[MUSIC] >> CHICAGO TONIGHT LATINO VOICES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALLSTATE.

AND SRO FUND AT THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST.

[MUSIC] >>HOST: GOOD EVENING.

CHICAGO TONIGHT LATINO VOICES.

I'M MICHAEL REPORTING WITH WBE CHICAGO.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US ON THE SHOW TONIGHT.

CHICAGO LATINO POPULATION HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST DECADE.

AND THE CITY COUNCIL LATINO CAUCUS WANTS THE BOARD MAP OF CHICAGO.

THAT REFLECTS THE GROWTH.

WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THAT COULD MEAN FOR THE CITY'S FUTURE.

THE PANDEMIC HAS CREATED CHAOS IN THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN LEAVING CONSUMERS OF IMPORTED GOODS SCRABBLING TO FIND THE FAVORITES.

A NEW INITIATIVE, SUBURBAN ILLINOIS INVOLVES TRAINING ADVOCATE AND IMMIGRANTS ABOUT THEIR HEALTHCARE RIGHTS.

>>MAN: THEY ARE USING THOSE COMPANIES, BUT WE ARE [INDISCERNIBLE] >>HOST: A CHICAGO COFFEE ROASTER THAT CUTS OUT THE MIDDLEMAN BETWEEN THE COFFEE FARM IN YOUR MORNING CUP.

FIRST OFF TONIGHT, CHICAGO'S RACIAL MAKEUP IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS ROUGHLY 1/3 WHITE, 1/3 BLACK, AND 1/3 LATINO PRINT WHILE THOSE APPROXIMATIONS STILL REMAIN BROADLY TRUE, THE 2020 CENSUS RESULT HAVE REVEALED SHIFTS IN THE PROPORTIONS.

FROM 2010 TO 2020, THE LATINO POPULATION ROSE 5 PERCENT ADDING MORE THAN 40,000 RESIDENTS.

CHICAGO'S ASIAN AMERICAN POPULATION ROSE 31 PERCENT.

AND NOW REPRESENTS NEARLY 7 PERCENT OF THE CITY'S POPULATION.

IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD, THE BLACK POPULATION DROPPED BY 10 PERCENT.

WITH THE LOSS OF NEARLY 85,000 RESIDENTS.

NOW, OTHER PEOPLE ARE BATTLING OVER HOW TO FAIRLY REFLECT THE CITY'S EVOLVING RACIAL MAKEUP.

AND HOW THE BORDERS OF ITS 50 WORDS ARE DRAWN AND HOW THAT NEW MAP WILL AFFECT THE BALANCE OF POWER OVER THE NEXT DECADE.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE JUST AS A PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY.

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE LATINO POLICY FORM.

AND JACKIE CERRADO.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF SOUTHSIDE WEEKLY.

THANK YOU ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY ON LATINO VOICES.

>>MAN: THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT.

>>HOST: LET'S START OFF.

THEY'RE NOT RELATED, BUT HOW CAN MORE LATINO REPRESENTATION IN THE GOVERNMENT MANIFEST IN POLITICAL AGENDAS AND PRIORITIES AND WHAT ISSUES MIGHT RISE TO THE TOP?

>> REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF LATINO POPULATION IN CHICAGO WE DO EXPECT TO SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WARDS.

>>FEMALE GUEST: WITH THE LATINO OVULATION IN WHICH THE OF THEIR CHOICE.

AND I THINK THAT GROWING POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN OUR CITY COUNCIL.

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY MICHAEL, ALSO THE INCREASE THE ORGANIZATION WITHIN ORGANIZING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE TO BE WITH THE LATINO ANNOY AGENDA.

WHICH CAUSES THE ORGANIZATION TO THE CLUSTER.

THERE ARE NUMEROUS ISSUES.

ISSUES SUCH AS WE HAVE A PROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE?

AND DIFFERENT AGENCIES?

AGENCIES THAT ARE LATINO.

