>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT" LATINO VOICES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... [♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" I'M MICHAEL PUENTE REPORTER WITH WBEZ CHICAGO.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT... WE BREAKDOWN WHAT IS BEHIND THE MASS EXODUS IN CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL IN A SPECIAL CRIESES CROSSOVER CONVERSATION.

AND HOW PEOPLE ARE HELPING HURRICANE MEMBERS TO PUERTO RICO.

>> WE CAN SHARE WHAT WE HAVE WITH OTHERS THROUGH DANCE.

>> AND TAKE A TRIP TO THE TROPICS BY WAY OF JEFFERSON PARK WITH A LOCAL COUPLE SHARING THEIR LOVE OF POLYNESIAN CULTURE AND DANCE WITH CHICAGO.

FIRST OFF TONIGHT, 13 CHICAGO WARDS ARE SET FOR NEW CITY COUNCIL LEADERSHIP COME NEXT YEAR DUE TO AN EXODUS OF ALDERPEOPLE.

WHILE A FEW OF THE EXISTING COUNCILMEMBERS ARE LEAVING THEIR SEATS TO RUN FOR HIGHER OFFICE, MANY ARE OPTING OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE READY TO GO.

HERE IS 10TH WARD ALDERWOMAN SUSAN SADLOWSKI GARZA EXPLAINING HER REASONS FOR LEAVING AND OFFERING ADVICE TO TIMMY KNUDSEN WHO WAS APPOINTED THIS WEEK TO TAKEOVER THE 43rd WARD SEAT.

>> I'VE SPENT MY ENTIRE LIFE GIVING BACK TO THE 10TH WARD, 32 YEARS AS A COUNCILLOR, EDUCATOR AND COUNCILWOMAN.

IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GIVE BACK TO MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS AND MYSELF.

>> WELL COME ABOARD.

BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELT AND KISS YOUR FAMILY GOOD-BYE.

>> JOINING US AS A SPECIAL CROSSOVER WITH "CHICAGO TONIGHT" BLACK VOICES.

JUAN MORANDO, JR., CHAUNDRA VAN DYK, AND GREG ABBOTT AND JAMIE NESBITT GOLDEN.

GREG, WE'LL START OFF WITH YOU.

WHAT IS BEHIND ALL OF THE DECISIONS TO LEAVE THE CITY COUNCIL?

>> WELL, THE PAST COUPLE YEARS HAVE BEEN REALLY TERRIBLE, RIGHT?

I MEAN WITH THE PANDEMIC AND WITH THE CIVIL UNREST AND WITH ALL OF THE NORMAL TERRIBLE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE UNIVERSE.

SO THEY'VE BEEN REALLY HARD YEARS TO BE IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

AND THEN SO ALL OF THAT IS TRUE AND THAT'S LED TO RESIGNATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN ALL SORTS OF PROFESSIONS.

AND THEN THERE IS A LOT OF OLDER VETERAN ALDERMEN AND WOMEN WHO DO NOT LIKE WORKING WITH THE CURRENT MAYOR.

AND THAT ALSO HELPED NUDGE THEM OUT THE DOOR.

IN BUT IN GENERAL IT'S BEEN A REALLY TOUGH COUPLE YEARS.

>> WELL, JAMIE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES IN COUNCIL AND PREPARING TO RUN FOR THE OPEN SEATS.

DO YOU THINK THIS ELECTION HAS A POTENTIAL TO CHANGE THE POLITICAL DIRECTION OF THE CITY?

>> I DO.

I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE FOLKS LEFT OF CENTER ENTER THIS RACE AND IF WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT SHAPES OUT COME NEXT SPRING.

I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE SEEN HOW LIGHTFOOT SORT OF HANDLES ISSUES LIKE POLICE VIOLENCE, LIKE EDUCATION, AND THEY ARE NOT REALLY HAPPY WITH IT.

THEY WANT SOMEONE WHO IS RECEPTIVE TO THEM AND HEARS THEM OUT AND LIGHTFOOT HAS SHOWN WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE REFORMS, SHE IS SORT OF ON HER OWN MISSION.

AND, AGAIN, WE'LL SEE HOW IT SHAKES OUT NEXT YEAR.

