TONIGHT ON FIVE WE HAVE ALMA KREUSER, CHAUNDRA VAN DYK, ASIA BUTLER.

AND JUAN MORADO JR.

MEMBER OF THE ILLINOIS LATINO AGENDA 2.0.

WELCOME ALL TO CHICAGO TONIGHT.

MR. JUAN MORADO JR.

IF I COULD BEGIN WITH YOU WOULD OR BAD THIS NEW AWARD MAP?

>> I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT OUR ORGANIZATION IS PRETTY DISAPPOINTED IN THE OUTCOME OF HOW THINGS SHOOK OUT.

I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME GAMES.

I THINK THE LATINO WARDS HAVE GONE UP.

WE DID NOT END UP WITH THE 15 WARDS THAT IS COMMENSURATE WITH OUR COMMITTEE'S POPULATION.

>> ALMA KREUSER, FROM YOUR STANDPOINT, TA CORNEILLE ON THE NEW ROADMAP TO LEGALLY WARD MAP?

>> NIE.

I DON'T THINK WE ARE WELL REPRESENTATIVE BILLY REPRESENTED.

I'VE LIVED IN THE HERMOSA COMMITTEE SINCE 1980 AND EVER SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD A HISPANIC ALDERMAN AND I THINK IT'S BEEN BETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

I WAS HOPING THAT THE NEW CHANGE, THE COALITION WOULD HAVE BROUGHT A DIFFERENT OUTPUT, A DIFFERENT VIEW FOR THE RESIDENTS LETTING THEM HAVE A VOICE.

I WAS HOPING FOR A CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

CHAUNDRA VAN DYK YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE MAP?

>> VERY DISAPPOINTING.

I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THIS MAP THAT LACKS TRANSPARENCY, NO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ESPECIALLY FOR THE COMMUNITIES IN A WAY THAT IS VERY SCARY FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS BUT BEYOND THAT TOOK AWAY THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THE BEST MAP THAT BEST REPRESENTS THEM.

>> ASIA BUTLER YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> DEFINITELY NOT CHEERING FOR THE MAP.

DISAPPOINTED IN THE PROCESS MORE SO, THAN THE ACTUAL OUTCOME.

I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO IT BEING A MORE CITIZEN DRIVEN PROCESS.

I THOUGHT OUR CONVERSATIONS REGARDING INGLEWOOD WAS SPOT ON REGARDING MAPPING AND I THOUGHT WE WOULD'VE HAD MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LOCAL DISTRICT TO COME UP WITH THE OUTCOME.

>> JUAN MORADO JR., NONE OF THE FOUR OF YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THIS MAP.

WHAT WENT WRONG?

>> WELL, A NUMBER OF THINGS DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE FROM THE ILLINOIS LATINO AGENDA, IS NOT FOLLOWING THE DATA.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHANGE THAT THE CITY HAS SEEN OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE NUMBERS WERE OUT.

THE LATINO POPULATION WAS 33 PERCENT MORE, I'M SORRY, 33,000 PEOPLE MORE THAN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

YOU SAW THAT OVERALL LATINOS WERE JUST ABOUT SHY OF A FEW THOUSAND OF BEING THE MAJORITY POPULATION OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC IN THE CITY.

WE HAD HOPED THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE ENGAGEMENT AND REALIZATION THAT THERE ARE SOME GAINS TO BE MADE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP IT COULD HAVE COME OUT OF THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THERE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE 36 WARD ON THE NORTH SIDE THOSE FOLKS WILL BE COMPLETELY DISENFRANCHISED IN SOME WAYS.

IT WILL BE HARD FOR SOMEONE TO REPRESENT THE BOARD IN THE FUTURE.

>> WERE LOOKING AT THE MAP OF THE 36 WARD AND IT WILL BE HARD TO REPRESENT IN THE FUTURE AND IT CURVES AROUND IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO REFLECT A COHESIVE GEOGRAPHIC COMMUNITY ANYWAY IS NOT YOUR CONCERN?

>> DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK.

IT COULD BE A SNAKE OR A CAT LAYING DOWN WHATEVER IT IS IT IS A TRAVESTY.

IF YOU LOOK AT THESE TWO COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CONNECTED YOU WILL WILL HAVE PEOPLE FAR NORTH OF GRAND AVENUE HAVING TO MOVE NEXT TO SOMEONE IN GRAND ASHLAND COMMUNITY.

