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

[MUSIC] ♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND BIEN VENIDO FIRM "CHICAGO TONIGHT" "LATINO VOICES".

OUR SHOW TONIGHT, THE SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS CULTURAL CENTER TURNS 50 THIS MONTH WILL TALK TO THE LEADER ABOUT THE AFRO LATIN ORGANIZATION ABOUT WAS NEXT.

THE LATEST ARDENT EFFORT TO REPEL HIV TRANSMISSION LAW.

WHICH THEY SAY CRIMINALIZE THOSE LIVING WITH HIV AIDS.

WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE WORLD OF FREAK BIKES MEET THE PEOPLE WHO CREATE THESE CUSTOM RIDES.

>> IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT WILL BE DONE TO US.

AND I WOULD RATHER GO OUT WITH A FIGHT THEN SIT HERE AND ALLOW SOMETHING TO HAPPEN TO ME.

>> AND WE WILL HEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY SAID PORT SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE STATE SAVES COMMUNITIES.

>>> FIRST TONIGHT, CHICAGO'S OLDEST LATINO CULTURAL INSTITUTION CELEBRATES ITS 50TH BIRTHDAY THIS MONTH.

THE SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS CULTURAL CENTER BROUGHT AFRO LATIN DANCE, MUSIC AND ART TO CHICAGO WESTSIDE THIS 1971.

AND IT'S PERSEVERED THROUGH ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT YEARS ARTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE EVER FACED.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT 50 YEARS OF AFRO-LATIN ART AND WHAT IS TO COME, THE ORGANIZATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OMAR TORRES-KORTRIGHT.

WELCOME TO "LATINO VOICES".

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME!

YES VERY EXCITED.

>> FOR VIEWERS IT MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION, CAN YOU GIVE US A QUICK HISTORY OF THE SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS CULTURAL CENTER AND ITS MISSION?

>> YES, WHERE THE OLDEST LATINO CULTURAL CENTER IN CHICAGO.

BEEN AROUND SINCE 1971 LIKE YOU MENTIONED.IT WAS THE CULTURAL CENTER CAME OUT OF AN INITIATIVE FROM THE LATIN AMERICAN -- ORGANIZATION WHICH HE COULD SAY WAS THE GROUP OF CITIZENS, LATINOS THAT WERE VERY MUCH ACTIVE IN SEEKING A BETTER POSITION OF LATINOS IN GENERAL AND FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY IN THE 70S.

THAT SMALL GROUP THAT CAME OUT OF ASSOCIATION HOUSE WHICH WAS A VERY WELL-KNOWN NONPROFIT, FORMED WHAT LATER WOULD BE CALLED THE SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS CULTURAL CENTER AND SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN 50 YEARS.

ARTS, MUSIC, CULTURE AND ALSO, A LOT OF ACTIVISM IN THE HISTORY OF SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS.

A VERY RICH HISTORY AND DEFINITELY THE FIRST ORGANIZATION PROBABLY THE ONE THING WE ARE MOST KNOWN ABOUT IS THE FIRST THAT REALLY DEVELOPED THE AFRO PUERTO RICAN MUSIC IN CHICAGO.

>> AS WE KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS HAVE HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF ADJUSTMENTS OVER THE LAST YEAR.

HERE'S A CLIP FOR RESUME PERFORMANCE, SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS PRODUCED TO SUPPORT MUSICIANS AND KEEP THEIR ARTS ALIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC.♪ ♪ [MUSIC] ♪ ♪ IT WAS A HARD YEAR FOR ALL ♪ ♪ NONPROFITS BUT ESPECIALLY ♪ ♪ THOSE LIKE YOURS THAT DEPEND ♪ ♪ ON FUNDS FROM SELLING ♪ ♪ TICKETS FOR PERFORMANCES, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SONG?

