>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN BART BY... [♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING.

FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" I'M ALEX HERNANDEZ WITH UNIVISION.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT... AS HIGHLAND PARK RESIDENTS RECOVER FROM LAST WEEK'S TRAGIC MASS SHOOTING WE'LL HEAR FROM THE TOWN'S LEADERS HOW THEY ARE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH RESOURCES TO HELP THEM HEAL.

>> LOCAL TECH ENTREPRENEURS GOT GOOD NEWS THIS WEEK.

WE'LL TALK TO THEM HOW THE $100,000 THEY ARE GETTING FROM GOOGLE WILL HELP THEM GROW THEIR BUSINESS.

SINGER SONGWRITER ON WHAT YOU CAN HEAR FROM HER AT WICKER PARK FEST NEXT WEEKEND.

>> THE MAIN MESSAGE OF THIS PARTICULAR SHOW IN GENERAL IS AS AN ARTIST YOU CAN WORK WITH ANYTHING, ANY MATERIAL, ANY OBJECT, ANYTHING.

>> HOW A LOCAL URBAN ANTHROPOLOGIST WORKS WITH MARBLE, WOOD AND ON OBJECTS TO PAY HOMAGE TO CHICAGO.

IN WHAT IS A DEVASTATINGLY FAMILIAR PATTERN IN AMERICA THE TOWN OF HIGHLAND PARK HAS BEGUN THE RECOVERY FROM THE SHOCK OF THE MASS SHOOTING.

THE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE SHOOTING TOOK SEVEN LIVES AND INJURED DOZENS MORE AND IMPACTED THE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AS WELL AS THOSE IN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

JOINING US WITH MORE ARE, HIGHLAND PARK MAYOR, NANCY ROTERING.

AND HIGHLAND PARK CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRES TAPIA WHO WROTE ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AT THE PARADE IN A SOCIAL MEDIA POST.

I WELCOME BOTH OF YOU TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES".

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I WILL START WITH YOU COUNCILMEMBER, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED THAT DAY?

>> IT WAS A JOYFUL DAY.

BLUE SKIES.

FESTIVITIES, FAMILIES EVERYWHERE.

AND THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL WERE CARRYING THE BANNERS OF HIGHLAND PARK.

WE WERE LIKE TWO-AND-A-HALF BLOCKS FROM THE SQUARE WHEN PANDEMONIUM BROKE LOOSE AND I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY SHOOTER IN CLINTON SQUARE AND MY WIFE WAS WAITING FOR ME WHERE I WAS GOING TO RETURN WHEN WE FINISHED MARCHING.

I RAN COUNTER TO THE PEOPLE RUNNING DOWN THE HILL ON CENTRAL AVENUE.

I WILL NEVER NOT GET COMING ON PORT GLEN SQUARE AND SEEING THE BODIES AND LOOKING AND TRYING TO SEE IF ONE WAS MY WIFE.

AND SUDDENLY, IN THE PANIC AND THE FEAR I LOOKED UP AND THERE SHE WAS STANDING ALL ALONE IN A BLUE T-SHIRT IRONICALLY MARCH FOR OUR LIVES T-SHIRT THAT WE HAD ANTIGUN PROTEST NOT TOO LONG BEFORE THAT.

AND THERE SHE WAS.

AND TOUCHED.

AT LEAST PHYSICALLY.

AND WE HAD THE EMBRACE OF OUR LIVES.

SO THAT WAS MOMENTS THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET AND I THINK WILL STAY WITH ME FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

THE RELIEF SHE WAS ALIVE WAS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER, EVER LET GO OF.

>> I CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THAT MIGHT HAVE FELT LIKE.

MAYOR, TELL US ABOUT WHERE YOU WERE AT THAT MOMENT AND WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS RIGHT AFTER?

>> MY THOUGHTS WERE ONE OF DISBELIEF.

MY THOUGHTS WERE HOW -- WHAT DO I DO RIGHT NOW TO KEEP MY COMMUNITY SAFE?