AS WE LOOK AT THE ROLLOUT OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS, WE WILL SEE EQUITABLE INVESTMENTS FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

AND I COULD GO ON.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS INTUITIVE WITH OUR ALLEGED OFFICIALS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY VOICES.

THAT THE ISSUES OF CONCERN IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE MAYOR.

AND IT WILL COLLECTIVELY ACHIEVE.

>>HOST: THANK YOU.

THE LATINO WORD REDUCES THE NUMBER OF MAJORITY BLACK WORKS BY TWO.

AND INCREASES THE NUMBER OF LATINO MAJORITY WARDS BY TWO.

IS THIS WARD LEVEL REPRESENTATION SOMETHING THAT CHICAGO WANTS?

OR IS THIS A POLYGRAM BY THE LATINO CAUCUS?

>>MAN: >>FEMALE GUEST: I THINK WERE LOOKING AT THE DATA AND YOU KNOW, LATIN ASK CONSTITUENTS REPRESENTS WITH THEM, I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ADDITIONAL ONE OR TWO LATIN X MAJORITY WARDS.

LORI LIGHTFOOT CAMPAIGNED ON THE BASIS OF THAT.

SHE WOULD CREATE AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TO DRAW A NEW WARD BOUNDARIES.

TO COINCIDE WITH THE 2020 CENSUS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.

SHE ALSO DIDN'T WIN ANY AWARDS ANY BLACK WARDS DURING THE ELECTION.

SO, WHETHER THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE PRIORITY FOR HER, THAT HAS BEEN A QUESTION THROUGHOUT HER ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION.

SO, I BELIEVE THAT THE BLACK AND LATINO CAUCUS IS GOING TO HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND I MEAN THERE HAS BEEN SOME PRESIDENTS OF THAT HAPPENING WITH LEGISLATION AROUND POLICING AND INCREASED INVESTMENT BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.

WE HAVE ALSO SEEN A LOT OF COLLABORATION WITH DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CAUCUS.

WHICH IS MADE UP OF LATIN X AND BLACK OLDER PEOPLE.

SO, I DO THINK THAT THERE IS ROOM FOR BOTH?

IS EACH OTHER.

BUT WE'VE DEFINITELY SEEN IN THE TREND WITHOUT MIGRATION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

THROUGHOUT CHICAGO.AND IT'S DUE TO MANY FACTORS.

INCLUDING THE LACK OF WELL-PAYING JOBS.

AND OPPORTUNITIES RISING IN PROPERTIES AND TAXES AND GUN VIOLENCE.

THERE'S ALSO BEEN THE MIGRATION OF LATIN X PEOPLE FROM TRADITIONALLY LATIN COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT'S TO GENTRIFICATION.

IN SOME OF THE OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE DRIVING OUT BLACK RESIDENTS.

SO, I THINK IS A LOT OF OVERLAP IN TERMS OF THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO BOTH COMMUNITIES AND IT'S MY HOPE THAT SOME OF THEM WORK TOGETHER.

>> BEHIND ME, WHAT COULD A RESHUFFLING OF WARD BOUNDARIES RESULTING FOR THIS CONSTITUENTS?

>> WELL, THERE'S AN ISSUE OF LATINO POLITICAL PARTY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

>>MAN: >>MALE GUEST: [INDISCERNIBLE] DOES REPRESENTATION OF PERSPECTIVE, WHICH IS BOTH SYMBOLIC AND IMPORTANT.

MORE IMPORTANTLY THINK IT LEADS TO TWO MORE IMPORTANT CONTENTS IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND THAT'S AGENCY.

WITHOUT THE REPRESENTATION IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE AGENCY.

THE IT'S PART OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY TO HAVE THAT.

AND GOVERNMENT, WHETHER IT'S THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

WHETHER IT'S OTHER CITY AGENCIES TO REFLECT AND THAT'S IN PART BECAUSE AN EXTENSION OF AGENCIES IS ALSO AFFILIATED.

OTHERS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS ALL AT ONCE.

IF TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING.

ANOTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION ALSO IS THE ADDITION OF REPRESENTATION.

REPORT HAS TWO SIDES.