>> YEAH, THAT SONG MEANS A LOT TO US BECAUSE IT WAS BORN HERE AT SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS YOU CAN SAY THE FIRST NIGHT IT WAS PLAYED, IT WAS IN HURRICANE MARIA BUT THE SUN IS ABOUT RESILIENCE SO IT REALLY, WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT IS THAT IT WAS COMPOSED BY A MUSICIAN THAT IS AN ARTIST -- IT'S ABOUT RESILIENCE SO IT IS A UNIVERSAL THEME THAT COULD VERY MUCH BE APPLIED TO THE PANDEMIC AND WE DECIDED TO DO OUR OWN LITTLE PANDEMIC VERSION, THE WAY THAT THE ARTISTS WERE DOING IT IN THE PANDEMIC AND NOW IT WILL BE AN ACTUAL ALBUM, WE WILL COME OUT WITH PROBABLY THE FIRST EXCLUSIVE ALBUM AND WHEN I SAY -- ONE OF THE FORMS OF PUERTO RICAN MUSIC THAT IS MOST KNOWN, AND PUERTO RICO IS MOST KNOWN.

>> WHAT OTHER WASTAGE ORGANIZATION ADJUST THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC?

>> YEAH, IT'S BEEN A YEAR MANY CHALLENGES AND ALSO A LOT OF LEARNING.

AND A LOT ABOUT, A LITTLE LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS.

LISTENING AND LIVING UP TO THE HISTORIC MOMENT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO, THOSE THINGS COME INTO PLAY AND THAT MADE US LOOK AT OUR HISTORY AND WHAT WE STAND FOR AND WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION.

SO, OUR PARKING LOT FOR MUSICIANS THAT ARE COMING TO REHEARSED BUT ALSO A COVID TESTING SITE.

WE HAVE VACCINATION EVENTS WHERE WE WERE COMBINING ARTS AND CULTURE WITH VACCINATION AND A VERY INGENIOUS WAY AND CALLING IT -- WE BROUGHT ALL OF THESE MUSICIANS THAT WERE PLAYING OUTSIDE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WAITING IN LINE IN THERE WE HAVE DJ 'S IS SET TO CREATE A VERY FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE BECAUSE IT WAS A CELEBRATION.

WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE THAT CHOSEAND TRUSTED US TO GET VACCINATED.

WE WERE LITERALLY PULLING PEOPLE FROM THE STREET THAT WE KNOW IF WE HAVE NOT ASKED THEM TO COME AND GET VACCINATED MAYBE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT.

ONE OF THE GUYS SAID I DON'T EVEN HAVE AN ID AND HE WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND WE SAID YOU KNOW WHAT?

THAT DOESN'T MATTER, WE CAN STILL VACCINATE YOU.

AND I THINK AT THAT LEVEL OF TRUST WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

OF COURSE WE HAD OUR ONLINE VIRTUAL CONCERTS WHERE WE PRODUCED DOCUMENTARY IN PUERTO RICO IN THE PANDEMIC.

AT AN ABANDONED SCHOOL IN PUERTO RICO WE CALLED IT -- THE ENTIRE SERIES OF PERFORMANCES WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS TO GET OUT THERE AND REALLY PERFORMER NOBODY REALLY WAS HIRING THEM.

WE TRIED TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH, LIVING UP TO THE MOMENT AND PROVIDING FOR THE COMMUNITY, TO THE EXTENT OF OUR RESOURCES AND TO PROVIDE FOR ARTISTS AND YOUTH.

WHICH AREAS CONTINUE BEING PART OF THE PROGRAMS AND WE CONTINUED OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS WITH THE YOUTH AS WELL.

>> THIS IS A FULL YEAR CELEBRATION FOR YOU.

WHAT CAN PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS MONTH AND THE REST OF THE YEAR?

>> IT SO HAPPENS THAT IS PROBABLY THE LAST MOST ACTIVE DATES OF THE WHOLE CELEBRATION IN JUNE.

BUT THEN WE CONTINUE THROUGHOUT.

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE -- PRODUCTION.

IT IS A LOCAL INITIATIVE THAT WAS BORN ALSO HERE SO WE ARE HOPING THAT THE ARTIST DEVELOP ORIGINAL WORK THAT WAS PRODUCED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND WE FINALLY GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW IT TO THE PUBLIC.

IT IS THE LAST WEEKEND WE WILL BE SHOWING IT AND WILL HAVE PERFORMANCES TONIGHT.