WE IMMEDIATELY PIVOTED TO AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF THE PARADE ROUTE AND PROCEEDED TO JUST RUN TO BOTH SIDES OF THE PARADE ROUTE AND THE YELLED TO PEOPLE TO RUN AND LEAVE THEIR BELONGINGS AND CHAIRS.

JUST RUN, RUN, RUN.

WE WERE HALFWAY THROUGH THE PARADE.

WE WILL A SLEW OF FOLKS WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

IT WAS STRANGE BECAUSE AT ONE POINT I REMEMBER TURNING AROUND, I THINK I SPOKE TO ANDRES AND I SAID THAT IS WEIRD THAT THE BAND STOPPED PLAYING.

ALL I HEAR IS A DRUM BUT IT WASN'T THE DRUM CADENCE IT TOOK ME FOUR DAYS TO REALIZE THAT WAS THE SOUND OF THE GUNFIRE.

>> AND EVERYBODY IS FAMILIAR WITH THE BAND SEEING THAT VIDEO OF THE KID SHOOTING THAT VIDEO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHERE WE SEE THE BAND STARTING TO RUN.

THAT IS AROUND THE AREA WHERE YOU GUYS WERE AT.

MAYOR, PEOPLE MIGHT NOT THINK OF HIGHLAND PARK AS A COMMUNITY WITH A SIGNIFICANT LATINO PRESENCE.

WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS LIKE THERE?

>> ABOUT 25% OF OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE LATINO.

AND HIGHWOOD AND HIGHLAND PARK DO EACH HE VIEW MORE AS SISTER COMMUNITIES BUT AS ONE COMMUNITY.

HAVING KNOWN SEVERAL OF THE FAMILIES FOR DECADES THROUGH MY OWN CHILDREN AND COACHING SOCCER WE ARE ALL ONE COMMUNITY AND TO THAT END, I FEEL IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT THE LATINO COMMUNITY HAS BEEN IMPACTED JUST AS HARD AS THE REST OF THE NON-LATINO COMMUNITY.

WE KNOW THAT FOLKS IN NORTH CHICAGO AND HIGHWOOD ARE NEEDING SERVICES JUST AS MUCH AS PEOPLE IN HIGHLAND PARK.

>> DEFINITELY.

COUNCILMEMBER WHAT WAS BEHIND YOUR DECISION TO POST PUBLICLY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND SPEAKING OUT ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH?

>> THERE WERE A COUPLE REASONS.

ONE IS THE CITY IMMEDIATELY OFFERED MENTAL HEALTH TRAUMA HELP LIKE THE VERY NEXT MORNING AND THEN IT JUST HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THEN.

AND THEY OFFERED IT TO CITY STAFF AND CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS SO WE COULD GO IN AND GET THE HELP WE NEEDED PERSONALLY.

THAT WAS ONE STEP THAT I TOOK FOR MY OWN HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF MY FAMILY.

BUT ALSO, I NEEDED TO BE STRONG ALONG WITH THE MAYOR AND THE REST OF THE CITY LEADERS TO COMFORT AND SUPPORT OUR CITIZENRY.

AND I REALIZED AS I WAS THERE I NEEDED TO BE A ROLE MODEL ABOUT GETTING THE HELP.

I NEEDED IT.

I WAS AS DEVASTATED AS EVERYBODY ELSE AND I SAW THE METHODOLOGY BE SO HEALTHY AND GOOD.

AND I SAW 25 OF US COMING IN BRITTLE AND VERY BROKEN AND VERY SCARED AND COMING OUT OF A TWO-HOUR SESSION IN A MUCH MORE CONSOLIDATED WAY AND ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH TO DO THE HARD, HARD WORK AHEAD OF US.

I FELT NOT ONLY DID IT BENEFIT ME I HAD TO TELL OTHERS IT WAS BENEFICIAL AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO GET THE HELP THAT WAS AVAILABLE.