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL.

THEY ARE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND THE PEOPLE IN BETWEEN THERE WILL NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET SERVICES AND WHOEVER REPRESENTS THAT WARD WILL HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME.

>> ALMA KREUSER AS YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE HERMOSA NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT IS THE IMPACT LOCALLY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

>> WE DON'T HAVE REPRESENTATION.

IT IS, I GUESS, YOU CAN SAY IT IS BETTER BECAUSE IT IS DOWN FROM 4 TO 3 BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD ISSUES TRYING TO GET ANYTHING DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

EVERYTHING AROUND US IS BUILDING UP AND GETTING CLEANED UP BUT HER MOST IS STILL STALE.

WE NEED ATTENTION FROM THE ALDERMAN AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING IT.

>> ASIA BUTLER, WE JUST HEARD IN THE HERMOSA NEIGHBORHOOD IT WENT DOWN TO THREE WARDS FROM WHAT IT USED TO BE.

THE SITUATION IN INGLEWOOD, TELL US WHAT THE PRACTICAL IMPACT IS THERE IN INGLEWOOD IN TERMS OF HOW THE WARD WAS CARVED UP?

>> IT WAS ALREADY CARVED UP INTO SIX DIFFERENT WARDS IN GENERAL.

THE LAST MAP WE WERE SAYING THAT WE HAD IVAN OF ORDER BECAUSE THE 3RD WARD WAS SUCH A VERY SMALL PORTION OF GREATER INGLEWOOD AND SO, FOR SOME OF OUR MEMBERS THEY ARE EXCITED THAT WE ARE DOWN TO FIVE BUT IT IS STILL VERY DIFFICULT.

WE HAVE WARDS THAT WE ARE SHARING THE 20TH WARD WAS ALREADY TO THE LAKE AND WE HAVE ASSETS THAT OURS CITY BILL HAS ON THAT WARD AND WE ARE STILL DIVIDED BY FIVE.

WE SOUGHT TO WORK WITH FIVE DIFFERENT ALDERMAN'S TO TRY TO GET ANYTHING DONE.

THE UPSIDE IS THAT TWO OF THE WARDS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF POPULATION WITHIN THE INGLEWOOD COMMUNITY AND SO, HOPEFULLY, WE HOPE IT WILL GIVE US A LITTLE MORE COHESION AND COLLECTIVE TYPE OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AS A NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE ALWAYS LOSE THAT KIND OF ADVOCACY BECAUSE THERE'S SO, MANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IN SIX, 17 AND OTHERS THAT ARE PART OF 15.

WE ARE NOT, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE NOT PRAISING WHAT WE SAW BUT WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

>> CHAUNDRA VAN DYK, SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT WHAT SOME PEOPLE WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW IS THE PROCESS OF A LAWSUIT.

HOW REALISTIC IS THAT OPTION CHALLENGING THE MAP?

>> I IMAGINE THERE WOULD BE GROUPS LOOKING INTO LITIGATION ESPECIALLY SINCE THE DATA HAS BEEN IGNORED IN SOME WAYS BUT ALSO, LOOK AT WHAT IT DOES TO THE COMMUNITY.

THIS IS CLEARLY NOT GOOD FOR COMMUNITIES AROUND THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

I IMAGINE THAT MANY GROUPS WILL BE LOOKING AT HOW THEY CAN FIGHT AGAINST THIS MAP AND EMPOWER THEIR COMMUNITY AND RECORD DELAY REPRESENTATION.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE WORK GO FOR THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES AND HOW THEY REPRESENT THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

>> LET ME STAY WITH YOU, CHAUNDRA VAN DYK AND WHAT DO YOU THINK AS ALDERMAN'S AS INDIVIDUALS SEE THEIR WARDS AS SOMETHING THAT IS PERSONALLY PROPRIETARY OTHER THAN PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.HOW DO YOU SEE THAT?

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE LANGUAGE THEY HAVE USED AS WE TALK TO THE ALDERMAN ABOUT THE PROCESS AND WHEN THEY ARE IN COUNSEL IT IS ALWAYS I, MY WARD OR THEIR COMMUNITY IS OURS IN TERMS OF CITY COUNCIL.

THERE'S A VERY BIG BLACK OF SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND EMPOWERING RESIDENTS TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT SHOWS THAT WE WENT THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS TO SEE IF THE COMMUNITY COULD ENGAGE IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND YES, CHICAGO IS BUSINESS AS USUAL.

