WE'VE BUILT, BECAUSE OF OUR ABILITY TO GET PEOPLE OUT THERE, TO DO CONCERTED, CONSISTENT OUTREACH, AND OUTREACH FROM AVONDALE MUTUAL AID, THE POPULATION IS NOW HALF OF WHAT IT WAS A YEAR AGO BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO HOUSING.

THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HOUSING AVAILABLE IN CHICAGO WITH LITTLE OR NO INCOME.

INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DOCUMENTED AS DAY LABORER WHO DON'T HAVE A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, IT'S HARDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET THE HOUSING THAT IS AVAILABLE OUT THERE.

>> Alex: ALDERMAN, I WANT TO HEAR FROM CARLOS.

WHAT ARE YOU AND OTHERS DOING TO HELP THOSE IN THE ENCAMPMENT IN FIREMAN'S PARK?

>> LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NO INCOME COMING TO ME.

I DON'T GOT NO MONEY, NO JOB.

I DON'T HAVE NO MONEY TO PAY BECAUSE OF THE COVID.

>> Alex: DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION WANT TO SEE THE CITY -- WHAT DOES IT WANT THE CITY TO DO IN THE SHORT AND LONG-TERM TO GET PEOPLE HOUSED?

>> NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THE ORGANIZATION I'M WITH BUT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS, THEY WANT TO SEE THE CITY, YOU KNOW, INVEST MORE FUNDS IN PERMANENT HOUSING.

WE WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO USE THE FUNDS RECEIVED FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, REHAB PROPERTY TO MAKE AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING THAT ARE BETTER EXPERIENCES THAN HOMELESSNESS.

WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET A LOCAL, YOU KNOW, FUNDING STREAM GOING FOR -- YOU KNOW, DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY FOR HOUSING PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS.

WE'RE SPECIFICALLY ASKING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY INCREASE THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAXES FOR PROPERTIES OVER 1 MILLION SO WE CAN ESTABLISH DEDICATING FUNDING.

NOT ONLY WOULD IT PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF RELIEF IN THE SHORT-TERM, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY PLAUSIBLE LONG-TERM.

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY DEDICATED TO IT.

>> Alex: DEFINITELY SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

I WANT TO THANK CARLOS RAMIREZ-ROSA, ALI SIMMONS AND JUAN CARLOS AVILES FOR JOINING US TODAY.

UP NEXT, WHY LATINOS ARE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE THAN NON-WHITES, COMING UP.

>> Alex: LATINOS ARE 50% MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE THAN NON-LATINO WHITES, BUT THEY'RE FAR LESS LIKELY TO SEEK HELP FOR THE DISEASE THAT HAS NO CURE.

IT TAKES A TERRIBLE TOLL ON THOSE WHO HAVE THE DISEASE AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM.

AS THE LATINO POPULATION AGES, IN THE YEAR 2016, 3.5 MILLION LATINOS ARE EXPECTED TO BE INFLICTED WITH THE DISEASE.

JOINING US NOW TO SHARE THEIR INSIGHT IS DAVID MARQUEZ, A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO AND LEADER OF THE LATINO CENTER AND DR. MARIA CAROLINA MORA PINZON, A PHYSICIAN AND SCIENTIST AT THE WISCONSIN ALZHEIMER'S INSTITUTE.

WELCOME BOTH.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU, DR. MARIA CAROLINA MORA PINZON.

THERE IS MORE WE NEED TO LEARN AND KNOW ABOUT THE DISEASE.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHY LATINOS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GET THE DISEASE?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT THIS DISEASE IS IT HAS -- THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT HAVE HIGHER RISK.

LATINOS HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD SUGAR AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND DISEASES THAT ARE NOT CONTROLLED.

WE KNOW A HIGHER RISK OF CARDIAC DISEASES INCREASES THE RISK OF HAVING ALZHEIMER'S.

BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER FACTORS HOW IT AFFECTS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

>> Alex: WHAT ARE THE OTHER FACTORS WE SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR, DOCTOR?

>> WELL, EDUCATION, HOW FAR THE EDUCATION LEVEL SOMEBODY HAS ACHIEVED, WHETHER THEY FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL OR THE CHANCE TO GO TO COLLEGE, OTHER FACTORS THAT WE FEEL WE DON'T KNOW ARE EXACTLY RELEVANT, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE BILINGUAL AND OTHER THINGS OF HOW WE -- IN THE SOCIETIES, HOW IT AFFECTS THINGS.

>> Alex: PROFESSOR MARCUS, I READ THAT LATINO FAMILIES, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE LESS LIKELY TO PUT A FAMILY MEMBER IN A HOME.

>> WE KNOW IT IS CULTURAL.

