>>> "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" >> Alex: GOOD EVENING, AND BEN BEN WEEK DAY MORNINGS AN UNIVERSITY VISION CHICAGO.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT THIS MONTH MARKS THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PANDEMIC INDUCED SHUTDOWNS IN ILLINOIS.

WE'LL ASSESS WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHAT LIES AHEAD.

>>> ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO TRAVELING AGAIN, THE REAL I.D.

DEADLINE HAS BEEN SET FOR OCTOBER FIRST, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOU LIKE TO FLY DOMESTICALLY.

>> AND GRAMMY AWARD WINNING SINGER AND SONG WRITER, LILA DOWNS, TALKS ABOUT HER ROOTS AS A MEXICAN IN MINNESOTA IN A THROW BACK INTERVIEW FROM 2016.

FIRST ETCH TONIGHT, IN MARCH 2020 FEW COULD HAVE PREDICTED WHAT THE PANDEMIC WOULD FRINGE OVER THE NEXT YEAR.

OVER 23,000 AMERICANS DEAD HERE IN ILLINOIS.

HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS PUSHED TO THEIR BREAK POINT, MILLIONS AT WORK, STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR FAMILIES FED AND HOUSED.

NOW THE VACCINATION BRINGING LIGHT TO WHAT WAS A VERY DARK LANDSCAPE.

BUT SOME CHALLENGES STILL REMAIN.

THIS IS WHY JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE 12 MONTHS OF COVID-19 HAS BEEN ARE DR. MARINA DEL RIOS, DIRECTOR OF MEDICINE AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS IN CHICAGO.

DR. JUANITA MORA AS WELL,ALLER GIST.

AND DOCTOR EVELYN FIGUROA PROFESSOR OF CLINICAL FAMILY MEDICINE AND U.I.C.

FAMILY MED RIESE RESIDENTSY PROGRAM DIRECTOR.

TO ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

YOU ARE ALL ON THE FRONT LINING OF THIS PANDEMIC AND HAVE BYE-BYE FOR THIS HOLE YEAR.

AFTER ALL THIS TIME OF TREATING PATIENTS HOW FAR WOULD YOU SAY WE'VE COME SINCE MARCH OF 2020 AND I'LL START WITH YOU DR. MORA.

>> I THINK WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.

WE KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THE VIRUS.

WHAT THIS PANDEMIC BEING IN HINDSIGHT NOW IN 2020.

IT WAS A PERIOD I WOULD SAY WHERE IT UNVEILED THE HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT WERE ALREADY UNDERLYING AND MAGNIFIED THEM FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.

WE SAW HARD HIT COMMUNITIES IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND LATINO COMMUNITIES, WE SAW THE NUMBERS OF SPIKES HITTING INTO THE MEAT PACKING COMPANIES AND SO MANY OTHER PLACES AND SO MUCH FEAR IN THESE COMMUNITIES AND SO MUCH ACTUAL LOSS, AND THIS ACTUAL LACK OF ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THIS PANDEMIC, AND NOW, WE SEE SO MUCH PROWE KNOW MORE ABOUT THE VIRUS AND TREATMENTS, WE ARE GOING TO THESE COMMUNITIES AND SHOWING A LOT OF LIGHT OF THESE UNSUNG HEROS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

>> Alex: DR. DEL RIOS, YOU WERE THE FIRST PERSON IN ILLINOIS TO RECEIVE THE VACCINATION BACK IN DECEMBER.

I REMEMBER YOU GET VACCINATE AND WE'RE SEEING HERE IN THE IMAGES, YOU GETTING VACCINATED.

LOOKING BACK, WHAT DID THIS REPRESENT TO YOU BACK THEN?

>> WELL, FOR ME, IT WAS A BIT OF A SENSE OF HOPE AND SEEING A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

THE TUNNEL IS STILL VERY LONG.

WE'RE STILL MAKING OUR WAY TOWARDS THE LIGHT.

WE STILL NEED TO GET A LOT MORE VACCINES IN PEOPLE'S ARMS.

I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE STARTING TO BE MORE PURPOSESFUL IN HOW VACCINES ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED AND TRYING TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO OUR COMMUNITIES HARDEST HIT BY COVID.