NOT ALL BUT SOME THE MAJORITY OF THE ALDERMAN HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE THAT THE PROCESS IS UNFAIR.

IT WAS DEGRADING IN SOME WAYS AND IT REALLY MADE THEM FEEL AS THOUGH THEY WERE OUTCASTS AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE BUT YET THEY STILL WIN IN THE BACK ROOM AND DECIDED TO TAKE A DEAL OVER COMMUNITY AND THAT DEAL DID NOT INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN REPRESENTATION.

SO, WE HAD THE QUESTION, WHOSE WARDS ARE THESE?

WE KNOW THERE IS A WARD BUT WHAT ABOUT THE POLITICIANS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO USE OUR VOICES TO REPRESENT US AS CONSTITUENTS?

>> THAT'S WHERE WE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

OUR THANKS TO ALMA KREUSER, CHAUNDRA VAN DYK, ASIA BUTLER AND JUAN MORADO JR..

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>> FOR MORE ON THE CONTROVERSIAL WARD MAP BE SURE TO CHECK OUT TONIGHT CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES.

UP NEXT TO COOK COUNTY PROGRAM OFFERING FREE LEGAL AID TO NONCITIZENS.

[MUSIC] WHEN GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER SIGNED THE DEFENDERS FOR ALL ACT IN AUGUST 2021 IT WAS A CULMINATION OF A YEAR-LONG FIGHT OF ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS TO NONCITIZENS.

THE ACT TOOK EFFECT IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR AND SINCE THEN THE COOK COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S IMMIGRATION UNIT SAID IT HAS TAKEN ON OVER ONE DOZEN CASES FREE OF CHARGE THE LARGEST COUNTY IN THE NATION TO DO SO.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE GUADALUPE PEREZ IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY WITH THE COOK COUNTY IMMIGRATION UNIT PROJECT AND ALEJANDRO LUGO AT THE RESURRECTION PROJECT.

IN BOTH FOR JOINING US.

AND, ALEJANDRO LUGO WHY WAS THIS STEP NECESSARY IN THE FIRST PLACE?

>> SEVERAL THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

IMMIGRANTS CONTINUE TO BE IN PROCESS OF DEPORTATION.

ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF IMMIGRANTS DON'T HAVE ATTORNEYS WHEN THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THIS AND WHAT THAT IS RESULTING IN, IS WE ARE REALLY NOT PROTECTING THE DUE PROCESS THAT AMERICANS HAVE.

IMMIGRANTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT NOT HAVING THE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO PAY 10, $15,000 FOR A PRIVATE ATTORNEY SHOULD NOT KEEP PEOPLE FROM HAVING ADEQUATE AND ETHICAL REPRESENTATION.

>> GUADALUPE PEREZ, WALK US THROUGH THIS, HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SEVERAL PARAMETERS TO DETERMINING THE CASE.

WE ARE STILL A PILOT UNIT AND HAVE TWO, THREE ATTORNEYS IN OUR OFFICE AND ONE IS A PARALEGAL.

IF A PERSON DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PAY FOR AN ATTORNEY WE CAN CONSIDER THEIR CASE.

IF THEY ARE DETAINED BY IMMIGRATION AND THEY HAVE COUNTY TIES I WILL CONSIDER THEIR CASE.

IF THEY ARE NOT DETAINED BY IMMIGRATION AND THEY HAVE BEEN A CLIENT OR ARE A CURRENT CLIENT OF THE COOK COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

>> LET ME STICK WITH YOU FOR A SECOND MISS PEREZ.

YOU SAY YOU ARE ALLUDING TO THE NUMBER OF CASES YOU ARE HANDLING, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DEGREE OF NEED?

THE DEMAND FOR IT?

>> THERE IS STILL A LARGE UNMET NEED.

WE STARTED COLLABORATING WITH THE MIDWEST OFFENDERS ALLIANCE IN ORDER TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY DID THIS IS A NEW INITIATIVE AS WELL WHEN SEVERAL LEGAL AID ORGANIZATION SUPPORT EACH OTHER ONCE A WEEK AND IF ANYONE IS UNREPRESENTED AND IT IS THEIR FIRST MASTER CALENDAR HEARING WE COULD CONSIDER TAKING ON THEIR CASE AS PART OF THIS CORRELATION AS WELL.