WE WILL HAVE PERFORMANCES ON SATURDAY.

AND ALSO SUNDAY.

AND THEN, WE ALSO HAVE COOKING CLASS, THE VIRTUAL COOKING CLASS PHENOMENON WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY PICKED UP IN THE PANDEMIC.

THE TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO MAKE A TYPICAL PLATE FROM VIEQUES.

AND THAT WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE MONTH, NONE OTHER THAN OUR COLLABORATION AS AN OFFICIAL PARTNER WITH -- TUESDAYS ON THE TERRACE, INSTEAD OF JAZZ, THE CLASSIC FORMER MUSIC THAT IS SHOWN IN TUESDAYS, WE WILL SPICE IT UP AND BRING OUR SALSA MUSICIAN AND WERE ABLE TO GET A FULL SALSA BAND THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS THAT THEY HAVE THE GREATEST AND -- THEY WILL DO ORIGINAL WORK.

>> WE GOT JUST A SHORT TIME BUT BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, THE MOVIE VERSION OF LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA STAGE MUSICAL "IN THE HEIGHTS' WRECENTLY IN RELEASED AND HAS RAISED SOME CONTROVERSY WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> I THINK THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO LISTEN AND I THINK THE REACTION WAS ACTUALLY VERY POSITIVE.

AND I THINK THAT THIS IS ABOUT EVEN WORKING WITH -- PEOPLE PUSHING THE PUERTO RICAN CULTURE AND MAKING OUR CULTURE KNOWN.

THOSE ARE THE FIRST PEOPLE WE SHOULD HOLD ACCOUNTABLE AND I THINK THAT REALLY CALLING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK IT WAS RECOGNIZED.

I THINK IT IS THAT FINE BALANCE BETWEEN YES, CALLING OUT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO.

AND ALSO KNOWING WHO OUR ALLIES ARE AND TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE BETTER.

>> OUR THANKS TO OMAR TORRES-KORTRIGHT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT AN EFFORT TO REPEAL♪ ♪ THE HIV TRANSMISSION LAW.♪ ♪ STAY WITH US.♪ ♪ [MUSIC] ♪ ♪ [MUSIC] >> A BILL AWAITING THE ILLINOIS GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE WOULD REPEAL THE STATES SO-CALLED HIV CRIMINAL TRANSMISSION STATUTE.

IT CURRENTLY MAKES IT ILLEGAL FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV UNPROTECTED SEX WITHOUT DISCLOSING THEIR STATUS TO THEIR SEXUAL PARTNERS.

CRITICS OF THE LAW SAY CRIMINALIZES HAVING HIV AIDS ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHILE DOING ALMOST NOTHING TO SLOW ITS SPREAD.

LET JOINING US NOW WITH MORE IS ADAM RHODES, WITH THE CHICAGO READER WITH THE RECENT WROTE ABOUT THE HISTORY AND CURRENT REPEAL EFFORT COPUBLISHED BY INJUSTICE WATCH.

ADAM, WELCOME TO "LATINO VOICES".

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.>> FIRST OF ALL, EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT THE LAW DOES.

>> SO, THE LAW MAKES IT A FELONY PUNISHABLE BY UP TO SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON FOR KNOWINGLY EXPOSING SOMEONE TO HIV AIDS WITHOUT TAKING MEASURES TO PROTECT THE OTHER PERSON.

THE UPDATED LAW MAKES IT ILLEGAL NOT TO USE A CONDOM IN A SEXUAL SETTING AND ALSO MIX ILLEGAL TO DONATE BLOOD, TISSUE, ORGANS, THINGS LIKE THAT AND TO SHARE NON-STERILIZED DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.

PARAPHERNALIA LIKE NEEDLES.

>> WHEN WAS THE STATUTE ADOPTED AND WHAT INSPIRED THE PASSAGE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

>> YES SO IT WAS PASSED IN 1989 AT THE HEIGHT OF THE AIDS CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THE LAW WAS PRETTY MUCH FUELED BY THE CRISIS.

AND BY LETTER STIGMA, HOMOPHOBIA AND RACISM THAT ALL WORK TOGETHER AT THAT TIME.