BUT, THE REALITY IS THAT AS DR. MORA JUST STATED, COVID EXACERBATED AND EXPOSED INEQUITIES BUILDING UP AND GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME.

>> Alex: YOU JUST SPOKE ABOUT THE HARDEST HIT COMMUNITIES.

DO YOU THINK WE HAVE DONE ENOUGH TO PROTECT THEM?

>> NOT AT ALL, I THINK WE STILL NEED TO INVEST A LOT MORE.

BUT I LIKE THAT AT LEAST WE'RE DOING SOMETHING AND DOING MORE THAN OTHER STATES.

BUT THE BAR IS SET SO LOW, RIGHT.

SO WE SHOULDN'T BE COMPLACENT WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AND REALLY CONTINUE STRIVING FOR IDENTIFYING WHERE WE'VE HAD FAILURES, JUST IN THE VACCINE ROLLOUT, EQUAL ACCESS DOESN'T MEAN EQUITABLE ACCESS.

PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE MEANS TO SIGN UP, TO GET THERE IN A CAR, TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK.

WE REALLY NEED TO BE THINKING MORE PURPOSEFULLY ABOUT DISTRIBUTING VACCINES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, AND WORK.

AND STOP ASSUMING PEOPLE WILL COME TO US TO GET HELP.

WE NEED TO BE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> Alex: DR. FIGUEROA, YOU ALSO RUN AN ANTIPOVERTY NON-PROFIT IN PILSEN.

ALSO ON THE FINANCES, A YEAR IN, HAS THE NEED FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND FOOD ASSISTANCE SLOWED DOWN AT ALL.

WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN?

>> IT HAS NOT SLOWED DOWN AT ALL.

OUR NON-PROFIT, THE FIGUEROA FAMILY FOUNDATION, OUR BIGGEST PROJECT IS THE FOOD PANTRY, WE HAVE OPERATED AT CAPACITY FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS.

OUR NUMBERS ARE 50% HIGHER THAN PRE-COVID AND WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO SUPPORT MUTUAL AID ON THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST SIDES OF CHICAGO.

WHEN COVID HIT, GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY WHICH SPONSORED MOST OF THE FOOD PANTRIES IN CHICAGO REALLY STEPPED UP IN TERMS OF CARRYING THE COST.

BUT ONE THING THAT CHANGED IS THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR PUTTING UP MORE FOOD PANTRIES UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

THAT MEANT THAT WHEN THE FOOD INSECURITIES CHANGED FROM ONE IN FIVE TO ONE IN THREE, ALL OF US HAD TO WORK A LOT HARDER TO GET THE RIGHT FOOD INTO THE RIGHT TUMMIES.

OUR CLIENTS, THE PEOPLE WE MEET, THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME ABILITY TO WORK REMOTELY.

YOU KNOW, 13% OF LATINOS WERE ABLE TO WORK REMOTELY DURING COVID TIMES, THIS MEANT THAT PEOPLE HAD TO REALLY CHOOSE BETWEEN GOING TO WORK AND BRINGING A VIRUS HOME TO THEIR FAMILY OR QUITTING AND EXPERIENCING, PROFOUND POVERTY.

SO PEOPLE, FIRST GOT LAID OFF FROM THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, BUT EVEN IF PEOPLE WERE WORKING IN PLACES THAT HAD WORK THEY WERE MAKING A LOT OF UNSAFE DECISIONS FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

>> Alex: MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Alex: DR. MORA YOUR SPECIALTY IS LUNG HEALTH, YOU NOT ONLY SAW THE PANDEMIC BUT ALSO A MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL BLOW IN LITTLE VILLAGE.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF COVID ON THE LATINO COMMUNITY WILL BE?

>> THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED ENVIRONMENTALLY BUT THEY WERE ALSO HARD HIT BY COVID-19.

WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, ALEX, AND ACTUALLY WITH THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION WE'RE WORKING HARD AT GETTING TO THESE COMMUNITIES AND STUDYING THE LONG-TERM LUNG EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON THEM.

TRYING TO ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INITIATIVES AS WELL, TOO, TO CLEAN THE AIR.