>> ALEJANDRO LUGO, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEFORE THE DEPORTATION COURT, HOW WERE THEY DISADVANTAGED IF THEY DO NOT HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION?

>> THERE'S A LOT OF DATA OUT THERE SHOWS, FOR INSTANCE, ONLY FIVE PERCENT OF FOLKS THAT ARE UNREPRESENTED IN THEIR IMMIGRATION CASE.

WE KNOW THAT REPRESENTATION GOES A LONG WAY IN ENSURING THAT IF SOMEONE HAS AN OPTION TO BE ABLE TO STAY, MAYBE THEY ARE MARRIED TO A US CITIZEN AND MAYBE THE CHILD IS A US CITIZEN AND THEY HAVE A CLAIM FOR A U VISA BECAUSE THEY THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF CRIME IN THE PAST.

YOU REALLY NEED AN ATTORNEY TO NAVIGATE THAT TO TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS AND WHAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR AND THEN ACTIVELY PUTTING IN THOSE POSITIONS.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A NEED FOR FOLKS TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.

SO, EVEN IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE, PERHAPS YOU ARE A CASE IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE DEPORTED, YOU STILL WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS AND WHAT TO EXPECT.

THIS IS A LIFE-CHANGING SITUATION WHEN FOLKS ARE DETAINED AND KNOWING HOW LONG YOU ARE DETAINED BOTH AFFECTS THE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILY.

>> MISS PEREZ GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF A CASE YOU ARE HANDLING RIGHT NOW.

PULL ONE OUT OF A HAT AND GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT THIS PERSON IS GOING THROUGH.

>> WELL, WE PRIMARILY ARE SEEING A LOT OF PRIMARY WINNERS, HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD.

WE FIRST IDENTIFY TO SEE IF THE PERSON IS ELIGIBLE FOR BOND.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF BOND CASES AND BOND IS FAIRLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS AN INDIVIDUAL TO PAY THE IMMIGRATION BOND AND BE REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILY WHILE STILL UNDERGOING THE IMMIGRATION PROCEEDING.

AND THEN THEY CAN CONTINUE TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO ENDURE FAMILY SITUATION.

>> AND THE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU ALEJANDRO LUGO IF THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM HOW DO YOU KNOW IF IT'LL WORK?

>> THE DUE PROCESS IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY.

THE FOLKS THAT DIDN'T HAVE AN ATTORNEY NOW DO IS SHOWING US THAT IT WORKS.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US IS TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUOUSLY ADVOCATE THE DEFENDERS FOR ALL COALITION WILL CONTINUOUSLY MAKE SURE WE ARE ALWAYS INCREASING THE BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THERE IS MORE ATTORNEYS TO FIT THE DEMAND AND WE WILL BE RELYING ON OUR CHAMPIONS LIKE COMMISSIONER ANAYA AND JOHNSON TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ADVOCATING IN THE COUNTY.

>> THAT'S WHERE I WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

OUR THANKS TO GUADALUPE PEREZ AND ALEJANDRO LUGO.AND NOW WINSTON CHURCHILL ONCE CALLED THE GAME OF RUG THE A HOOLIGANS GAME AND IT IS A TRADITION THAT EVERY ROUGH AND READY MATCH IS ENDED WITH A SHARING OF A MEAL BETWEEN TEAMS.

AT THIS HIGH SCHOOL GLEEFUL CONTACT SPORT BORN IN ENGLAND HAS BECOME AN UNLIKELY FAVORITE AMONG THEIR LARGELY LATINO STUDENT BODY.

REDUCER ERICA GUNDERSON KICKS OFF THE STORY.

>> I CAME OUT HERE AND I WAS WITH A COUPLE OF FRIENDS AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SPORT.

THE FREE ASPECT OF IT REALLY, FOLK ALL NOT EVERYBODY GETS THE BALL AND RUG THE, EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO GET THE BALL.

>> IT IS SO, FUN.

WHEN YOU SEE THE GIRL RUNNING UP TO YOU AND YOU KNOW THAT HER FOOTING IS OFF OR SOMETHING AND YOU CAN JUST DO A LITTLE SWIPE AND THEY FALL RIGHT THERE.

>> IT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY I WOULD GET IN OTHER SPORTS LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A BALL, BE ABLE TO RUN WITH IT AND EXPRESS MYSELF.