SO, WHILE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LATINO REPRESENTATION JUST AS WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT UNDERREPRESENTATION.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT OVERREPRESENTATION OF OTHER GROUPS AND SO ON.

WE KNOW THAT POLITICS IS DIFFICULT, AND PARTICULAR OFFICIALLY IN PART THE CITY.

VISITORS CAN BE BARGAINING AND THERE HAS TO BE CONCESSIONS.

SO, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THIS CAN BE IN OUR, PARITY ACROSS THE BOARD?

OF COURSE NOT.

HOWEVER, WE SHOULD HAVE IT FROM THE CITY IN THE GOVERNOR'S PERSPECTIVE.

THE NUMBERS IN THE POPULATION REFLECT THIS ACTORS THAT CLAMPED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SETTING THE POLICY AGENDA.

MORE IMPORTANTLY THOSE THAT ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THE POLICY AGENDA.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT POLICY.

SO, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF THAT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AND ONE THING WE ALSO NEED TO MENTION IS THAT THE NEXT ONE THAT'S ATTEMPTED.

LATINOS ARE ABOUT 40,000 RECORDS AWAY FROM BECOMING THE MAJORITY IN THE CITY.

SO, WE WAS TALK ABOUT THE REPRESENTATION OF ISSUES IS A BLACK AND LATINO.

WE ALSO NEED TO BRING WHITE PEOPLE INTO THE CONVERSATION AS WELL.

NEED TO REFRAME THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BLACK AND LATINOS, BUT IT'S ALSO WHEN PEOPLE PLAYING A CRITICAL ROLE AND ENSURE THERE HAS TO BE CONCESSIONS ABOUT THAT.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THE PERSPECTIVE.

[INDISCERNIBLE] >>FEMALE GUEST: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO LIFT UP MICHAEL, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

THE LATINO IN CHICAGO IN GENERAL HAS GOTTEN MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED.

WE NOW HAVE BOX REPRESENTING THAT ARE NOT MAJORITY BOUGHT AND LATINOS REPRESENTING DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOT MAJORITY LATINO.

SO, IT IS HAPPENS IN AND HOW ANY PERSON CAN REPRESENT A DISTRICT IF IT ISN'T IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF THAT DISTRICT.

YES, IT STILL CAN BE LARGELY DRIVEN AMONG NATION AND ETHNIC LIFE.

IT'S NO LONGER EXCLUSIVELY DRIVEN AMONG LINES OF RACISM.

>> JACKIE, WE'VE ONLY GOT A FEW MORE SECONDS.

WEEKS ALSO INSTANCES THE PASCHAL OF YEARS OF TENSION BETWEEN BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES IN CHICAGO.

YOU THINK A CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF BLACK MAJORITY AND LATINO MAJORITY WARDS SHOULD EXACERBATE THAT TENSION?

WE LEAVE A FEW MINUTES.

A FEW SECONDS.

I THINK THERE'S LESS OF A TENSION AMONG THE GENERATIONS.

>> WE SEEN A LOT OF GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS FROM BOTH COMMUNITIES WORKING TOGETHER OVER THE PAST ONE OR TWO YEARS.

>>FEMALE GUEST: AND EVEN LONGER THAN THAT.

BUT MUCH OF THE GROWTH OF THE LATIN X POPULATION IN CHICAGO HAS BEEN SEEN IN THE SOUTHWEST SIDE.

WHERE WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF WEIGHT FLIGHT IN THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS.

THESE WERE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE AT ONE TIME CAME FROM POLISH FAMILIES.

AND IT TENDS TO HAPPEN WHEN LATIN X PEOPLE MOVE INTO MAJORITY OF WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS.

THEY BEEN LIVING OUT.

THAT MEANS THAT THE LATIN X DEMOGRAPHIC IS GROWN IN THE SOUTHWEST SITE IS EXPANDING INTO COMMUNITIES THAT IN A MORE TRADITIONALLY BLACK LIKE WEST ENGLEWOOD.

SO, IT'S DEFINITELY MY HOPE THE BOTH COMMUNITIES YOU NOT CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.

