>> Announcer: CHICAGO TONIGHT LATINO VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALL-STATE AND CIBC.

>>> GOOD EVENING, CHICAGO TONIGHT LATINO VOICES I'M ALEX HERNANDEZ.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT LOCAL DOCTORS AND WHY ENDING THE MASK MANDATE EVEN FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE MAY BE PREMATURE.

MAY IS DROWNING PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH.

BEFORE YOU HIT THE BEACH WE'LL TALK WITH A LOCAL ACTIVIST ABOUT HOW TO ENJOY THE CITY'S LAKE AND POOLS SAFELY.

THE POST A GROUP OF LATINO VETERANS WANTS TO BRING NEW LIFE TO A 102-YEAR-OLD ORGANIZATION AND OFFER COMMUNITY TO LATINOS WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY.

>> SOMETHING THAT BRINGS YOU JOY AND MAKES YOU WANT TO DANCE.

>> JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER, MUSIC JOURNALIST SANDRA TREVINO HAS FIVE HOT SONGS TO UPDATE YOUR PLAY LIST.

FIRST OFF TONIGHT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SURPRISED MANY THIS MONTH BY RELEASING NEW GUIDANCE SAYING VACCINATED PEOPLE NO LONGER NEED TO WEAR A MASK IN MOST INDOOR SETTINGS.

THE MOVE HAS LED OFFICIALS IN ILLINOIS AND CHICAGO TO END MASK MANDATES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GOTTEN THEIR SHOTS AND TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS WHO ESSENTIALLY USE THE HONOR SYSTEM GOING FORWARD.

HERE'S THE CITY'S TOP DOCTOR ALLISON SPEAKING RECENTLY ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

>> IT'S NOT LIKE WE WALK AROUND YOU KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A VACCINE PASSPORT, WE'RE NOT WEARING SOMETHING, OBVIOUS THAT SAYS WHETHER SOMEONE IS VACCINATED.

WE CERTAINLY ARE ASKING PEOPLE IF THEY ARE NOT TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND WEAR THE MASK WE KNOW NOT EVERYBODY IS LIKELY TO DO THAT.

>> BUT SOME LOCAL DOCTORS SAY SCRAPPING MASK MANDATES IS PREMATURE AND INCREASES THE RISK OF COVID-19 FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE LATINO.

JOINING US TO SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES ARE DR. MELISSA SIMON VICE CHAIR OF RESEARCH AT THE NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S FEINBERG SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

AND DR. PAMELA RODRIGUEZ A PHYSICIAN OF INTERNAL MEDICINE AND PSYCHIATRY SERVING COOK COUNTY.

WELCOME BOTH OF YOU THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU DR. RODRIGUEZ, YOU SAY IT'S TOO SOON TO LIFT THE MASK MANDATE IN CHICAGO EVEN FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE.

WHAT'S YOUR MAIN CONCERN?

>> THERE'S NO QUESTION THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN WE HAVE THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY MOST AT RISK OF GETTING COVID GETTING HOSPITALIZED AND SICK FROM COVID AND DYING FROM COVID ARE NOW GOING TO BE PLACED AT RISK AGAIN.

THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS, WE ARE LATINO, WE HAVE BEEN HOLDING THE WORKFORCE ONGOING THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC AND NOW AGAIN, PREMATURELY BEFORE WE HAVE COMPLETE VACCINATIONS IF PEOPLE WILL BE MORE AT RISK BY PEOPLE UNMASKING.

>> DR. SIMON, SOME PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW GUIDANCE WILL INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

DO YOU BUY THAT?

>> NO, ACTUALLY I DON'T.

IT'S TOO SOON.

WE NEED TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

OPENING UP ECONOMY OF ADVANTAGE BUSINESSES AND I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY, THERE ARE INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN DECIMATED DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

BUT IT'S TOO SOON TO DO THAT.

IT'S NOT HEALTH EQUITY APPROACH WHICH OUR LEADERS IN C.D.C.

AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY PROMISED THEY WOULD USE A HEALTH EQUITY LENS AND THIS IS NOT.