>> RUGBY IS A FAMOUSLY ROUGH AND TUMBLE SPORT.

NO PADS, NO HELMETS, JUST TEAMS BATTLING FOR THE BALL.

OR THE MORTON MUSTANG RUGBY TEAM IS ALL ABOUT LOVE.

>> I LOVE TO TACKLE IT IS FUN TO TACKLE.

WHEN I TACKLE I IMAGINE BIG TEDDY BEARS ON THE FIELD AND IT'S FUN.

>> I LOVE THE DISCIPLINE EVERY PLAYER HAS AN I LOVE THE HOSPITALITY THAT THE TEAM AND ALL THE PLAYERS GAVE ME DESPITE NOT KNOWING HOW TO PLAY.

>> IS ABOUT TEAM EFFORT AND ABOUT BUILDING CERTAIN SPECIFIC FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS NOT JUST WITH THE CULTURE BUT WITH THE TEAMMATES AS WELL.

>> YOU BRING IT ONTO THE FIELD AND YOU CAN CONNECT LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH EACH OTHER JUST BY A LOOK.

>> THE HEAD COACH, AARON SWEENEY SAID IT'S ALL PART OF THE GAME PLAN FOR THE TEAM.

>> IT IS ONE OF THE COOL THINGS ABOUT RUGBY IT LOOKS LIKE GUYS AND GIRLS BEATING THE HECK OUT OF EACH OTHER AND THEN AFTER THE GAME IS OVER YOU DON'T JUST SHAKE HANDS, YOU SHARE A MEAL TOGETHER AND I GET A KICK OUT OF KIDS FROM ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE HANGING OUT AFTER A RUGBY MATCH.

>> BUILDING THIS SUCCESSFUL RUGBY PROGRAM IN THIS HIGHLY LATINO SCHOOL WAS A LONG SHOT.

THE BRITISH-BORN SPORT IS POPULAR IN NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA AND EUROPE.

IN 2003 SWEENEY WHO PLAYED RUGBY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AND TO FELLOW TEACHERS DECIDED TO GIVE IT A TRY.

>> RESCHEDULED ONE GAME THAT FIRST YEAR TO SEE IF WE COULD DO A RUGBY TEAM HERE AT MORTON AND WE COULD.

AND BASED ON THE STRENGTH OF THAT IT GOT BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERY YEAR.

OVER TIME WE HAD SUCCESS ON THE FIELD.

WE HAVE WON SIX CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WORK PROUD OF THAT BUT WHAT WE ARE MORE PROUD OF IS WE HAVE 45 GUYS TRYING OUT TO USE RUGBY AS A VEHICLE TO BE BETTER PEOPLE AND WE COULD BE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

>> IN 2018 MUSTANG PLAYER TURNED COACH DECIDED TO PASS THE BALL TO MORTON GIRLS, TOO.

>> I WAS PLAYING IN 2011 AND WE ALWAYS HAD MANAGERS THAT WANTED TO PLAY RUG HE AND WE DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO.WE HAD OVER 300 GIRLS COME OUT TO THE FIRST TRIAL SO, WE WANT TO KEEP GROWING THAT AND BUILD A THREE.

>> OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS THE PANDEMIC DEALT SOME BLOWS TO BOTH TEAMS.

SWEENEY HAD PUT TOGETHER WHAT HE SAYS IS ONE OF THE BEST MORTON BOYS TEAMS EVER IN 2020.

>> THEN THE SEASON GOT CUT.

AND IN COVID HIT THE AREA PARTICULARLY HARD AND A YEAR LATER WE HAD 19 KIDS IN THE WHOLE PROGRAM, IT WAS LIKE WE WERE STARTING OVER.

>> SWEENEY SAID INTEREST REBOUNDED WITH A RETURN TO IN PERSON SCHOOL AND THIS YEAR THEY WILL SHARE THE RUGBY LOVE.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE THE REMOTE LEARNING YOU DON'T HAVE THAT RUGBY KID NEXT TO ANOTHER RUGBY KID SAYING YOU SHOULD CHECK THIS OUT.

I'M SO, GLAD WE ARE BACK IN PERSON.

WE HAVE THE KIDS SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF RUGBY.

>> I LOVE PLAYING RUGBY.

>> IT'S THE BEST FEELING.

YEAH.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES, THIS IS ERICA GUNDERSON.

>> AN UPDATE.