BECAUSE AGAIN, AS I SAID EARLIER, THIS A LOT OF ISSUES THE ARE INTERSECTIONAL TO BOTH.

>> WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

THANK YOU.

JACKIE CERRATO.

>> THANK YOU.

IT WAS MY PLEASURE.

>>HOST: THE ONLY COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF ITS IMMIGRANT HEALTH ACADEMY.

THE INITIATIVE'S GOAL IS TO TRAIN COMMUNITY LEADERS IN SUBURBAN AREAS WITH HIGH IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS TO INFORM PARENTS ABOUT THEIR HEALTHCARE RIGHTS AND CORRECTNESS CONCEPTIONS ABOUT ACCESS TO CARE.

JOSI VETTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PARTNER ORGANIZATION SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN IMMIGRANT PROJECT SAID ENSURING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES UNDERSTAND THE RIGHTS TO HEALTHCARE.

WAS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL AS RESIDENTS ARE STILL NAVIGATING THE COVID PANDEMIC.>> DURING THE PANDEMIC AND YOU NOT, IT BECAME MUCH MORE EVIDENT THAT THIS WAS SUCH A HUGE NEED ESPECIALLY AS MANY FAMILIES ARE INTERACTING WITH HOSPITALS.

OUR HOPE IS WHEN FOLKS OF THE HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE IN GENERAL, THEY KNOW THAT THERE TOP RIGHTS ARE.

RIGHT?AND THAT INCLUDES GETTING ACCESS TO SOMEONE WHO SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.

KNOWING THAT IF YOU'RE SPEAKING WITH ASSISTANCE AT THE HOSPITAL.

THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GETTING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AFTER THE FACT.

AND YOU KNOW AND BASIC INFORMATION LIKE THAT THAT MIGHT BE VERY COMMON FOR SOME OF US.

BUT NOT ALL OF US.

WE DO HOPE THAT OTHER CITIES REPLICATE SOME OF THIS.

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT.

EVERYBODY NEEDS ACCESS TO IT.

>>HOST: YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IMMIGRANT HEALTH ACADEMY ON OUR WEBSITE.

WHAT DISRUPTIONS IN GOLD SUPPLY CHAINS COULD MEAN FOR SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE IMPORTED ITEMS.

[MUSIC] >> AS THE FILMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY PREPARED TO OBSERVE THE TRADITIONS THAT MAKE THEIR CELEBRATIONS SPECIAL, THE FATE OF THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN HAS BEEN THRUST INTO THE SPOTLIGHT.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS WREAKING HAVOC ON THE WAY GOODS ARE NOT ONLY PRODUCED, BUT HOW THEY ARE MOVED AROUND THE WORLD.

AND AS BACKUPS IMPORTANT NOT IN STORE SHELVES WITH SCANT SUPPLY.

FOLKS IN THE U.S. ARE SCRAMBLING TO FIND THE ITEMS THAT THEY RELY ON TO MAKE THE SEASON BRIGHT.

PRUNING IS NOW OUR MARSHAK NOVAK.

CHICAGO SCHOOL BUSINESS AND SUSAN ROMERO MANAGER OF OPERATIONS AT OCONTO STORE IN LOGAN SQUARE.

WELCOME BOTH OF YOU TO LATINO VOICES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WILL START WITH YOU.

YOUR STORY, AL KENDRA SELLS LATIN AMERICAN GROCERIES AND OTHER ITEMS.

HOWEVER THE SUPPLY CHAINS DISRUPTIONS AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS OF PERCENT THE LAST TWO YEARS.>>MALE GUEST: THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN AND GRASS.AND THAT HAS LED TO THE MODELS MADE OF GLASS AND [INDISCERNIBLE] AND JUST THAT TO FIND PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN DUST THIS HARD TO FIND.

AND THAT THROUGH CONTAINERS OR TAKING A LOT LONGER TO GET FROM POINT OF ORIGIN.

CHICAGO.

TWO OR THREE MONTHS.

CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS THE PRICE [INDISCERNIBLE] AND THAT HAD DEFINITELY STOOD DOWN TO ESTES RUIZ BROUGHT OURSELVES AS A MOM-AND-POP SHOP.

IT'S REALLY VOICING OUR HANDS TO CONSIDER [INDISCERNIBLE] >>HOST: LET'S STAND YOU FIRST COMPARED WHEN YOU HAVE TO RAISE PRICES, HOW DOES THAT REALLY AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS?

DO YOU OFTEN SEE CUSTOMERS MAYBE INSTEAD OF GOING TO YOU, JUST TRY TO HAVE A BIG BOX OR AS A RESULT?

>>MALE GUEST: THAT THE FINE LINE.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE ALL PONDER UPON AND CONSIDER [INDISCERNIBLE] [MUSIC] [INDISCERNIBLE] ANOTHER COMPETITOR OR WHATEVER.

LIKE I SAID, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ESTES SAW OURSELVES AS THE MORE AFFORDABLE AND MODEST GROCERY STORE.

WHENEVER WE DO RAISE PRICES, EXPECT TO BE DRAMATICALLY [INDISCERNIBLE] AND THEY DO START BUYING IN BIGGER BULK.

WHATEVER THE CASE IS, YOU DO NOT TRY TO [INDISCERNIBLE] [MUSIC] [INDISCERNIBLE] >>HOST: NOVAK, CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW ON WHAT'S CAUSING THESE DISRUPTIONS AND THEIR EFFECT IN IMPORTED GOODS ON THE U.S.?

>>MALE GUEST: SURE.

I JUST MEAN THE PANDEMIC.

BUT, AT THIS POINT, THE BIGGEST FACTOR IS A LABOR SHORTAGE.

THERE IS JUST NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE WHETHER IT'S TRUCK DRIVERS.

WAREHOUSE PERSONNEL TO MOVE ALL OF THESE CONTAINERS.

AS WE SEE, THE LABOR MARKET IS DOING REALLY WELL RIGHT NOW.

SO, THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST HIGH-END JOBS AND PEOPLE ARE FINDING OTHER EMPLOYMENT THAT MIGHT BE MORE PREFERABLE.

SO, ULTIMATELY, IT IS YES.

WE DON'T HAVE TEST THERE IS ENOUGH VOLUME OF GOODS COMING IN WITHOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO MOVE ALL OF THAT PRODUCT.

THROUGH THE NETWORK.

>>HOST: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE LONG-TERM OUTLET FOR THESE DISRUPTIONS?

NOVAK?

>>MALE GUEST: YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WILL SEE.

HOPEFULLY AS WE MOVE PAST THE HOLIDAY SEASON, BUT SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A DECREASE IN THE VOLUMES THAT WE ARE SAYING.

SO, THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY HELP.

BUT, I THINK THAT'S A SHORT-TERM FIX.

A LONG-TERM IT'S REALLY GOING WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO THE INDUSTRY.

AND THAT MIGHT BE INCREASING WAGES.

IN THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS.

LIKE I SAID, WITH TRUCK DRIVERS.

WAREHOUSE PERSONNEL.

TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE.

AND ENOUGH, THE MARKET, YOU WOULD IMAGINE WILL BALANCE OUT EVENTUALLY.

IF THERE IS SUCH A DEMAND.

THESE COMPANIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE THEIR WAGES TO ATTRACT MORE PERSONNEL.

SO, I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE THAT.

THAT TAKES MONTHS.

IF NOT DAYS OR WEEKS.

IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY I WOULD SAY MIDYEAR NEXT YEAR.

AT BEST WAS GOOD TO SEE IT TO RETURN TO NORMALCY.

>>HOST: ARE THERE PARTICULAR PRODUCTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING SHORTAGES AND NEVER ADJUSTED YOUR OPERATIONS?

>>MALE GUEST: A LOT OF BOTTLED DRINKS MADE OF GLASS AND AN EXTREME SHORTAGE MINERAL WATER.

PRINCIPALLY POPULAR BRAND.