>> HOW HAS A LOT BEEN ENFORCED IN CHICAGO AND ACROSS THE STATE?

>> IN CHICAGO, THE LAW HAS PREDOMINANTLY BEEN USED AGAINST PEOPLE OF COLOR.

TWO THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CHARGES ANALYZED WERE AGAINST BLACK MEN AND 75 PERCENT OF THESE CHARGES ANALYZED WERE AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE ACROSS GENDER LINES.

I TALKED TO A COUPLE OF COUNTIES, THE I BELIEVE FOUR MOST POPULOUS COUNTIES BESIDES -- ALL OF THE COUNTIES CHARGED EITHER NO ONE UNDER THE LAW OR ONE OR TWO.

>> CRITICS SAY THE LAW CRIMINALIZES LIVING WITH HIV AIDS.

WHAT IS THEIR MAIN ARGUMENT FOR THAT?

>> THE MAIN ARGUMENT BEHIND THAT COMES FROM THAT THESE LAWS ACTUALLY LIMIT TESTING, MEDICATION AND EVEN ESSENTIALLY TO THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY CLAIM TO DO AND SO, IN LIGHT OF THAT, THESE, THE ACTIVISTS PUSHING FOR REPEAL SAY THAT THEY AREN'T ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY CLAIM TO BE DOING AND PUNISHING PEOPLE FOR LIVING WITH THE VIRUS.

>> AS YOU KNOW, ILLINOIS IS ONE OF AROUND 30 STATES HAVE SIMILAR LAWS ON THE BOOKS.

IS THERE AN EFFORT TO RETHINK THE STATUTES NATIONWIDE?

>> I THINK ON A STATE-BY-STATE LEVEL, THERE ARE SOME STATES THAT HAVE RETHOUGHT AND REPEALED THESE CRIMINAL SANCTIONS OR AMENDED THEM.

I THINK VIRGINIA WAS ONE OF THE MOST RECENT ONES.

BUT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL BECAUSE THEY'RE SUCH A PATCHWORK OF LEGISLATION THERE ISN'T A FEDERAL OR I DON'T THINK THERE'S A FEDERAL RESPONSE JUST YET.

>> IN YOUR RECENT ARTICLE YOU PROFILE SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CHARGED UNDER THIS LAW.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE AWAY FROM THEIR STORIES?

>> THE BIGGEST TAKE AWAY THAT I GOT FROM THE STORIES IS THAT THESE CHARGES ARE JUST SO DESTRUCTIVE AND SO HARMFUL TO THESE PEOPLES LIVES.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE I SPOKE WITH HIS LIFE HADN'T BEEN UPROOTED SIGNIFICANTLY IN SOME WAY.

-- HAD TO LEAVE A CAREER HE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT.

-- HUSBAND SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AS A RESULT.

THERE REALLY ISN'T JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THIS LAW BEING USED IN A WAY THAT HAS NOT LED TO JUST DEVASTATING HARM FOR PEOPLE.

>> CDC DATA SHOWS A PROPORTION OF HIV INFECTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS RISEN STEADILY IN LATINO AND BLACK COMMUNITIES IN RECENT DECADES.

WHAT BARRIERS REMAIN FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO SEEK TREATMENT?

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST BARRIERS ALWAYS GOING TO BE STIGMA.

IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE THOSE LASTING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE HIV VIRUS IS, HOW IT IMPACTS, AND JUST THE STATE OF LIFE AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED.

PARTICULARLY WITH THE LATINO COMMUNITY THERE'S ALL OF THAT MACHISMO AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY AND WHEN YOU PAIR THAT WITH A DISEASE THAT IS KIND OF PAIRED WITH THAT SAME COMMUNITY, THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF AREAS FIGHTING THAT VIRUS.

>> MY UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE REPEAL EFFORT ALSO HELPS TO CHANGE A STATUTE ON HOW PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV CAN OR CANNOT DONATE BLOOD AND OTHER BODILY FLUIDS.

HOW DOES THAT CURRENTLY WORK?

>> I'M NOT SUPER SURE ABOUT THAT.