AND I THINK AS WE GO FORWARD, AND IN ORDER TO PREPARE US FOR THE NEXT PANDEMIC, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED ON A BIGGER BASIS BY MAKING EVERYONE HEALTHIER, BY DEALING MORE WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE SHALL AND CLEANING THE AIR ESPECIALLY IN THE HARD HIT COMMUNITIES THAT WERE ALREADY HARD HIT BY THE VIRUS AND YET THEY ARE BEING HARD HIT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND PLANTS GOING UP ET CETERA, SO THAT THE LONG-TERM LUNG FEFBLTHS AND LUNG HEALTH WILL BE HEALTHIER FOR THE KIDS AND THE ADULTS.

>> Alex: I'M GOING TO ASK THIS QUESTION TO ALL THREE OF YOU, SO PLEASE HELP ME KEEP IT SHORT.

WHAT HAS THIS LAST YEAR TAUGHT YOU ABOUT PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I'LL START WITH YOU.

>> WHAT IT HAS TAUGHT ME, IS HOW FAR PEOPLE ARE REALLY WILLING TO GO FOR IN TERMS OF GETTING THAT PAYCHECK AND GETTING THEIR FAMILIES FED.

THEY WERE SO SCARED OF THIS VIRUS, ALEX, AND YET THEY WERE GOING INTO WORK BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES.

THEY NEEDED THEIR PAYCHECK.

THEY WERE BEING ACTUALLY, A LOT OF THEM IN THEIR FACTORIES BEING TOLD WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU P.P.E.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL IMMIGRATION STATUS IN THE U.S.

SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AND YOU COULD EITHER HAVE A JOB OR NOT.

AND I REMEMBER STANDING UP FOR SO MANY OF THESE PEOPLE AND I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY WENT THAT EXTRA MILE AND NOW I WANT US TO GO BACK ON A GOVERNMENTAL LEVEL, FEDERAL LEVEL ET CETERA AND HELP THESE HARD-HIT COMMUNITIES GET VACCINATED AND NAVIGATE OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.

>> Alex: THANK YOU FOR THAT.

DR. FIGUEROA.

>> YOU KNOW, DR. MORA TALKS ABOUT RESILIENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE TALK ABOUT RESILIENCE LIKE IT'S SOMETHING WE DEVELOP AND BUILD, IT'S ACTUALLY A SURVIVAL TACTIC.

COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAD TO ENDURE ARE JUST INCREDIBLY OVERWHELMING.

I'VE LEARNED THAT PEOPLE WILL DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO HELP OTHER FOLKS AND THEY HAVE DONE IT WITH TREMENDOUS KINDNESS AND GRACE IN FACT.

I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD HAVE BEEN AS PATIENT.

>> Alex: THANK YOU SO MUCH, WE HAVE 30 SECONDS UNFORTUNATELY, BUT I WANT TO LEAVE THIS LAST QUESTION TO YOU DR. MARINA DEL RIOS.

>> WE REALLY NEED TO REDEFINE WHO IS ESSENTIAL IN OUR SOCIETY.

I THINK IF WE'VE LEARNED SOMETHING IN THIS PANDEMIC, IS THAT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE THE MOST ESSENTIAL PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY AND WE REALLY HAVE DO A BETTER JOB AT PROTECTING THEM.

>> Alex: DEFINITELY, THANK YOU SO ALL THREE OF YOU, DR. JUANITA MORA, DR. MARINA DEL RIOS, AND DR. EVELYN FIGUROA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

>> YOUR WELCOME.

>> IN LESS THAN 7 MONTHS, ALL AMERICANS FLYING DOMESTICALLY, PREVAIL SET A DATE OF OCTOBER 2020 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC THAT DEADLINE WAS PUSHED TO OCTOBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR AHEAD OF THE TRAVEL HEAVY HOLIDAY SEASON.

A PASS PORT WILL REQUIRED FOR ENTERING MILITARY BASES, FEDERAL FACILITIES AND NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.

JOINING US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS HENRY HAUPT, PRESS SECRETARY FOR THE ILLINOIS STATE.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.

AND ALSO A REMINDER FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, ALEX, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> Alex: FIRST OFF, WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE THEY GET A REAL I.D.