[INDISCERNIBLE] LIKE I SAID, GLASS IS WHAT THE CONSUMER AND DEFINES THE COMMUNITY GOING RECOGNIZING IT.

TO INTRODUCE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THIS IS REPORTING WHICH HAD TO ESTES [INDISCERNIBLE] .

[INDISCERNIBLE] [MUSIC] TRANSPARENT AND LETTING YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ADJUST AND WHATEVER SOURCES WE CAN.

[INDISCERNIBLE] >>HOST: LEMANSKI THIS.

IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE PRODUCTS THAT YOU ARE HAVING THAT YOUR SHORT SUPPLY TEST IS CAN THEY BE REPLACED WITH AN AMERICAN-MADE PRODUCT?

OR NO WAY?

IT HAS TO COME FROM THE COMPANY OR COUNTRY?

>>MALE GUEST: IT DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION.

IT'S ALSO THE DISTRIBUTION.

THE RESTAURANTS IN CHICAGO.

THE RESTAURANTS ARE THE MORE LENIENT PRODUCTS THEMSELVES FOR THE NAME BRANDS THE CLIENTS.

WHATEVER PRODUCT THEY GET, THEY GONNA DO IT.

IF THE [INDISCERNIBLE] OR ANOTHER LATINOS STORE.

WE TRY TO OBSERVE CERTAIN NAME BRANDS FOR CLIENTELE.

IN THE RESTAURANT, JUSTICE WHATEVER THE CASE, WE DO TRY TO DO TO REFINE.

>>HOST: WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

THANK YOU TO NOVAK AND ROMERO.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.>>HOST: AS THE WEATHER STARTS TO TURN CHILLIER AND THE DAYS GRAYER, MANY CHICAGOANS ARE RELYING ON COFFEE TO BRING IN SOME DAILY SUNSHINE.

WE ARE NOT ALONE.

AMERICANS SPEND MORE THAN $5 BILLION ON COFFEE EVERY YEAR.

BUT THE PEOPLE WHO GROW THE BEANS AROUND THE WORLD DON'T ALWAYS BENEFIT FROM THE WEALTH OR PRODUCT CREATES.

A LOCAL COFFEE ROASTER AIMS TO BRING THOSE BEANS DIRECTLY TO YOUR CUP THROUGH A FAMILY CONNECTION.

PRODUCER ERICA GUNDERSON HAS THE STORY.

>>MAN: WHEN I START WITH A COUPLE COFFEE, REMIND ME OF MY GRANDPA'S BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS DRINKING THE HOT COFFEE AND THEY DON'T CARE WHETHER IT'S IN THE MORNING OR AFTERNOON.

THEY LOOK HOT COFFEE IN THE HAVE A CUP.

SHARING THE TIME TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHAT COFFEE MEANS TO ME.

>> ALMA FAJARDO WAS 17 WHEN HE MADE THE TREK FROM HIS FAMILY'S FARM IN GUATEMALA TO CHICAGO IN 2011.>> THE NAME OF MY VILLAGE IS HOLIDAY HAZARDS.

REMEMBER WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ELECTRICITY UNTIL I WAS LIKE EIGHT YEARS OLD.

MY GRANDPA, HE USED TO RELY A LOT ON THE COFFEE.

TOBACCO AND CORN IN BEINGS.

SUGARCANE.

>>WOMAN: ANTI-CAN KISS THE CAFI CELLS LOCALLY ROASTED BEANS FROM THIS FAJARDO FARM.

WHEN HE CAME TO CHICAGO, SO HARD WAS JUST HOPING TO FIND WORK THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO SEND MONEY HOME AND KEEP THE FARM AFLOAT.

IT WAS IN CHICAGO'S COFFEE SHOP THAT FAJARDO SAYS HE HAD A WAKE-UP CALL.

>> WHEN I COME HERE IN 2011 AND I SAW THAT ON THE PRICES HIM COFFEE IN MY TOWN AND I WENT TO LIKE, FANCY PLACES TO DRINK.

WHEN I SAW THE PRICES THERE, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG.