AND I NEEDED TO ROLE MODEL THAT.

I NEEDED TO SAY I NEEDED THE HELP AND I GOT HELP, IT HELPED ME.

AND YOU ASK WHAT CAN WE DO?

ONE THING IS GET THE HELP YOU NEED AND BRING EVERYBODY ELSE WITH YOU.

POSTING IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA IT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF BEING ABLE TO GET THE WORD OUT.

>> AND SO MUCH MORE TO BE DONE.

MAYOR, YOU AND YOUR MEMBERS OF HIGHLAND PARK COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN IN WASHINGTON D.C.

RECENTLY ASKING FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO PREVENT FUTURE SHOOTINGS.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DONE?

>> FRANKLY, WE NEED A NATIONAL BAN ON WEAPONS THAT WERE BUILT AND DESIGNED FOR MASS DESTRUCTION IN COMBAT.

WE AS A CITY BANNED ASSAULT WEAPONS IN 2013.

IN THE WAKE OF SANDY HOOK RECOGNIZING THIS DEVASTATION WAS ALL OVER OUR CREW.

BUT HIGHLAND PARK ISN'T AN ISLAND.

WE REFLECTED THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY.

BUT I GUESS THE VALUES OF MOST AMERICANS IS THAT WE DO NEED TO GET THE WEAPONS OFF OF OR STREETS.

FOR MOST OF THE MAYORS IN THIS COUNTRY IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF IF THIS HAPPENS BUT WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN AND THAT IS A HORRIBLE THING TO THINK ABOUT.

WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE EVACUATION OF THE PARADE ROUTE.

WHAT IS TELLING IS THAT THE CHILDREN IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT TO DO.

THE ADULTS AND THE GRANDPARENTS WERE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER WHAT DO YOU MEAN ACTIVE SHOOTER?

THE KIDS SAID RUN.

THEY KNEW IMMEDIATELY AND THAT IS A TELLING AND SAD IMPLICATION OF OUR NATION.

>> RIGHT.

MAYOR THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND LAST COUNCILMEMBER, THIS IS OUR LAST QUESTION.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE RELUCTANT TO SEEK OUT MENTAL HEALTH HELP?

>> THIS IS TRUE FOR EVERYBODY BUT I WILL SPEAK TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE A STIGMA IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT SEEKING HELP FOR MENTAL HEALTH.

AND WE HAVE TO REALLY EMBRACE THE NEED AND THE MENTAL HEALTH IS AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL HEALTH.

AND THE RESOURCES ARE THERE AND THIS WAS TRAUMATIC.

NO ONE ESCAPES THE IMPACT OF WHAT HAPPENED.

WHETHER YOU GOT PHYSICALLY INJURED OR NOT.

I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE KITCHENS AND RESTAURANTS HERE IN HIGHLAND PARK AND ASKING TO TALK WITH THE LATINO STAFF THERE IN SPANISH AND SAYING AS A LATINO MAN MANY TIMES WE SAY I'M BRAVE I DON'T NEED THAT.

AND THE VALIANT THING TO DO IS SEEK HELP AND WE CANNOT HELP OUR FAMILIES UNLESS WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES.

THERE'S NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.

THE HELP IS THERE.

AND WE'RE PROVIDING THAT AND SEEK IT OUT.

>> WE WILL HAVE INFORMATION ON THE RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH ON OUR WEBSITE.

OUR THANKS TO MAYOR NANCY ROTERING AND COUNCILMEMBER ANDRES TAPIA.

THANK YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU, ALEX.

>> UP NEXT LOCAL START-UPS THAT RECEIVED MAJOR FUNDING FROM GOOGLE.

>> FIVE LOCAL LATINO LED START-UPS RECEIVED SOME VERY WELCOME NEWS THIS WEEK.

EACH OF THEIR BUSINESSES WERE AWARDED $100,000 FROM GOOGLE STARTS UP LATINO'S FOUNDERS FUND AS THE STUDY SHOWS IN THE U.S. JUST 2% OF VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDING WENT TO START UPS WITH LATINO FOUNDERS LAST YEAR.