>> DR. RODRIGUEZ, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REMAINING ROADBLOCKS FOR LATINO CHICAGOANS WHO MAY WANT TO VACCINATE BUT HAVE YET TO GET IT?

>> THERE'S SO MANY LATINOS WHO ARE CONCERNED AND WORRIED THAT RECEIVING THE VACCINATION WILL SOMEHOW IMPACT THEIR OVERALL SAFETY IN TERMS OF THE COST OF THE VACCINE.

THEIR ACCESS TO OVERALL HEALTHCARE.

WHETHER IT WILL IMPACT THEIR FUTURE DOCUMENTATION STATUS.

THERE ARE FEARS, VERY BASIC FEARS AND QUITE FRANKLY, A LACK OF ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW TO ACCESS THE MEDICAL SYSTEM AND HOW TO ACCESS GENERAL CARE.

ALTHOUGH ALL OF THE ACCESS POINTS ARE CONSTANTLY EXPANDING, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE POCKETS OF LATINOS WHO ARE STILL VERY HARD TO REACH AND NEED A HELPING HAND.

IN A HYPERLOCAL WAY OF HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND WHY VACCINATIONS WILL HELP US ALL MOVE FORWARD.

>> I WANT TO GO -- >> YES, DOCTOR.

GO AHEAD DOCTOR.

PLEASE.

>> YES.

>> IN ADDITION, THE WORKPLACES IN WHICH MANY OF OUR LATINO POPULATIONS WORK ARE NOT ALLOWING TIME OFF FOR THE VACCINE.

SOME OF LATINOS ARE CONCERNED IF THEY HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE TIME OFF TO RECOVER FROM THE VACCINE.

>> I WANT TO SAY WITH YOU DR. SIMON, DO YOU THINK THERE'S A SPECIFIC METRIC OR THRESHOLD WHEN YOU WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS EASING THE MASK MANDATE?

>> RIGHT NOW ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR LATINO POPULATION IN CHICAGO ARE VACCINATED.

THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

NOT WHEN WE WERE THE ONES WHO HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST MORTALITY RATES, THE HIGHEST COVID POSITIVITY RATES OVER THIS PANDEMIC.

YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO SOON.

>> DR. RODRIGUEZ, SUMMER EVENTS LIKE LOW LAPALOOZA HOW DO YOU -- >> NO MATTER HOW WE LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC NEEDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS SITUATION FOR BUSINESSES AS WELL AS THE WORKERS WANT TO GET BACK TO WORK BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WORTH THE COSTS THAT IT WILL BE TO THE PEOPLE IF WE CONTINUE TO ACTUALLY NOT TAKE THE WORKERS INTO ACCOUNT WHO WILL BE MOST IMPACTED BY THESE EVENTS BECAUSE THESE ARE THE WORKERS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, THE RESTAURANT WORKERS, THE CLEANERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY MOVE AROUND THE INDUSTRY ARE MAINLY OF BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.

AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKELY GOING TO BE EXPOSED AND BECOME ILL. AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COUNTING ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM TO PROTECT THEIR NEEDS AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING NOW FOR EVERYONE TO GET BEHIND THIS IDEA.

PROTECT EACH OTHER.

>> WE KNOW THE SCIENCE.

WE KNOW THE SCIENCE BEHIND COVID.

HOW IT SPREADS.

AND OUR LEADERS AGAIN TOLD US, PROMISED THAT THEY WOULD LEAD WITH SCIENCE AND DATA.

AND SCIENCE SHOWS IN CROWDED SPACES COVID IS MOST LIKELY TO BE TRANSMITTED IT'S RESPIRATORY BORN.

IF PEOPLE ARE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT THEIR VACCINE STATUS THEY ARE GOING TO BE HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF SPREADERS FOR COVID-19 AND THE 70,000 ESTIMATED PARTICIPANTS IN LALAPALOOZA.

>> DR. SIMON I HAVE JUST LESS THAN A MINUTE AND A HALF AND I WANT TO GO WITH THIS LAST QUESTION.

WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT MESSAGING OVER WHETHER OR NOT TO KEEP WEARING MASKS?