I BELIEVE THAT ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, MEN CANNOT DONATE BLOOD AND UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE MEN HAVE SEX WITH MEN ARE A LARGE POPULATION OF THE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, I BELIEVE THAT WILL STAY.

>> HOW SOON DO YOU THINK THIS LAW WILL BE REPEALED?

>> I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT -- I'M JUST HOPING THAT I AND ADVOCATES HOPE THAT THE LAW WILL BE REPEALED DURING PRIDE MONTH JUST BECAUSE OF THE SYMBOLISM.

BUT IT IS REALLY JUST UP TO -- UNFORTUNATELY.

>> DO YOU KNOW IN COOK COUNTY WAS LEFT ON THE STATES ATTORNEY USED THE LAW?

>> 2016.

>> 2016.

ALL RIGHT.

DO YOU KNOW THE OUTCOME WAS THE PERSON ACTUALLY CONVICTED?

>> I BELIEVE THE PERSON DIED DURING THIS.

>> OUR THANKS TO ADAM RHODES.

UP NEXT, THE UNUSUAL WAYS SOME CYCLISTS GET AROUND.

STICKAROUND .♪ ♪ [MUSIC] ♪ ♪ >> HAVE YOU EVER THROWN A ♪ ♪ BROKEN BIKE OR ANY SPARE ♪ ♪ PARTS?♪ ♪ THERE'S A CHANCE LOCAL BIKE ♪ ♪ CLUB SCOOPED UP THE TRASH TO ♪ ♪ MAKE A WORK OF ART ON ♪ ♪ WHEELS.♪ ♪ "CHICAGO TONIGHT" EVAN ♪ ♪ GARCIA RECENTLY VISITED ♪ ♪ LOGAN SQUARE TO LEARN ABOUT ♪ ♪ THE CITIES CUSTOM BIKE ♪ ♪ CULTURE.♪ ♪ >> 14-YEAR-OLD MALCOLM ♪ ♪ LANGFORD IS RIDING A TALL ♪ ♪ BIKE FOR THE FIRST TIME.♪ ♪ >> IT WAS PRETTY SCARY BUT ♪ ♪ PRETTY COOL.♪ ♪ IT'S LIKELY DIFFERENT CELL ♪ ♪ IT'S LIKE I'M SO HIGH!♪ ♪ >> UNUSUAL BIKES OF ALL ♪ ♪ SHAPES AND SIZES ARE HERE AT ♪ ♪ LOGAN SQUARE PARK.♪ ♪ TALL ONES, LONG ONES, EVEN A ♪ ♪ GIANT RAT ON WHEELS.♪ ♪ CUSTOM BIKES TO ME IS A ♪ ♪ REPRESENTATION OF YOURSELF, ♪ ♪ YOU KNOW?♪ ♪ THE CLOTHING YOU WEAR ♪ ♪ REPRESENT YOU, THE THINGS ♪ ♪ YOU DO, YOU KNOW SO THE BIKE ♪ ♪ THAT YOU RIDE CAN ALSO REPRESENT YOU AND SOME OF US ARE JUST A LITTLE WEIRDER THAN OTHERS I GUESS.

>> CHRIS IS A MEMBER OF THE LOCAL BIKE CLUB, RAT PATROL IT STARTED IN 1999.

>> MOST OF THE STUFF THAT I MAKE, IT WOULD COME OUT OF THE ALLEY, OUT OF THE TRASH.

PEOPLE'S LEFTOVERS THAT I FIND AND BRING HOME AND TURN INTO MY GOLD.

>> RAT PATROL AND OTHER BIKE GROUPS TYPICALLY SCOUR ALLEYWAYS FOR SPARE BIKE PARTS THAT THEY WILL DO OPERATIONS LIKE THIS BIKE MADE OF SEVERAL BIKES, A MOVING CART AND OF COURSE, A CHARCOAL GRILL.

>> THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE GRILL BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO EAT AND PARTY AND WE WANT TO TAKE IT WHEREVER WE GO.

WE SAID LET'S BUILD SOMETHING THAT CAN ACTUALLY TAKE THE GRILL TO THE PARK OR TO THE BEACH.