WE HAVE DATA WITH OTHER LATINOS WHO HAVE TAKEN CARE OF A LOVED ONE WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS NOBODY CAN CARE FOR MY LOVED ONE THE WAY WE CAN.

AND A LOT OF THAT IS CULTURAL FROM THE CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE FAMILY, THE STRONG BONDS THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN.

IT'S ALSO WITH THE CARE FACILITY.

IF THE PERSON IS NOT -- ONLY SPEAKS SPANISH, MAYBE THERE'S A FACILITY THAT CAN'T CARE FOR THEM OR UNDERSTANDING WHERE THEY CAME FROM, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT INFLUENCE WHETHER SOMEONE ENTERS A FACILITY.

>> Alex: FOR A FAMILY MEMBER WHO SUSPECTS THEIR SPOUSE, MAYBE THEIR MOTHER OR FATHER MIGHT BE SUFFERING FROM ALZHEIMER'S, HOW DO THEY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN ALZHEIMER'S RELATED MEMORY LOSS AND THE MEMORY LOSS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S PART OF THE AGING PROCESS?

>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE FAMILY.

SOMETIMES IT'S MORE THAN I CAN'T FIND MY GLASSES TODAY OR I SPENT TIME LOOKING FOR MY KEYS.

THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THESE TYPE OF MEMORY ISSUES ARE HAVING EVERY DAY, TO THE POINT THEY'RE AFFECTING ABILITIES TO DO ACTIVITIES AND TO GET OUT IN THE WORLD AND CONNECT WITH OTHERS.

IF THERE'S THINGS LIKE I GOT LOST, I WENT TO THE MARKET AND I FORGOT WHAT I WAS GOING TO GET, WHEN THOSE THINGS START TO HAPPEN REGULARLY, IT'S A SIGN TO ALARM THAT WE SHOULD TALK TO A DOCTOR TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

>> Alex: AND SEEK HELP DEFINITELY.

PROFESSOR, GOING BACK TO YOU, THERE'S NO CURE FOR ALZHEIMER'S AT THIS TIME THAT WE KNOW.

WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE THE DISEASE?

WHAT KIND OF TREATMENTS OR THERAPIES ARE AVAILABLE?

>> AT THE FRONT END, I WOULD SAY PREVENTION, RIGHT, OR REDUCING OUR RISKS FOR OUR CHANCE OF GETTING ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

MORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT WE DO, THERE IS A LOT OF DATA THAT IT REDUCES OUR RISKS OF GETTING ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

AND ALSO NUTRITION AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE EAT.

THE MIND DIET, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF A MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND THE DASH DIET FOR HYPERTENSION, REALLY FOCUSING ON GREEN, LEAFY VEGETABLES AND BERRIES AND NUTS AND BETTER KINDS OF OILS.

ALL OF THESE THINGS HELP REDUCE THE CHANCE THAT WE WILL GET ALZHEIMER'S.

>> Alex: DOCTOR, SPEAKING ABOUT TREATMENTS, A NEW DRUG FOR ALZHEIMER'S IS SUPPOSED TO SLOW COGNITIVE DECLINE IT HAS FACED SOME CRITICISM.

THIS WEEK, ACTUALLY THEY CHANGED THE GUIDANCE ON WHO SHOULD GET THIS DRUG.

THE F.D.A.

NOW SAYS IT'S ONLY APPROPRIATE FOR PEOPLE WITH MILD TO COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS DRUG?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THE CONTROVERSY ASSOCIATED WITH WHO WAS PART OF THE STUDY.

WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT WE WANT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN OFFER OUR PATIENTS.

WE WANT SOMETHING THAT COULD GIVE US HOPE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT STUDY IS THERE, WE NEED MORE MEDICATION ON HOW THIS MEDICATION WORKS.

WE NEED MORE DATA ON THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS.

AND WE NEED MORE PARTICIPATION WITH LATINOS, AFRICAN-AMERICANS, NATIVE AMERICANS, IN THE STUDIES TO MAKE SURE THE MEDICATIONS PROVIDE THE EFFECTS AND THE BENEFITS TO EVERYBODY AND NOT JUST A SMALL GROUP.

>> Alex: PROFESSOR, WE HAVE LESS THAN 30 SECONDS.

I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS VERY LAST QUESTION.

WHAT HELP IS THERE AVAILABLE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WE KNOW ALSO SUFFER FROM THE DISEASE?

>> I WOULD SAY LOOK INTO RESOURCES THAT ARE PROFESSIONALLY OFFERED TO BILINGUALS, RESOURCES, HOME CARE AIDES MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH WORK AROUND THE HOUSE, RESPITE CARE WHERE A CAREGIVER CAN GET SOME TIME ON THEIR OWN.