>> I MY ADVICE IS TO KEEP WEARING A MASK, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE IN A CROWDED SPACE.

WHETHER IT IS IN VERY CROWDED OUTDOOR SPACE OR IN AN INDOOR SPACE WEAR A MASK.

EVEN IF YOU ARE VACCINATED.

MY SECOND BIG PIECE OF ADVICE IS PLEASE GET VACCINATED.

>> WELL, THIS IS OUR TIME.

I WANT TO THANK DR. MELISSA SIMON AND DR. PAMELA RODRIGUEZ FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> GET VACCINATED.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> WELL, UP NEXT HOW TO SAFELY ENJOY LAKE MICHIGAN AND SWIMMING TOOLS THIS SUMMER.

PLEASE STAY WITH US.

-- SWIMMING POOLS THIS SUMMER.

PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>>> MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IS THE UNOFFICIAL START OF SUMMER IN CHICAGO.

FOR MANY THAT MEANS IT'S TIME TO VISIT THE CITY'S LAKEFRONT BEACHES.

BUT PLAYING IN THE WATER CAN LEAD TO TRAGEDY.

ACCORDING TO 2018 NATIONAL STUDY BY THE U.S.A.

SWIMMING FOUNDATION 64% OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN, AND 45% OF LATINO CHILDREN HAVE LOW OR NO SWIMMING ABILITY.

THAT'S COMPARED TO 40% OF CAUCASIAN CHILDREN.

IN AT LEAST SIX DROWNINGS HAVE OCCURRED IN LAKE MICHIGAN ALREADY THIS YEAR, INCLUDING 20-YEAR-OLD CALVIN WHO WENT MISSING AFTER HIS BOAT CAPSIZED.

JOINING US WITH MORE ON HOW TO ENJOY THE WATER SAFELY THIS SUMMER IS HALLE QUEZADA, CO-FOUNDER OF THE CHICAGO ALLIANCE FOR WATERFRONT SAFETY.

HALLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

AS YOU KNOW MAY IS NATIONAL DROWNING PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH.

WHILE DROWNING IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH AMONG CHILDREN UNDER 4.

WHAT RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN WATER SAFETY OR LEARN THEMSELVES?

>> YEAH, THERE ARE LOTS OF RESOURCES FROM THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT WATER SAFETY TRAININGS AND REALLY AFFORDABLE SWIM LESSONS AND A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

THEN THERE'S LOTS OF PRIVATE OPTIONS, Ys, JCCs, BIG BLUE I KNOW THEY CAN GET A LITTLE BIT PRICEY AT TIMES BUT NEVER HESITATE TO TALK TO THE MANAGER AND SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO HELP FAMILIES OUT.

OFTEN THEY'RE NONPROFITS THAT HELP OR YOU KNOW OTHER WAYS THAT THEY CAN WORK WITH FAMILIES.

A REMINDER TOO THAT ALL SWIM LESSONS ARE NOT REPEAT CREATED EQUAL.

A LOT ARE TEACHING KIDS THAT THE WATER IS FUN.

BEFORE THEY LEARN THAT IT'S FUN YOU REALLY WANT THEM TO LEARN TO FLIP AND FLOAT THAT COULD SAVE THEIR LIFE.

>> ONE PREDICTER FOR LOWER SWIMMING ABILITY IS HOUSEHOLD INCOME, UNFORTUNATELY.

OTHER LOW COST OPTIONS FOR LEARNING TO SWIM?

>> THERE ARE.

ARE THERE ENOUGH, NO.

BUT THE MORE PEOPLE ARE ASKING THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES WILL COME.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC POOL OR ACCESS TO SWIM LESSONS THROUGH THE PARK DISTRICT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WE ALSO RECOMMEND ASKING YOUR SCHOOLS.

WHEN YOU ASK YOUR SCHOOLS THAT SORT OF MOVE UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.

WE START TO SEE WHERE THERE'S DEMAND AND WHERE THERE'S DEMAND NEW PROGRAMS START TO OPEN.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE CAN EXPECT FROM CHICAGO'S LAKE FRONTS, BEACHES AND PUBLIC POOLS FOR LIFEGUARD PROTECTION THIS SUMMER?