THIS DESPITE LATINOS MAKING UP 17% OF SMALL BUSINESS FOUNDERS.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THEIR BUSINESSES AND WHAT THIS FUNDING BOOST WILL DO FOR THEM, ARE FOUR OF THE RECIPIENTS.

RICARDO REGALADO, FOUNDER AND C.E.O.

OF ROOT DIGITAL CLEANING OPERATING SYSTEM.

LUIS SUAREZ FOUNDER AND C.E.O.

OF A PLATFORM FOR SPANISH LANGUAGE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

OMAR HERNANDEZ A PLATFORM THAT AUTOMATES FINANCIAL TRACKING FOR INDEPENDENT BUSINESS OWNERS.

AND OSVALDO MONTELONGO FOUNDER AND C.E.O.

OF CONNECT CARE HEROS.

THANK YOU ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND CONGRATULATIONS BY THE WAY.

I WANT TO START LUIS SUAREZ.

THE COVID-19 FOCUSED MORE ATTENTION ON MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES THAN EVER.

HOW BIG A NEED TO YOU SEE THE NEED FOR SPANISH LANGUAGE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES?

>> THERE WAS OF THERE IS A HUGE GAP OF 5% OF MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS THAT SPEAK SPANISH IN THE U.S. WE'VE SEEN INCREASED DEMAND FOR THE SERVICES AND THERE'S JUST A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THE ONES THAT SPEAK SPANISH ARE IN HUGE HIGH DEMAND.

>> OSVALDO MONTELONGO YOUR BUSINESS GOT STARTED WITH YOUR FATHER.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT CONNECT HEROS ORIGINS STORY?

>> YEAH.

SO MY STORY STARTED WAY BACK WHEN [AUDIO INTERRUPTION] MY EARLY 20s I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF MY DAD.

AND I REALIZED HE WAS GETTING DEMENTIA AND HAD HIM MOVED TO A NURSING HOME.

AND WHEN I MOVED HIM INTO A NURSING HOME I NOTICED HIS MENTAL HEALTH WAS DECLINING QUICKLY.

AND A LOT WAS BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT CULTURAL PROGRAMMING CONNECTIONS TO PROGRAMMING FOR HIM.

AND SO I DEVELOPED CONNECT HEROS TO CONNECT HIM AND OTHER LATINOS LIKE HIM THAT HAVE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE TO THEM TO HELP IMPROVE THEIR SOCIAL WELLNESS.

>> WITH LATINOS STARTING BUSINESSES AT AN INCREASING RATE IN THE U.S. HOW DO YOU SEE THE SERVICES YOUR BUSINESS OFFERS HELPING LATINO ENTREPRENEURS LIKE YOURSELF SUCCEED?

>> WELL, OUR SERVICE CAN HELP BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY MAKE BETTER SENSE OF THEIR FINANCIAL DATA.

SINCE A LOT OF BUSINESSES ARE SELLING ON-LINE THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THE ON-LINE SYSTEMS WITH LONG WITH THE POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS WITHIN THEIR STORES.

SO CONNECTING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THE FINANCIAL DATA IS CRUCIAL TO HELPING BUSINESSES SUCCEED.

>> RICARDO REGALADO YOU ARE NOT FROM A TECH BACKGROUND WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU EASTBOUND COUNTERED MOVING FROM SERVICES WORLD INTO TECH?

>> IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE BUT IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE TO THAT A CHALLENGE DOES.

IT CHALLENGES EVERYBODY ON MY TEAM BUT SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT.

BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE TECHNICAL BACKGROUND WE ARE IN CHICAGO AND IT IS A HUGE TECH ECO-SYSTEM.

FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO HELP ME BUILD THE PRODUCT.

BRING THE IDEA TO REALITY.

BUT WE ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.