BUT REALLY MAKING SURE THE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE ARE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND BILINGUAL OR MONOLINGUAL SPANISH.

>> Alex: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

DAVID MARQUEZ AND DR. MARIA CAROLINA MORA PINZON, THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> Alex: THANK YOU.

AND FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS, THE ALZHEIMER'S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA IS HOSTING THE CHICAGO LATINO HEALTHY BRAIN SUMMIT ON JULY 23RD.

DETAILS ARE ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> UP NEXT, A LOCAL ARTIST EXPLORES HIS MEXICAN ROOTS IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN ART.

STAY WITH US.

>> Alex: MEXICAN ARTIST ANGELICA AGUILAR IS EXPLORING HIS ART.

HERE'S MORE FROM THE HYDE PARK ART CENTER.

>> FOR INDEPENDENT ARTIST, GABRIELLE VILLA, HIS WORK IS INHERENTLY A REFLECTION OF HIS IDENTITY.

>> I CAN'T HELP IT.

EVERYTHING I DO IS LOADED WITH MY CULTURE.

I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.

I DON'T RESIST IT BUT AT THE SAME TIME I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT IT LIKE CONSCIOUSLY.

>> FOR OVER 20 YEARS, VILLA HAS SUBCONSCIOUSLY EXPLORED HIS MEXICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE THROUGH DRAWINGS, PAINTINGS AND MOST RECENTLY SCULPTURE.

>> SCULPTURE DEPENDING ON THE POINT OF VIEW THAT'S BEING SEEN LIKE SOCIALLY AND GLOBALLY AND ALSO LIKE IN WHAT TYPE OF STORYLINE IS BEING DELIVERED.

SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT CAN COME ACROSS AS THE IMMIGRATION EXPERIENCE OR IT CAN COME ACROSS AS A STEREOTYPE OR IT CAN COME ACROSS AS A -- YOU KNOW, THEY STICK ALL LATINO ARTISTS INTO BOXES, THAT KIND OF THING.

I WANT TO CHALLENGE ALL THOSE NOTIONS AND AT THE SAME TIME I WANT TO CELEBRATE THEM.

>> VILLA ACKNOWLEDGES THE CHALLENGES AND CELEBRATIONS BY CREATING WORKS THAT OFFER SOCIAL CRITIQUE OR BY TELLING PERSONAL NARRATIVES.

BUT IT ISN'T ALWAYS THE CASE.

>> MY CERAMICS, IN MY OPINION, ARE MUCH MORE FLUID.

AS I KEPT FOLLOWING THE PROCESS OF CERAMIC PIECES, THEY STARTED TO BECOME LESS AND LESS NARRATIVE, WHICH IS A BIT DIFFERENT.

IT'S A BIT OF A DEPARTURE.

AND AT THE CORE, I THINK THERE'S A CELEBRATION OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS.

PART OF MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT MAKING ART IS TRYING TO TAP INTO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT OBVIOUS TO ME.

AND I STARTED TO, LIKE, REALLY DISCOVER HOW CAN I PUSH MY OWN BOUNDARIES OF CREATING FORM AND WHAT CAN THE IMAGINATION REVEAL TO ME?

>> AND LIKE MOST ARTISTS, HIS WORK IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF A PARTICULAR STYLE.

>> MY WORK CHALLENGES PEOPLE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S EASY.

I DON'T THINK IT'S AN EASY SEE.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO REALLY STAND IN FRONT OF MY WORK AND TRY TO NOT FIND THE ANSWERS OR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ARTIST IS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE, BUT MY WORK IS A BIT OF -- SOMETIMES THEY'RE WHAT I CALLED HEAD SCRATCHERS.

>> THERE'S ONLY ONE THING VILLA SEEMS TO HOPE PEOPLE FIND.

>> I WOULD LIKE THE VIEWER TO GET A NOTION ALSO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT A LOT, WHAT DOES AMERICAN ART LOOK LIKE?

LIKE WHAT DOES REALLY AMERICA -- LIKE CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN ART LOOK LIKE?

WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.

I MEAN, TO ME, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS A HEAVY LATINO MEXICAN-AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE, BUT THAT'S -- THAT'S AN AMERICAN STORY.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M ANGEL ITO.

>> Alex: YOU CAN SEE THE METAMORPHOSIS AT THE HYDE PARK ART CENTER UNTIL JULY 24TH.

>> ALL ACROSS THE CITY, GARDENS ARE EXPLODING WITH BRILLIANT COLORS RIGHT NOW.

A SOUTH SIDE GEL GEL -- CHICAGO TONIGHT'S -- HERE'S THE STORY.

>> THERE'S NO LIMIT TO WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH GELATIN.

>> THE GELATIN DESSERT.