>> THIS SWING BY THE LOOKS QUITE PRECARIOUS AS IT ITS TWO WHEELS SWING OUT OF ALIGNMENT WAS BILLED BY AIDAN LOWRY.

>> AND NURSING AND WOULD MAKE ONE BEFORE.

SEEMS LIKE A REALLY WILD IDEA.

YOU CAN PUT IT TO THE LEFT OF YOU ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

IT REALLY FEELS FREE.

>> THROUGH ORGANIZING PUBLIC MEET UPS AND SCAVENGING FOR DISPOSED BIKE PARTS, THE RAT PATROL AIMS TO FOSTER A DO-IT-YOURSELF SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO BIKE RIDING.

ACCORDING TO THIS CLUB MEMBER WHO GOES BY THE NAME WILEY COYOTE.

>> RAT PATROL ALWAYS WAS TO SEE MORE PEOPLE DO THINGS THEMSELVES.

HOW TO BUILD THEIR OWN BIKE AND MAINTENANCE THEIR OWN BIKE AND HOW TO DIVERT BIKES FROM THE -- >> ISOLATION BROUGHT ON BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC INSPIRED.

JUAN LUCERO AND HIS FAMILY.

>> FOR ME SPECIFICALLY WE ALL NEED EXERCISE, AND WE GET OUT.

THEN THAT'S REGULAR GOT INTO A LOT.

EVEN THE KIDS.

I SAID LET'S JUST GO OUT.

WE HAVE TO GO A COUPLE OF DAYS A WEEK AND RIDE.

>> I JUST THINK THAT THEY HAVE A LOT TO SAY BUT THEY PUT IN THEIR BIKES AND STUFF AND IT'S JUST REALLY COOL.

IT IS JUST SOMETHING REALLY GREAT THAT THEY ARE DOING.

>> I DEFINITELY WANT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND MAKE A BIG BAG.

I THINK IT'S REALLY COOL SOMETIMES ME AND MY DAD RIDE DOWN THE STREET A BUNCH OF PEOPLE STARE AT YOU BUT IN A GOOD WAY.

I WANT TO KEEP DOING THAT.>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT I'M EVAN GARCIA.

>> IF JUAN LUCERO AND HIS DAUGHTER LOOK FAMILIAR IS BECAUSE THEY'RE PART OF A FAMILY MARIACHI BAND THAT OUR VERY OWN JEFF -- PROFILED A FEW YEARS AGO.

YOU CAN CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR THE STORY AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RAT PATROL BIKE CLUB AND THEIR LOCAL MEET UPS.

THE FORCES OF GENTRIFICATION CAN MAKE PEOPLE BE PRICED OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS FEEL POWERLESS.

BUT THE FOUNDERS OF A BODEGA SAY RESIDENTS HAVE MORE POWER THAN THEY THINK.

AND IT IS IN THEIR POCKETS.

YOU CAN HEAR WHAT THEY SAY EVERYONE CAN DO TO INVEST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

>> HI, I AM BRANDON RAMIREZ SMITH.

-- WE ARE.

[LAUGHTER] TOGETHER WE ARE.

[LAUGHTER] YOU WANT TO BE TO SAY AT THAT TIME?

>> WE GOT THAT >> I AM .

[NAME ?]

AND TOGETHER WE ARE -- [LAUGHTER] WE ARE THE CO-CREATORS OF LOLITA'S.

>> WE ARE NEIGHBORS AND BEST FRIENDS.

>> PRETTY MUCH SISTERS.

THIS IS A LATIN X POP UP MARKET IN THE PARK.

WE BEGAN IN 2019.

AS A WAY TO STAVE OFF JUSTIFICATION AND PUT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

WE ARE VERY PROUD PUERTO RICAN.

AND THE PARK IS ONE OF THE LAST MAINSTAYS FOR US IN OUR CULTURE AND IT IS SLOWLY BEING GENTRIFIED OUT.

>> YOU GO TO THE PARK AND YOU SEE FAMILIES.

YOU SEE OLDER PEOPLE PLAYING DOMINOES AND PEOPLE JUST HANGING OUT.

AND IT IS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT.

FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

QUESTIONABLY 60 PERCENT OF OUR DOLLARS AND SMALL BUSINESSES GO INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY ARE IN.

AND IF YOU'RE SPENDING MONEY MINDFULLY IN YOUR COMMUNITY, IT ALLOWS YOU TO STAVE OFF THAT SMALL IS US FROM HAVING TO LEAVE.

>> AT THE BODEGA YOU WILL DEAFLY FIND THE VENDORS REFLECT THE COMMUNITY.

CLOTHING, ART, CREATIVE WEARS LIKE CANDLES, INCENSE, EVEN JEWELRY.

MY RING IS ACTUALLY FROM ONE.

>> MY EARRINGS FROM AN ARTISAN.

A LITTLE -- LOCAL ARTISTS AND PEER.

>> SOME OF THEM UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING HAVE HAD TO LEAVE.

WHETHER IT BE THERE GENERATION OF THE PREVIOUS GENERATION.

AND SO, WE BECAME MORE CONSCIOUS OF WHERE WE WERE PUTTING OUR MONEY INTO.

WE CAN DEFINITELY CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE CEILING WE WERE GOING TO THRIVE IS IF WE INVEST IN EACH OTHER.

>> BEING AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

PUT IN WORK AND HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE STRUGGLING AND WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS USING THE RESOURCES IT NEEDS.IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT IT'S GOING TO BE DONE TO US.

AND I WOULD RATHER GO OUT WITH A FIGHT THEN SIT HERE AND ALLOW SOMETHING TO HAPPEN TO ME.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF MAGIC HAPPENING IN THE STATES.

YOU CAN BUY SOMETHING THAT WILL BE WORTH SOMETHING A LOT MORE LATER ON.

RIGHT FROM OUR HOME COMMUNITY.

>> LOLITA'S BODEGA IS BACK IN ACTION TOMORROW.

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THAT AND WATCH MORE IN OUR SERIES ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT IS OUR CHAUFFEUR THIS SATURDAY NIGHT.

JOIN BRANDIS FRIEDMAN TOMORROW FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" BLACK VOICES.

MONDAY NIGHT AT 8:00 JOIN "CHICAGO TONIGHT" "LATINO VOICES" COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.

WE ARE TALKING WITH LATIN X LGBTQ LEADERS IN CHICAGO ABOUT PRIDE MONTH AND THE LATIN X LGBTQ EXPERIENCE.

THIS MONDAY EVENING AT 8:00, VISIT www.WTTW.com/VOICES TO RSVP.

DON'T FORGET YOU CAN CATCH MY REPORTING ON 91.5 FM, NEXT WEEK ON "LATINO VOICES", ALEX HERNANDEZ WITH UNIVISION CHICAGO WILL BE HERE IN THE HOST CHAIR.

WE LEAVE YOU TONIGHT WITH A -- FROM THE CHICAGO ACTIVIST AND FOLKSINGER THAT DIED LATE LAST MONTH AT THE AGE OF 72.

HE PERFORMED ABOUT GENERAL JOHN J PERSHING IN A 1997 INTERVIEW WITH THE LEGENDARY -- FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT" "LATINO VOICES", I AM MICHAEL PUENTE THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR WEEKEND WITH THE SPEAR STAY HEALTHY AND STAY SAFE, BUENOS NOCHE.♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [MUSIC] ♪ ♪ PERSIA WAS A GRADUATE OF ONE ♪ ♪ OF THE HIGHEST MILITARY ♪ ♪ ACADEMIES OF THE UNITED ♪ ♪ STATES.♪ ♪ WEST POINT.♪ ♪ -- [MUSIC] ♪ ♪ ONE TIME HE TOLD HIS MOTHER ♪ ♪ TAKE THE SHOES OFF OF YOU ♪ ♪ HORSES AND PUT THEM BACK.♪ ♪ SO HE WENT NORTH.♪ ♪ [LAUGHTER] ♪ ♪ [MUSIC] ♪ ♪ PERSIA WENT BACK TO FIGHT IN ♪ ♪ THE FIRST WORLD WAR.♪ ♪ HE BECAME A WAR HERO.♪