?

>> THE FIRST THING I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD THINK ABOUT IS WETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO APPLY FOR A REAL I.D.

NOT EVERYONE NECESSARILY NEEDS ONE.

AND ILLINOIS RESIDENTS HAVE A CHOICE.

IF, FOR INSTANCE, YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT FLY DOMESTICALLY AND YOU DON'T VISIT SECURE FEDERAL FACILITIES, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED A REAL I.D., YOU MAY JUST WANT TO RENEW YOUR STANDARD DRIVER LICENSE OR I.D.

CARD WHEN THEY COME TO EXPIRE.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF YOU HAVE A VALID U.S.

PASS PORT OR A MILITARY I.D.

OR ONE OF THE MANY DOCUMENTS THAT T.S.A.

WILL ACCEPT FOR DOMESTIC TRAVEL, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED A REAL I.D.

>> Alex: HAVE YOU SEEN THE APPLICATIONS STOP COMPLETELY SINCE THEN TO NOW?

WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN BETWEEN?

>> OUR FACILITIES EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC HAVE BEEN OPEN TO SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS EVEN WITH FACE-TO-FACE TRANS ACTIONS, WE'VE DONE SO IN A SAFE MANNER, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND WEARING MASKS.

WE'RE STILL ISSUING REAL I.D.

'S, ONE POINT I WOULD MAKE THAT IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO APPLY FOR A REAL I.D., I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU VISIT OUR WEBSITE, REAL I.D.

WHEN YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE, YOU COULD USE THE INTERACTIVE DOCUMENT CHECK LIST THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED TO HELP ENSURE YOU GATHER ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REQUIRING FOR REAL I.D.

APPLICANTS.

>> Alex: LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, WHAT ARE THE DOCUMENTS THAT PEOPLE WILL NEED TO GATHER OR OBTAINING THE REAL I.D.

FOR THE FIRST TIME.

WHAT DO THEY NEED TO KNOW?

>> SO, THE FIRST STEP IS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IS REQUIRING PEOPLE TO PROVE THEIR IDENTITY AND CITIZENSHIP AND LAWFUL PRESENCE, YOU COULD DO THAT WITH A VARIETY OF DOCUMENTS, THE MAIN ONES ARE A CERTIFIED COPY OF THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR A VALID U.S.

PASS PORT.

THE NEXT STEP INDIVIDUALS WOULD BRING IN IS PROOF OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.

AGAIN, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF DOCUMENTS YOU CAN USE TO PROVE THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.

A W-2 OR A PAY STUB, THOSE DOCUMENTS HAVE TO HAVE YOUR FULL SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND NOT JUST THE LAST FOUR DIGITS.

THE NEXT CATEGORY, YOU HAVE TO PROVE OUR ADDRESS, THE RESIDENCE THAT YOU CURRENTLY LIVE AT, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO BRING IN TWO DOCUMENTS PROVING ADDRESS, YOU COULD BRING IN FOR INSTANCE, A BACK STATEMENT OR UTILITY BILL.

AND LAST, YOU COULD BRING IN OUR CURRENT DRIVER'S LICENSE OR I.D.

CARD.

WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS COLLECTED, YOU VISIT YOUR NEAREST DRIVER SERVICES FACILITY, AND OUR PUBLIC SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES WILL TAKE YOUR DOCUMENTS, THEY WILL SCAN THEM, RETURN THEM BACK TO YOU, AND WITHIN 15 BUSINESS DAYS YOU WILL BE MAILED YOUR REAL I.D.

DRIVER'S LICENSE OR REAL I.D.

CARD.

>> WHAT ABOUT FOR SPANISH LANGUAGE SPEAKING PEOPLE, ARE THERE ANY RESOURCES FROM THE STATE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE PROCESS.

>> ABSOLUTELY, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF RESOURCES ONLINE AT OUR WEBSITE.

IN ADDITION, I WENT OVER A HANDFUL OF DOCUMENTS THAT YOU CAN BRING IN TO SATISFY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE DO ASK PEOPLE TO GO OUR WEBSITE BECAUSE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS YOU COULD BRING IN BEYOND JUST THE ONES THAT I REFERENCED THAT WILL SATISFY EACH CATEGORY.