THAT IS THE OTHER SIDE OF BUILDING TECHNOLOGY YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ARE BUILDING IT FOR AND WHY YOU ARE BUILDING IT.

BECAUSE OF BEING IN A GREAT CITY WITH TECHNICAL RESOURCES IT WAS A CHALLENGE WE MET HEAD ON AND WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING IT AND HAVING FUN SINCE.

>> AND STARTING A BUSINESS IS NOT EASY.

AND FUNDING CAN BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING INVESTMENT FUNDING?

WHAT WERE YOUR CHALLENGES?

>> YEAH, I THINK THERE'S JUST THE NUMBERS PROVE THEMSELVES.

IF THE SITUATION IS MESSED UP.

BUT IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, YES, IT TOOK A LOT OF MEETINGS BUT IN THE END WE WERE ABLE TO CLOSE AROUND LIKE 60 MEETINGS.

>> 60 MEETINGS?

ARE YOU TALKING SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR THE GOOGLE FUND?

>> NO, FOR THE -- AS PART OF OUR -- YEAH.

>> THAT'S IMPRESSIVE DEFINITELY.

>> OMAR, HOW WILL THIS GRANT HELP YOUR BUSINESSES GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

>> WELL, WE PLAN TO USE THE AWARD TO HELP US BUILD OUT ADDITIONAL PRODUCT FEATURES.

WE ARE GOING TO HIRE TECHNICAL TALENT AND EXPAND TO OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN THE U.S. >> AND OSVALDO MONTELONGO DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TARGETED INVESTMENT FOR LATINO LED START-UPS?

>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S PROVEN THAT WHEN YOU DO INVEST IN LATINO FOUNDERS LATINO LED COMPANIES YOU GET A HIGHER RETURN.

A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING ISN'T WHAT TYPICAL INVESTMENT GOES INTO BUT IT IS BIG PROBLEM FOR ADDRESSING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.

I THINK IT SPARKS INVESTMENT IN LATINO FOUNDERS AND COMMUNITIES AND [AUDIO INTERRUPTION].

>> AND THIS QUESTION IS FOR ALL FOUR OF YOU IF TIME LETS US.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER ASPIRING LATINO ENTREPRENEURS?

BACK WITH YOU LUIS SUAREZ?

>> I WILL TELL GU FOR IT.

GO FOR IT.

I WAS THINKING OF STARTING A COMPANY FOR A WHILE.

AND I IT IS NOT BAD ENTREPRENEURSHIP [INAUDIBLE] >> I LIKE THAT.

>> OSVALDO MONTELONGO.

>> .

>> YEAH, I THINK THE YOU KNOW, INVESTMENT GOING INTO THE SPACES IS DEFINITELY A BIG LEAP.

I RECOMMEND IF THERE IS A PRESSING NEED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DEFINITELY, GO FOR IT.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR JUMPING INTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ESPECIALLY WITH LATINOS.

>> OMAR?

>> I WOULD SAY GO FOR IT.

LIKE YOU LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE.

PERSONALLY I RAN A BUSINESS PREVIOUSLY.

SO IT TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT RUNNING AND MANAGING A BUSINESS.

AND I SAY GO FOR IT.

>> RICARDO REGALADO.

>> IF I COULD DO IT EVERYBODY CAN DO IT.

A LOT OF US DON'T COME FROM THE BACKGROUND OR THE PEDIGREE AND IT'S GRIT AND HARD WORK AND LATINOS HAVE HARD WORK AND GRIT.

IT'S 11 REGENT THE FUTURE.

THE TECHNOLOGY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

IT'S YEAH, DO IT.

LIKE WE ALL SAID, GO FOR IT.

TAKE A CHANCE.

TAKE A RISK.

>> TO ANYBODY $100,000 SOUNDS LIKE A LOT MAYBE FOR A BUSINESS IT MIGHT NOT BE TOO MUCH WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE MONEY?

>> GOING AROUND AGAIN?

>> HEAD OF OPERATIONS HELP MARKETING.

>> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE MONEY?

>> FOR US, IT'S REALLY CONTINUE DEVELOP OUR PRODUCT.

IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE BUILDING OUT OUR CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND GETTING US THE PROFITABILITY WHICH IS OUR END GOAL RIGHT NOW.

>> OMAR?

>> HIRE TECHNICAL TALENT AND EXPAND TO OTHER MAJOR CITIES.

>> EXPANSION.

AWESOME.

>> SALES AND MARKETING.

BUILDING THE TEAM.

WE'RE BUILDING THE TECH AS WE SPEAK AND NOW IT'S TIME TO GO TO MARKET, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, TIMES OVER AND GET THE MARKET SHARE.

>> GUYS IF YOU ARE HIRING LET ME KNOW WE WILL BE IN TOUCH.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU ALL, RICARDO REGALADO, LUIS SUAREZ, OMAR HERNANDEZ AND OSVALDO MONTELONGO.

CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, ALEX, APPRECIATE IT.

>> BACK WITH MORE "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> WICKER PARK FEST RETURNS TO MILWAUKEE AVENUE NEXT WEEKEND AND AMONG THE MUSICAL ATTRACTIONS IS Y LA BAMBA A BAND LED BY LUZ ELENA MENDOZA.

THE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN AMERICAN LUZ ELENA MENDOZA SAYS THE FOUNDATION OF Y LA BAMBA SOUND COMES FROM A VARIETY OF TRADITIONAL MEXICAN MUSICAL STYLES BUT IT IS A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE THAT SHAPES HER LYRICS.

>> WHEN I WRITE I HAVE MY CHILD IN ME AND I AM A MUSICAL PERSON.

LIFE IS MUSIC.

[♪♪♪] I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A STORY.

WE FIND EACH OTHER.

SUNDAY SUPER FREAKING LOUD AND LIKE WE'RE MOPPING THE FLOORS WITH TOWELS AND SINGING.

AND JUST LIKE HAVING THE MELODIES IN MY HEAD REALLY INFORMS YOU.

IT'S HOW THE MUSIC INFORMS ME AS A MEXICAN AMERICAN, LIKE MORE LIKE, MORE MUSIC FROMLE CAMPEAU.

A LOT OF THE MUSIC I GREW UP LISTENING TO, MOST OF IT WERE MEN, A LOT OF THE MUSIC IS SUPER MISOGYNISTIC BUT IT WAS KNOWING HOW TO CONNECT.

I GREW UP LISTENING TO THAT AND LISTENING TO WOMEN.

I THEY ARE THE SAME GIRLS OR MAYBE THEY ALTERNATE BUT THE SONGS ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.

AND CHICAGO HAS A LARGE MEXICAN POPULATION.

AND THE HISTORY BEHIND IT AND SO I HOPE THAT JUST, YEAH, THAT WE CAN HAVE FAMILY TOGETHER YOU KNOW.

BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT IS.

WHEN I'M IN THE MOMENT AND WHEN I'M THERE IT'S JUST -- I JUST HOPE THAT I'M CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND FEEL LIKE THEY CAN FIND THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW?

[♪♪♪] >> Y LA BAMBA PERFORMS FRIDAY NIGHT AT WICKER PARK FEST.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ON OUR WEBSITE.

>> WE ARE NOT DONE YET, A MUSEUM IS SPAYING CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOUTH CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD IN A EXHIBITION BY A SELF TAUGHT HISTORIAN.

ARTS CORRESPONDENT, ANGEL IDOWU INTRODUCES US TO THE ROMAN VILLARREAL.

>> MARBLE, SERPENTINE AND WOOD, A FEW OF THE ELEMENTS MANIPULATED BY ARTIST ROMAN VILLARREAL.

>> WHAT I WAS DOING I WAS SHARING SOUTH CHICAGO AND THE SOUTHEAST SIDE WITH THE WORLD BUT I NEVER REALIZED IT AT THE TIME.