>> THE THING ABOUT CHICAGO LIFEGUARDS IS THEY ARE NOT ON EVERY BEACH.

THEY ARE NOT THERE AT ALL HOURS AND THEY ARE NOT THERE AT ALL TIMES OF THE YEAR.

SO LIFEGUARDS ARE REALLY ONE LINE OF DEFENSE BUT THEY'RE NOT A FOOLPROOF PROTECTION.

SO BEFORE YOU PLAN ON ENTERING THE WATER CHECK THE PARK DISTRICT WEBSITE AND MAKE SURE LIFEGUARDS WILL BE THERE AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE CHECKING IN WITH YOUR ALDERMAN TOO, IF YOU APPRECIATE LIFEGUARDS LET YOUR ALDERMAN KNOW SO THEY CAN COMMUNICATE BACK THAT WE NEED MORE LIFEGUARDS ON THE BEACHES.

IN 2010, WE HAD LIFEGUARDS FROM 9:00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 9:00 AT NIGHT.

RAHM EMANUEL CUT THAT BACK AND WE DO HAVE DROWNINGS DURING HOURS THAT USED TO BE PROTECTED.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE IDEAL AGE FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN TO SWIM?

>> THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TOO EARLY.

SO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS RECENTLY REVISED THEIR POLICY AND SAY AS YOUNG AS ONE-YEAR-OLD.

THERE ARE ALSO PROGRAMS THAT CAN SUCCESSFULLY TEACH CHILDREN TO ROLL ON THEIR BACKS FIND THE SURFACE AND FLOAT TO SELF-RESCUE AS EARLY AS SICK MONTHS.

THIS IS A SKILL THAT CAN SAVE THEM WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG BUT THEY CAN ALSO CARRY WITH THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE.

>> GO AHEAD.

I'LL LET YOU FINISH.

>> THEY THE KEY TO DROWNING PROCEED CONVENTION IS REALLY LAYERS OF PROTECTION.

DROWNING HAPPENS IN A MOMENT.

THERE ARE SO MANY SMALL THINGS THAT LEAD UP TO THE INCIDENT.

LITTLE PLACES WHERE SOMETHING COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT.

SO LAYERS OF PROTECTION IS HOW YOU REALLY SAVE YOURSELF AND YOU SAVE YOUR KIDS.

AND THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN WITH IS REALLY TEACHING THEM TO RESCUE THEMSELVES.

AND THAT'S FINDING THE SURFACE, ROLLING ON THEIR BACK AND FLOATING.

>> HALLE, AS YOU KNOW A BIG DANGER IN THE LAKES IS STRUCTURAL CURRENTS CAN.

YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW PEOPLE CAN ESCAPE THEM?

>> YES, STRUCTURAL CURRENTS HAPPEN ALONG STRUCTURES.

SO PIERS AND BREAK WALLS AND WHEN THE WIND COMES IT PUSHES WAVES UP AGAINST THE CURRENTS AND CREATES A WASHING MACHINE EFFECT.

SO ONE EASY DROWNING PREVENTION STRATEGY IS TO NOT ENTER THE WATER NEAR STRUCTURES LIKE HERE'S YOUR BREAK WALL -- LIKE PIERS OR BREAK WALLS.

ALSO KNOW WHEN THERE'S WIND THERE'S WAVES WHEN THERE ARE WAVES THERE'S CURRENTS.

WE MIGHT FEEL CONFIDENT IF WE HAVE BEEN IN THE -- OCEAN WE CAN JUMP A WAVE AND GET UP BUT THE OCEAN IS SO VAST THAT THE WAVES HAVE SECONDS AND THE SALT IS BUOYANT.

IN THE LAKE THE WATER IS COLDER WE'RE NOT REACTING AND THE WAVES ARE COMING IN EVERY TWO SECONDS.

SO YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN BY THE TIME YOU BRING YOUR HEAD UP AGAIN YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN AGAIN THAT CAUSES PANIC.

>> HALLE, WE HAVE LESS THAN 30 SECONDS.