>> JUAN, YOU EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT DURING THE LAST REMAP THAT MORE LATINO MAJORITY WARDS WERE NOT CREATED DO YOU SEE THE OPENINGS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE LATINO REPRESENTATION IN THE COUNCIL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT THE BALLOT BOX.

CERTAINLY ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SEATS THAT SHOULD BE REPRESENTED BY LATINOS.

I'M THINKING OF THE 14TH WARD WHICH IS OVERWHELMINGLY POPULATED BY LATINOS AND HAS NOT BEEN REPRESENTED BY A LATINO IN A VERY LONG TIME.

I THINK FOR A COMMUNITY THAT IS ONE OF THE TIER ONE TARGET RACES TO SEE THE FLIP AND THEN A NUMBER OF OTHER ONES ACROSS THE CITY.

RAY LOPEZ IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR TO REGAIN THE 15TH WARD AND NEW BLOOD ON THE NORTH SIDE AND THE SOUTH SIDE THIS YEAR.

IT'S EXCITING TIME.

BUT WE NEED TO ENGAGE FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE REGISTERED AND GET OUT TO VOTE.

>> SHAUNDRA YOUR ORGANIZATION WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE MAP THAT WAS APPROVED.

WHAT DO ALL THE OPEN SEATS SIGNAL TO YOU ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL?

>> HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, THE MASS DEPARTURE OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SIGNIFICANT NATIONALS TO US -- SIGNALS TO US THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSURE BUSINESS AS USUAL DOESN'T CONTINUE IN CITY COUNCIL.

IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSURE RESIDENTS HAVE A VOICE AND WHO THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE.

DURING THE REMAP WE SAID AGAIN AND AGAIN, A REVOLUTIONARY TIMES.

I BELIEVE THAT BUSINESS AS USUAL IS NO LONGER ACCEPTED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND NOT BY ORGANIZERS OR ADVOCATES.

IT'S REVOLUTIONARY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ENGAGING DIFFERENTLY.

WE HAVE WORKED TO TO INCREASE PUBLIC EN GAME.

THIS MASS DEPARTURE WITH RESTORE THE TRUST IN COMMUNITIES.

REPRESENTS ARE GROWING TIRELESS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES WITH NO CHANGE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

THIS MASS DEPARTURE CAN BE A DAUNTING EXPERIENCE OR IT CAN BRING A REFRESHING CHANGE.

AND THE RESIDENTS IN CHICAGO ARE HOPING A POSITIVE CHANGE.

>> WE'RE SEEING PROGRESSIVES MAKE A PUSH FOR THE SEATS.

IS THERE ANY INDICATION OF A COUNTER EFFORT WITH MORE CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES?

>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION AND SOMETHING WE'RE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON.

SO FAR THE ANSWER IS NO.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NOISE BY CONSERVATIVES, LABOR UNIONS AND BUSINESSES AGAIN, SOME OF THE INCUMBENTS FOR INSTANCE THERE WAS ALL SORTS OF TALK TO SPEND ALL SORTS OF MONEY TO BEAT FRITZ KAEGI BUT THEY SPENT MONEY, AND LINCOLN YARDS AND STERNLG BAY WAS SUPPOSED TO GET INVOLVED AND IT NEVER HAPPENED.

WITH THE MAYOR'S RACE YOU SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THEY WANT TO TAKE THEM OUT AND MORE CONSERVATIVE.

THE MAYOR HAS CRITICS ON THE PROGRESSIVE SIDE AND ALSO ON THE INSTITUTIONAL BIG BUSINESS SIDE AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT PUTTING THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS SO FAR.

THEY ARE CRITICIZING BUT THEY ARE STAYING LOW.

SO FAR YOU ARE NOT SEEING THAT YET.

WHICH DOESN'T MEAN IT WON'T HAPPEN.

BUT IT'S NOT HAPPENING YET.

>> RIGHT.

JAMIE, MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT IS FACING HER OWN CHALLENGERS IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE ODDS WE NOT ONLY SEE A NEW FACES IN THE CITY COUNCIL BUT A NEW FACE IN CITY HALL?

>> SLIM, HONESTLY.

I THINK CHICAGO BELIEVES ITS PROGRESSIVE BUT IT IS NOT REALLY THAT PROGRESSIVE WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING THE LEADER OF THE CITY.