THE MORTON GIRLS TEAM HAS ADVANCED TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

THEY WILL BE PLAYING IN PLAINFIELD CENTRAL FOR THE TITLE ON MAY 28.

>>> UNTIL THE PANDEMIC HIT, ENROLLMENT IN COLLEGE WAS ON THE RISE AND COLLEGE STUDENT BODIES WERE BECOMING MORE DIVERSE THAN EVER.

BUT THE COUNTRIES EDUCATION SYSTEM HAS STRUGGLED RETICULAR WHEN IT COMES TO RACIAL AND ETHNIC MAKEUP OF FACULTY.

ALEJANDRO LUGO HAS TAUGHT ANTHROPOLOGY IN SEVERAL LATINX STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

HE GIVES THE LAST WORD ON THE CHANGE THAT HE SAYS NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO BETTER SERVE ALL STUDENTS.

>> MY NAME IS ALEJANDRO LUGO AND I HAVE BEEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

THIS EXPERIENCE ALLOWS ME TO COMMENT AND BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LAKH OF FACULTY DIVERSITY IN OUR NATION'S COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT UNIVERSITY LIFE WE SHOULDN'T JUST TALK ABOUT IT IN THE PRESENCE OF STUDENT DIVERSITY SHOULD ALSO TALK ABOUT THE ABSENCE OF FACULTY DIVERSITY ESPECIALLY THE FACULTY OF COLOR.

THIS IS THE FACULTY AND STUDENTS AND THINGS DO NOT ADD UP.

WERE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS.

THIS STUDENT FACULTY DEMOGRAPHIC GAP.

IF WE DO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT OUR UNIVERSITIES HAVE NOT DONE ALL THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING TO RECRUIT GRADUATE STUDENTS OF COLOR, TO HIRE ADEQUATE NUMBER OF FACULTY OF COLOR AND.

[INDISCERNABLE] FACULTY OF TENURE.

NOW MORE THAN EVER FACULTY DIVERSITY MATTERS.

HOW DO WE BEGIN TO SOLVE THE LAKH OF FACULTY COLOR IN COLLEGE CAMPUSES?

FIRST, IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF AN ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT OR A MEMBER OF THE OFFICE OF AN MINISTRATION, PLEASE REVIEW YOUR OWN DEPARTMENT WEBSITES.

IF YOU DO NOT SEE ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIVERSITY THERE, THAT MEANS YOU NEED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AND STEP INTO THE 21ST CENTURY WORLD IN WHICH OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN CURRENTLY LIVE.

FOR THE MOST PART IT TAKES A PHD DEGREE TO BE CONSIDERED A FACULTY CANDIDATE IN MOST AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES.

IT TAKES A LOT TO GET HIRED AS A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR.

ESPECIALLY IN OUR WELL-ESTABLISHED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC.

IF THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT GRADUATING ACTUAL STUDENTS OF COLOR, OUR UNIVERSITIES WILL NEVER PRODUCE THE FACULTY OF COLOR CANDIDATES THAT ARE MOSTLY HIGH ETHNIC AND HIGH SOCIETY THAT THEY NEED NOW.

AS PROFESSORS CONTINUE TO BE MOSTLY WHITE, THE AMERICAN.

[INDISCERNABLE] WILL BE ABLE TO REFLECT OUR COUNTRIES DIVERSITY AND UNFORTUNATELY WE WILL CONTINUE TO INADEQUATELY ENHANCE AND NURTURE THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION WITH DIVERSE STUDENTS AND EVEN DIVERSE FACULTY AS WE ENTER THE THIRD AND FOURTH DECADES OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

>> YOU CAN WATCH MORE IN OUR.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] SERIES ON HER WEBSITE.

THE MAC THAT'S ALL OF THE SHOW WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEKEND.

SURE TO CHECK OUT WTTW.com/NEWS FOR THE VERY LATEST ON WTTW NEWS.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT YOU CAN ALSO CATCH BLACK VOICES AND LATINO VOICES ON SUNDAY BEGINNING AT 10 PM.

AND JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT VIRTUAL COMMUNITY CONVERSATION COULD WILL TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND YOUTH AS SUMMER APPROACHES.

TO RSVP VISIT WTTW.com/EVENTS.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES, I AM PHIL PONCE.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY AND STAY SAFE AND BUENAS NOCHES.

>> REAL-TIME CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY U.S. CAPTIONING COMPANY