REAL QUICK IF YOU CAN TELL US WHAT THE CITY CAN DO BEST TO MAKE THE BEACHES SAFER?

>> YES, RIGHT NOW THEY CAN EXPAND LIFEGUARD HOURS.

THEY PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY.

SO WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR LIFE RINGS ON BEACHES.

PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE RESCUE DEVICES.

THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS PEOPLE ARE IN THE WATER WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HELP THEM WITHOUT GETTING IN THE WATER OURSELVES.

>> EXCELLENT, HALLE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR THOSE EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

>> SURE THINGS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>>> UP NEXT AN AMERICAN LEGION POST HONORING LATINO VETERANS.

PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>>> AT AMERICAN LEDGE ONLY WAS CHARTERED IN 1919 AS A VETERANS.

OVER THE YEARS THE ORGANIZATION EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES.

BUT EVEN AS THE AMERICAN MILITARY HAS BECOME MORE RACIALLY DIVERSE THE MAKEUP OF MOST AMERICAN LEGION POSTS HAS GIVEN IT A PERSISTENT IMAGE AS A PLACE FOR OLDER MOSTLY WHITE MALE VETERANS.

NOW A CHICAGO MAN HAS DECIDED IT'S TIME TO CHANGE THAT BUT MAKING A NEW PLACE FOR LATINO VETERANS TO FIND COMMUNITY.

CHICAGO TONIGHT HAS THE STORY.

>> WHEN I JOINED THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN 2007, WHEN I ARRIVED FOR BASE IN OKLAHOMA, WHICH WE ARRIVED AT THE AIR FORCE WAS AT OKLAHOMA CITY THEY HAD LEGIONARIES THERE RIGHT AWAY THEY GAVE UP SNACKS AND FED US.

THIS RELIKE HERE SIGN THIS PAPER YOU ARE IN THE AMERICAN LEGION NOW YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.

>> Reporter: THE CENTURY OLD VETERANS FEDERATION THE AMERICAN LEGION COUNT ALL WHO SERVED ACTIVE DUTY EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE MEMBERS FOR YOUNG LATINO VETERANS LIKE MARCOS TORRES AND DANIEL RIVERA IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A VETERAN FOR THEM.

>> I KNEW THEY WERE A VETERAN SOCIAL CLUB WHO WORE SPECIFIC CAPS AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST AN OLDER GENERATION OF VETERANS.

>> Reporter: ONCE HIS TIME IN SERVICE WAS DONE, TORRES HAD FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT HIS BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH THE AMERICAN LEGION BUT HE STILL SOUGHT OUT THE COMPANY OF VETERANS IN HIS COMMUNITY AFTER HOSTING HIS OWN VETERANS DAY EVENTS FOR FEW YEARS TORRES VISITED AMERICAN LEGION POST 973 AND INSPIRATION STRUCK.

>> I FELL IN LOVE.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

I MEAN EVERYBODY WAS AMAZING SO I STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE HEY, WHERE DO I FIND MY LATINO BROTHERS?

WHERE I DO FIND MY AFRICAN-AMERICAN BROTHERS?

WHERE ARE THEY AT WHY DON'T THEY HAVE A POST?

AND SO I DECIDED YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO START AN AMERICAN LEGION POST THAT REPRESENTS THOSE SOLDIERS AND THEIR COMMUNITY SO THAT WAY WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING TAKEN CARE OF.

>> Reporter: HOST COMMANDER BRENT WEBB HELPED TORRES GET A NEW POST CHARTERED IN 2018 POST 939 OFFICIAL.

>> I THINK WHAT POST 939 IS DOING.

MARCOS HAS BUILT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BRING TOGETHER APART OF THE VETERAN COMMUNITY WHAT HAS FELT DISCONNECTED.

I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THAT 100% BECAUSE I COULDN'T THINK OF SOMETHING THAT'S MORE AMERICAN, THAT'S MORE PATRIOTIC THAN WANTING TO BRING TOGETHER THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO DO GOOD FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.