AT THE END OF THE DOCUMENT CHECK LIST, YOU COULD ACTUALLY PRINT EACH OF THE SELECTED EACH OF THE DOCUMENTS YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IN AND WHEN YOU HIT PRINT, IT WILL BE A ONE-PAGE DOCUMENT HIGHLIGHTING IT EVERYTHING YOU WERE GOING TO BRING IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CHEAT SHEET TO UTILIZE.

>> Alex: DO YOU THINK D.H.S.

COULD PUSH THE DEADLINE BACK EVEN FURTHER, DO YOU FORESEE ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT?

>> I CAN'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF D.H.S., BUT I CAN SAY THAT SECRETARY WHITE HAS JOINED THE NATIONAL GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY AMONG OTHERS WE'RE PUTTING OUT A LETTER REQUESTING THAT D.H.S.

CONSIDER AN EXTENSION GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN UNDER EXTREME CHALLENGES WITH THE PANDEMIC.

>> Alex: PERFECT.

WELL, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I KNOW THIS IS USEFUL INFORMATION TO EVERYONE WATCHING AND JUST A REMINDER THAT THEY HAVE TIME UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR TO GET THE REAL I.D.

THANKS AGAIN HENRY HAUPT FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, I APPRECIATE THE INTERVIEW.

>> UP NEXT, A THROW BACK INTERVIEW AND A PERFORMANCE FROM GRAMMY AWARD WINNING SINGER LILA DOWNS.

>> Alex: THE MUSIC OF SINGER SONG WRITER LILA DOWNS BRINGS TOGETHER A MIX OF MUSIC.

THE FUSION REFLECTS HER OWN BLENDED ROOTS.

IN THIS 2016 INTERVIEW THE GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ARTIST RECALLS HOW HER CHILDHOOD IN MINNESOTA HELPED BRING HER BACK TO MEXICO.

>> YOU HAVE AN UNUSUAL DUEL HERITAGE, MEXICO AND MINNESOTA, FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH YOUR BACKGROUND, TELL US ABOUT IT.

>> WELL, I WOULD GO BACK AND FORT, MY FATHER WAS A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND MY MOTHER WAS LIVING IN MEXICO, SO ONE YEAR AND ONE YEAR, WAS MY CHILDHOOD, THAT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSINGIOUS LATER ON I STUDIED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND STUDIED VOICE AND ANTHROPOLOGY LATER ON AND CAME BACK TO MUSIC.

>> AND WHEN YOU SAY CAME BACK TO MUSIC, YOUR MOTHER WAS A SINGER?

>> SHE WAS, YES.

>> TELL ME ABOUT YOUR MOTHER'S BACKGROUND.

>> YEAH, SHE'S AN AMAZING INDIAN WOMAN AND BECAUSE THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OUR FIRST LANGUAGE IN MEXICO AS IN OTHER LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRY SUNSHINE A NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE.

SHED A THICK ACCENT AND SHE STILL HAS A THICK ACCENT EVEN SPEAKING SPANISH.

SO THAT WAS A CULTURAL EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW.

MY MOTHER RAN AWAY AT 14 YEARS-OLD FROM OTHER LITTLE INDIAN VILLAGE, WENT TO MEXICO CITY AND BECAME A LIBERATED WOMAN, MET MY FATHER LATER ON.

HE WAS VISITING WHAT HE SAID WAS A BAR, MY MOTHER SAID WAS A CAFETERIA, AND SHE WAS SINGING AT THIS CAFETERIA, AND HE FELL IN LOVE WITH HER AND FIVE YEARS LATER I WAS BORN.

>> THERE WAS A TIME IN YOUR LIFE YOU ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN YOU RESISTS IN EMBRACING YOUR HERITAGE, WHAT WAS THE TURNING POINT FOR YOU?

>> WELL, I THINK I HAD A MOMENT OF CA THAT ARE SAYS, I DROPPED OUT, I WAS IN COLLEGE, I FOLLOWED AROUND THE GRATEFUL DEAD, AND I DID SOME THINGS THAT PROBABLY MY MOTHER ISN'T VERY PROUD OF.