BECAUSE THEY ARE USING OUR COFFEE, BUT WE ARE NOT RECEIVING MONEY.

THEY BEEN SELLING THIS COFFEE FOR THIS EXPENSIVE PRICE, RIGHT?

>> HE SAYS THAT IN LATIN AMERICA, EVEN COOPERATIVE FARMING MODELS OFTEN END UP UNDER COMPENSATING FARMERS FOR THE BEANS.

>> AND THE TALENT IS WITH THE NATIONAL CORPORATION.

THEY SAY THESE PEOPLE ALWAYS THE COFFEE.

RARITY OF THE COFFEE.

RIGHT?

AND THAT MEANS THAT THESE PEOPLE, EVEN IF THE PRICE IS HIGH, THERE GONNA HAVE MORE MONEY BECAUSE THEY WERE THE UNDER COFFEE.

IT'S MORE THAN THE CORPORATIONS.

>> IN 2019, HIM AND HIS WIFE DEVELOPED A BUSINESS MODEL THAT CUTS OUT THE MIDDLEMAN BETWEEN FARMERS AND CONSUMERS.

>> MY HUSBAND'S FARM AND I WORKED DIRECTLY WITH HIS BROTHER, MY BROTHER IN LAW, AMELIA.

>>WOMAN: WE BASICALLY TALK EVERY DAY.

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S IN THE HARVEST SEASON.

I'M HIS POINT PERSON WITH HELPING GET THE COFFEE FROM THE FARM ALL THE WAY APPEAR TO CHICAGO.

[INDISCERNIBLE] >>WOMAN: THEY HAVE MADE THEIR OWN TREK FROM CENTRAL AMERICA TO CHICAGO, THE ROAST IS HERE.

>>WOMAN: THEY SAW THE COFFEE BEANS BY THE BAG AND BREWED COFFEE ON THE WEBSITE AND FARMERS MARKET.

>>WOMAN: THERE ARE SO MANY COFFEE SHOPS, BUT NOT LIKE WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING.

THAT THEY HAVE A DIRECT LINE TO THE FARM.

THAT IS A FAMILY BUSINESS.

THAT DREW ME AND BECAUSE I LOVE A GOOD STORY.

SO, THE STORY KIND OF TELLS THE PRODUCT AND THEN THE PRODUCT IS JUST DELIGHTS YOU.

>> REESE SAYS THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO OPEN THEIR OWN STOREFRONT.

KEEP THE NEEDS OF THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN MIND.

>> YOU DON'T REALLY SEE CAFIS OPEN AND EVEN GOOD WHEN WORKING PEOPLE ARE MORE AVAILABLE.

AND SO FOR US, TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THE SPACE THAT'S OPEN IN THE EVENING AND TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT WITH IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IS DEFINITELY A GOAL FOR US.

>> AND FAJARDO SAYS THAT BEING ABLE TO SHARE HIS FAMILY'S COFFEE WITH CHICAGOANS HAS HELPED MAKE THIS CITY HIS SECOND HOME.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF NICE PEOPLE IN CHICAGO AND LOTS OF LATINO PEOPLE IN CHICAGO.

THEY HAVE BEEN RECEIVING MY COFFEE WITH LIKE [INDISCERNIBLE] THIS IS SOMETHING FOR MY FAMILY.

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

>>HOST: THE FARMERS MARKET SEASON IS WRAPPED UP IN CHICAGO, BY ANY CONCLUSION WILL BE IN THE LOGAN FARMERS MARKET OVER THE WINTER.

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.

AND THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.

AND IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT, NOT THAT YOU CAN ALSO CATCH LATINO VOICES AND BLACK VOICES ON SUNDAYS BEGINNING AT 10 PM.

AND YOU CAN CATCH MY REPORTING ON 91.5 F MWD EASY.NEXT WEEK ON LATINO VOICES, MY FRIEND ALEX HERNANDEZ WILL BE HERE IN THE HOST CHAIR.

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

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY, STAY SAFE, AND THANK YOU.

[MUSIC]