FOR SOME, IT'S A JIGGLY RETRO NOVELTY, OF CHURCH POTLUCKS BUT IN THE MEXICO ART, THE BLOSSOMS ANGELICA AGUILAR MAKES IN HER KITCHEN IS NOT JUST A SWEET TREAT BUT A FORM.

>> BUTTERFLIES, BEES, ANYTHING THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND, YOU CAN PUT IN THE GELATIN.

>> Reporter: SHE WAS BORN IN MEXICO BUT DIDN'T DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN MAKING GELATIN ART UNTIL SHE WAS A YOUNG ADULT IN CHICAGO.

>> I STARTED BACK IN THE SPRING OF 2008 WHEN MY DAD WAS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR BACK THEN.

HE WAS DOING A REHAB IN THE BACK OF THE YARD AREA HERE IN CHICAGO.

THERE WAS SOME VENDORS WALKING BY, SELLING THIS GELATIN.

AND MY DAD BROUGHT SOME HOME AND WHEN HE SHOWED THEM TO ME, I WAS TOTALLY MIND BLOWN.

>> Reporter: THE GELATIN FLOWER FASCINATED AGUILAR, BUT SHE SAYS THE VENDORS WEREN'T WILLING TO TEACH HERE HOW TO MAKE THEM.

SO SHE STARTED POKING AROUND FOR WAYS TO TEACH HERSELF.

>> I WOULD SEE PICTURES OF GELATIN, BUT IT WASN'T ANY REFERENCE ON THE RECIPES OR THE TOOLS YOU'RE ABLE TO USE.

SO KNOWING THE BASIC RECIPE OF GELATIN, I WORKED BY EXPERIMENTING AND JUST POKING THE GELATIN AND SEEING WHAT WAS THE REACTION.

>> Reporter: SHE FINDS INSPIRATION FOR HER GELATIN GARDEN RIGHT OUTSIDE HER BACK DOOR.

>> I ALWAYS LOVE TO WALK AROUND MY GARDEN AND STARE AT THE FLOWERS.

I FOCUS ON THE SHAPE, THE FOLDS, THE LITTLE DETAILS THAT EACH PETAL HAS ON EACH FLOWER.

>> Reporter: IN ORDER TO FAITHFULLY RENDER EACH FLOWER'S UNIQUE THRILLS AND RUFFLES IN GELATIN, SHE MAKES THE TOOLS.

>> IT'S WORK LIKE A CHISEL BY MOLDING A CUT INSIDE THE GELATIN.

THESE ARE ATTACHED TO A SYRINGE.

>> Reporter: TODAY SHOW MAKES CUSTOM GELATIN FOR EVENTS, LIKE WEDDINGS, BABY SHOWERS.

AND SHE TEACHES GELATIN ART CLASSES AND EVEN GAVE ME A MINI LESSON IN HER KITCHEN.

>> IT'S ABOUT THE MOVEMENT YOU DO WITH THE NEEDLE.

>> Reporter: I LIKE YOU CAN COVER THE UGLINESS ON THE UNDERSIDE.

FLIP IT OVER.

>> YES, NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW.

>> Reporter: MORE FIRST FORAY MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE WOBBLY.

MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT THINGS HAVE BEEN WORSE BEFORE.

BUT I FOUND THE PROCESS VERY CALMING.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND IT THERAPEUTIC AND THEY RELAX BY POKING THE GELATIN AND THEN MAKING WONDERS WITH THEM.

THEY COME HERE NOT KNOWING HOW TO DRAW AND THEY ACTUALLY CAN CREATE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, REALISTIC WITH IT.

>> Reporter: AFTER ALL, WHAT'S BETTER THAN ART YOU CAN EAT?

>> WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS IN LIFE.

YOU CANNOT CHANGE THAT.

BUT BY MAKING FLOWERS, YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE CONTROL.

AND YOU END UP WITH SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND DELICIOUS TO EAT.

>> Reporter: "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES", THIS IS ERIKA.

>> Alex: BEAUTIFUL AND DELICIOUS.

YOU CAN SEE MORE OF ANGELICA AGUILAR'S ART ON HER WEBSITE.

THAT'S OUR TIME, THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS SATURDAY NIGHT.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT WTTW.COM/NEWS FOR THE LATEST, INCLUDING NEW STREETS ANNOUNCED FOR OPEN STREETS EVENTS.

THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAVE, A LOOK AT CHALLENGES BLACK WOMEN FACE IN ACADEMIA.

AND THE WORDS OF SUPPORTING BLACK AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES IN CHICAGO.

NEXT WEEK ON LATINO VOICES, WE'LL HAVE WBC HERE AT THE HOST AREA.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES", I'M ALEX HERNANDEZ.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PARENT OF YOUR WEEKEND FOR WITH US.

GOODNIGHT