>> I'M SURPRISED YOU TOLD HER.

>> SHE CALLED ME ONE TIME AND SHE WAS LIKE, I NO LONGER HAVE A DAUGHTER AND SHE HUNG UP ON ME.

SHE WAS PRETTY UPSET.

AND THAT WAS REALLY, KIND OF THE FINDING MYSELF I GUESS, STORY, AND AFTER THAT, I CAME BACK TO COLLEGE, AND I STUDIED FINISHED STUDYING ANTHROPOLOGY AND TEXTILES BROUGHT ME BACK TO MUSIC.

>> I KNOW YOU'RE A BIG ADVOCATE OF INDIGENOUS CULTURE AND PEOPLES AND LANGUAGE.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE STATE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN MEXICO RIGHT NOW?

>> IT'S VERY COMPLEX, THERE ARE MANY REALITIES AS YOU KNOW IN ALL COUNTRIES WE HAVE MANY REALITIES, DEPENDING ON YOUR EDUCATION ON THE ACCESS THAT YOU HAVE TO EDUCATION, AND SO, XAOCA IS A AN INTERESTING PLACE, THERE ARE 16 DIFFERENT NATIVE GROUPS IN MEXICO THERE ARE 64 NATIVE LANGUAGES BEING SPOKEN.

AND ONE OF THESE BEAUTIFUL THINGS IS THAT THIS EXPRESSION IS VERY MUCH ALIVE.

I THINK AS A CHILD... >> WAS IT IN DANGER OF BEING WATERED DOWN OR DISAPPEARING?

>> YES, SOME LANGUAGES HAVE BEEN DYING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, YEAH.

BUT SOME ARE BEING SPOKEN BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

>> SPEAKING OF YOUR HOMETOWN, IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS BECAUSE OF A TEACHER STRIKE AND VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND TEACHERS, THERE HAVE BEEN DEATHS, UNFORTUNATELY, OVERALL, YOU'VE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE GOVERNMENT IN MEXICO.

WHAT ARE THE HOPES FOR MEXICO IN TERMS OF TURNING ITSELF AROUND.

I MEAN, ALL COUNTRIES HAVE PROBLEMS, THAT'S NOT TO SAY, BELIEVE ME, THAT THIS COUNTRY IS PERFECT.

BUT WHAT ARE YOUR REALISTIC HOPES FOR YOUR COUNTRY?

>> WELL, I THINK WE'RE LIVING IN AN INTERESTING TIME RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THINGS ARE BECOMING SO EXTREME.

PEOPLE ARE SO FAR TO THE RIGHT AND MANY PEOPLE ARE SO FAR TO THE LEFT.

SO, PEOPLE, THE CRITICS OF EITHER SIDES ARE GETTING VIOLENT IN MANY PLACES.

AND I GUESS, THERE ARE CYCLES IN HISTORY AND YOU LOOK BACK AND SEE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, THEY'RE AN EXPRESSION OF THE NEED FOR CHANGE, I SUPPOSE.

>> YOU'VE BEEN PESSIMISTIC OF MEXICO.

>> I'VE BEEN CRITICAL.

>> CRITICAL?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF AS AN OPTIMIST.

I THINK MY PESSIMISTIC YEARS HAVE PASSED.

I'M HOPEFUL.

>> THAT'S GOOD.

>> I'M HOPEFUL.

>> Alex: AND HERE'S LILA DOWNS NOW PERFORMING THE CLASSIC RANCHERA "LA CRUZ ORO".

♪♪ >> Alex: WOW, SO MANY MEMORIES WITH THAT SONG.

WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS SATURDAY NIGHT, JOIN BRANDIS FRIEDMAN TOMORROW NIGHT FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT BLACK VOICES.

COMMUNITY LEADERS CALLING FOR.

CHECKING IN WITH BLACK THEATER COMPANY TO SEE HOW IT'S BEEN MANAGING DURING THE PANDEMIC.

ALSO, REMEMBER TO TUNE IN TO.

NEXT WEEK ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES," WBEC'S MICHAEL PUENTE WILL BE IN THE HOST'S CHAIR.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US, STAY HEALTHY, STAY SAFE.

GOODNIGHT!

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