>> Reporter: TORRES AND HIS TEAM ARE BUILDING A POST WITH A DISTINCTLY AND INTENTIONALLY LATINO IDENTITY.

ITS NAME HONORS A 24-YEAR-OLD NATIONAL GUARDSMAN WHO WAS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2008.

TORRES LED THE HONOR GUARD THAT LAID JASON VASQUEZ TO REST.

>> SO JASON VASQUEZ ALSO KNOWN, YOU KNOW, KNOWN AS J-ROCK, WE SHARED SOME SIMILARITIES.

SO I KNEW THAT EASILY HIS STORY COULD BE MINE.

>> WHAT A WONDERFUL THING THAT JASON WOULD HAVE A NAME OR BE PART OF A LEGION THAT WOULD BE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT WOULD BE LIKE WE'RE LATINOS, TOO, WE WEAR UNIFORMS JUST LIKE YOU KNOW ANY OTHER CAREER.

SOMEWHERE TO CELEBRATE AND COME TOGETHER.

WE'RE JUST GRATEFUL AND HONOR.

IT MEANS A LOT, YOU KNOW.

>> EVEN THE POST NUMBER IS LATINO.

>> 939 IS ONE OF THE AREA CODES FOR PUERTO RICO AND IT'S JUST KIND OF OUR LITTLE TRADEMARK OUR WATERMARK THAT WILL CONTINUE LONG AFTER WE LEAVE.

>> Reporter: POST 939 HAS A DISTINCT MISSION, TOO.

SUPPORTING LATINO VETERANS MENTAL HEALTH BY OFFERING COMMUNITY AND REPRESENTATION.

>> THERE'S A BIG PHRASE IN THE MILITARY IT'S CALLED SUFFER IN SILENCE.

WHEN I WAS IN THE JOB I DID IF YOU ASKED FOR ANY SORT OF MENTAL HELP YOU WERE ESSENTIALLY INEFFECTIVE YOU WEREN'T DOING YOUR JOB YOU WEREN'T HELPING YOUR BUDDIES OUT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF, I THINK, GOING ALONG WITH THE CULTURE OF VETERANS I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CHANGE.

>> WITH REGARDS TO THE VETERAN COMMUNITY WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE AT HIGHER RISK FOR SUICIDE, HOMELESSNESS, UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDERPLACEMENT EMPLOYMENT.

SAIT'S OUR JOB, OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS AN AMERICAN LEGION POST TO ATTACK SYSTEMATICALLY THESE ISSUES ONE BY ONE FOR ALL VETERANS BUT PARTICULARLY WE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE LATINO POPULATION AS WELL.

>> AS A LATINO VETERAN, I KNEW THE -- OUR NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT, OUR ENVIRONMENT IS DIFFERENT, OUR MUSIC IS DIFFERENT, OUR FOOD IS DIFFERENT.

WE'RE ALWAYS KNOWN AS THE CULTURE THAT ALWAYS WANTS TO DANCE AND HAVE A GOOD TIME BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCES WE HAVE AS VETERANS.

SHARE OUR HISTORY.

THE PUERTO RICANS THAT SERVED IN VIETNAM.

IF YOU DO GO TO POST YOU DON'T SEE PICTURES OF A MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT, YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT EXPLAINS OR THAT TALKS ABOUT THE MEXICANS WHO FOUGHT IN THE UNION ARMY FIGHTING AGAINST SLAVERY.

BECAUSE WHEN WE COME BACK FROM THE DEEMPLOYMENTS OR WE COME BACK FROM OUR SERVICE, IT'S A POINT TO KEEP ON SEEING THOSE THINGS SO WE CAN THRIVE.

>> Reporter: JASON VASQUEZ POST 939 ARE SCOUTING PLACES FOR A HOMEBASE.

BUT UNTIL THEY FIND THAT PLACE THEY'RE MEETING HERE AT THE TATLER POST IN LINCOLN SQUARE AND THEY'RE RECRUITING.

>> IT'S A WELCOMING SPACE WHERE THEY CAN COME, THEY CAN LAUGH, THEY CAN JOKE, THEY CAN STILL FEEL THAT CAMARADERIE.