I WAS DOCUMENTING EVENTS.

AND I REALIZED THAT WHATEVER I WAS DOING, IT HAD TO BE DONE IN ON AN EQUAL BASIS, GOOD WITH THE BAD.

>> THAT IS WHAT HE TITLED THE EXHIBITION SOUTH CHICAGO LEGACIES.

>> I DON'T DWELL TOO MUCH ON THE IMMIGRATION OF THIS.

I DEAL MORE WITH URBAN.

WHAT IT IS TO BE AN URBAN PERSON AND LIVING IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND BEING A STEELWORKER COMMUNITY, BLUE-COLLAR WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE GOOD AND THE BAD.

>> ROMAN VILLARREAL REFERS TO HIMSELF AS AN URBAN ANTHROPOLOGIST A SKILL HE EARNED EARLY ON AS A CHILD.

>> MY MIND IS A 3D MIND MY MIND THINKS IN THREE DIMENSIONS IN LAYERS BECAUSE OF YEARS BEING A SCULPTOR.

>> THE EXHIBITION SHOWCASED IN WEST TOWN'S INTUIT CENTER FEATURES ROMAN VILLARREAL'S WORK FROM AS EARLY AS THE 1970s.

>> I DIDN'T REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING YOUR OWN TECHNIQUE UNTIL YEARS AND YEARS LATER BECAUSE I WANTED TO PAINT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

BUT THEN AFTER YOU START STUDYING MORE YOU REALIZE THAT IS NOT NECESSARY.

THEY WANT MORE OF LIKE YOUR SOUL.

ONCE YOU MASTER THE MEDIA THAT IS YOURS, AND YOU START DOING THE THINGS WHAT IS GOING TO SELL IS YOUR SOUL.

>> ROMAN VILLARREAL WORKS TO HEY HOMAGE TO BOTH HIS COMMUNITY AND HERITAGE.

>> WHAT SOUTH CHICAGO STORY DOES THE SCULPTURE TELL?

>> THIS IS SHARING OUR PAST.

AND THIS IS THE GREAT GRANDFATHERS BUT SHE WAS WAS THE BIRTH OF THE THREE RACES.

WHICH IS THE LATINO PEOPLE NOW AND THE AMERICAS.

MADE FROM SERPENTINE, ROMAN VILLARREAL SAYS THIS IS HIS NEWEST PIECE FOR THE EXHIBITION.

THE WOODEN CUT OUTS FROM 1977 ARE THE OLDEST.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SHADOWS ADD TO THE PIECE?

>> IT GIVE IT IS THE EXTRA DIMENSION FROM FLAT.

AND BEING A SCULPTOR, YOU DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH FLAT.

>> WHETHER DEPICTED THROUGH THE SCULPTING, PAINTINGS OR CUT OUTS, ROMAN VILLARREAL SAYS THE THEME WAS IN HIS WORK REMAINS THE SAME.

>> THE MAIN MESSAGE OF THIS PARTICULAR SHOW IN GENERAL IS AS AN ARTIST YOU CAN LITERALLY WORK WITH ANYTHING.

IF YOU ARE THAT IMPORTANT TO ME, THE MONEY VALUE RIGHT NOW, IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THE LEGACY WE'RE LEAVING BEHIND.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" I'M ANGEL IDOWU.

>> YOU CAN SEE SOUTH CHICAGO LEGACIES AT INTUIT THE CENTER FOR OUTSIDER ART THROUGH JANUARY 8.

THAT WILL BE OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE WTTW.COM/NEWS FOR THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS.

YOU CAN CHECK OUR SUMMER FESTIVAL GUIDE AS WELL.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING US SATURDAY NIGHT, KNOW YOU CAN CATCH LATINO VOICES AND BLACK VOICES SUNDAY STARTING AT 10:00 P.M. AND TUNE INTO UNIVISION CHICAGO EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING.

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

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

BUENOS NOCHES.

[♪♪♪]