IT'S REALLY HEALING TO A LOT OF VETERANS.

>> POST 939 IS ON THE MARCH AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE APART OF THIS MISSION WITH US AS WELL.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT LATINO VOICES THIS IS ERICA GUNDERSEN.

>> WELL, JASON VASQUEZ POST 939 AND POST 973 ARE HOSTING A MEMORIAL CEREMONY AND COMMEMORATION ON MONDAY.

YOU CAN FIND DETAILS ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> SUMMER IS HERE WHICH MEANS IT'S TIME TO HIT REFRESH ON YOUR PLAY LIST WITH THE HELP OF CHICAGO MUSIC JOURNALIST SANDRA TREVINO.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH HER IN PILLSON WHERE SHE GAVE US HER TOP FIVE PICKS FOR SUMMER SOUNDS.

>> I THINK THE PERFECT SUMMER SOUND MEANS SOMETHING THAT BRINGS YOU JOY, IT MAKES YOU WANT TO DANCE, IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I LOOK FOR IN SUMMER JAM.

>> THE ARENAS STARTED OFF WITH AN AARTIST SINGER COMPANY POSITION, SHE STARTED OUT AS POP SHE'S PUT A HIGHLIGHT ON LATIN MUSIC WITH A LITTLE SPIN.

THIS SONG IS CALLED -- AND ORIGINALLY SHE RECORDED IT WITH THE MASTERS.

THIS ONE THOUGH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT IT FEATURES -- THE RAPPER FROM SONG IS BY A TRIO FROM PUERTO RICO.

THEY'RE A GROUP OF THREE FRIENDS WHO MET IN SCHOOL AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING YouTube COMEDY SKITS DECIDED TO WORK ON THEIR MUSIC.

THIS TIME WE WILL LISTEN TO -- >> THIS ONE IS FROM CHICAGO, CHICAGO FAVORITE FUNK BEAT.

THEY JUST RELEASED THEIR NEW ALBUM CALLED CHICAGO IT MIXES A LOT OF LATIN MUSIC WITH TROPICAL MUSIC.

MIXED WITH HIP-HOP AND ROCK.

♪ ♪ ♪ THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

THIS IS A NEW STYLE OF MUSIC.

WELL, IT'S NOT NEW IT'S BEEN DONE SINCE THE 80s BUT IT'S CURRENTLY GETTING A LOT OF BUZZ.

ON THIS SONG WE WILL HEAR FROM SNOOP DOG AND A LATIN ARTIST DOING SOMETHING NEW AND FRESH.

>> THIS ONE IS FROM AN ARTIST KNOWN AS MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND.

IT'S BY D.J.

AND PRODUCER.

HE JUST LIKES TO MIX UP VINTAGE SOUNDS LATIN AMERICAN SOUNDS WITH MODERN MUSIC.

THIS SONG TALKS ABOUT USING MUSIC SPECIFICALLY TO AS THE ANTIDOTE TO CHANNELING NEGATIVE THINGS.

HOWEVER, I WANT TO SHOWCASE THE REMIX VERSION BECAUSE IT'S HOTTER AND IT'S JUST BOOM.

>> SANDRA TREVINO COVERS LATIN ALTERNATIVE MUSIC AND ON HER SITE WE HAVE THE LINKS ON OUR WEBSITE SO YOU CAN CHECK THEM OUT.

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

JOIN ANGEL IDOWU TOMORROW NIGHT FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT BLACK VOICES."

A LOOK TO DIVERSIFY CHICAGO NEWSROOMS.

DESCRIBING THE LOCAL PEPPET TIERS RACIAL EXPERIENCE.

LATINO VOICES WILL BE OFF FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS BUT WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE ON JUNE 19TH.

DON'T FORGET TO TUNE IN TO UNIVISION CHICAGO WEEK DAY MORNINGS AT 5:00 AND 6:00 A.M.

I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU.

NOW FOR ALL OF US I'M ALEX HERNANDEZ THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY, STAY SAFE.

>>> CLOSED-CAPTIONING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A. CLIFFORD AND CLIFFORD LAW OFFICES.

PLEASED TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH NUMB ROWS