SO WHILE WE MIGHT HAVE A MORE PROGRESSIVE CITY COUNCIL WE MIGHT BE VERY CENTERED MODERATE MAYOR.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, KING AND SAWYER MIGHT HAVE A BIT OF A CHANCE OR THEY MIGHT GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSE BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK LIGHTFOOT WILL RETAIN.

>> DO YOU THINK THERE ARE ENOUGH LATINO CANDIDATES READY TO WIN MORE SEATS?

>> PETITION SEASON STARTED IN EARNEST.

AND HERE WHERE I LIVE IN THE 30TH WARD I HAD KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FOLKS SEEKING THAT SEAT.

I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED AND LOOKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

SO LIKE I SAID BEFORE IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

>> CHAUNDRA DO THE OPENINGS PRESENT BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ISSUES THAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDRESSED?

>> I BELIEVE SO.

HAVING THE MEMBERS ON CITY COUNCIL WILL ALLOW RESIDENTS TO FEEL MORE EMPOWERED ACROSS THE CITY AND GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO FEEL MORE EMPOWERED TO ELECT REPRESENTS AND -- REPRESENTATIVES AND PUSH FOR REPRESENTATIVES TO PRIORITIZE THE AGENDAS FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND RESIDENTS ACROSS THEIR WARDS.

SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND I THINK THE RESIDENTS ACROSS CHICAGO HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACT AND NOW IS THE TIME.

>> GREG, IS THERE ANY PITFALLS IN HAVING SO MANY NEW MEMBERS JOINING THE CITY COUNCIL?

ARE WE LOSING SOMETHING BUT NOTHING BUT POSITIVES COMING OUT OF THIS?

>> NO, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS REAL.

AND HAVING PEOPLE WOULD UNDERSTAND HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS AND CAN NAVIGATE IT IS DEFINITELY A GOOD THING.

THE ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND KEEPING THE SYSTEM AFLOAT.

AND SO THERE'S SOME OF THAT.

BUT AND THE OTHER PART IS TODAY THE REFORMER IS TOMORROW'S OLD GUARD.

SO YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES.

YOU KNOW EVERY INCUMBENT IS NOT BAD.

>> ONE BIG QUESTION FOR CHAUNDRA, COULD THIS NEXT ELECTION FINALLY SIGNAL THE DEATH OF MACHINE POLITICS IN CHICAGO?

>> WE SURE HOPE SO.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A BRIGHTER TOMORROW, WE WANT TO SEE THE CITY MORE EFFICIENT AND GOVERNMENT BEING MORE EFFICIENT AND ETHICAL AND WE HOPE TO SEE BETTER BUSINESS IN THE CITY COUNCIL OF CHICAGO.

MORE ETHICAL BUSINESS AND WE PUT A WAY TO THE OLD BUSINESS AS USUAL AS THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE IN CITY COUNCIL.

>> JAMIE, WHERE DO YOU SEE THE COUNCIL HEADING WITH SO MANY NEW MEMBERS?

>> WELL, I THINK, AGAIN, I DO SEE A MORE PROGRESSIVE COUNCIL IN THE OFFING.

WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLICE REFORM AND EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WAVE FOLKS LIKE JENNETTE TAYLOR IN THE COUNCIL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE FOLKS ENTER THE JOIN THE RACE AND HOPEFULLY WIN THOSE SEATS.

THAT SAID, I DO THINK THAT THE PERSON WHO WILL BE HEADING THAT WILL BE A VERY MODERATE, TEMPERED BUSINESS-FRIENDLY MAYOR.

>> WHILE WE'LL LEAVE THE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU WHAT IS THE ISSUES YOU WANT TO SEE LATINOS ADDRESSED ON THE CITY COUNCIL?

>> I THINK OUR ISSUES ARE THE SAME AS MOST EVERYONE ELSE.

IT'S THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING.

THERE IS A PERCEPTION THAT CRIMES CONTINUES TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS DEVASTATING IN A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY AND THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE CITY.

SO I THINK THEY WILL WANT TO SEE MOVEMENT.

AND CERTAINLY A DESIRE TO SEE CHANGES ON THE EDUCATION FRONT WITH THE UPCOMING ELECTION FOR A NEW ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD.

WE'LL SEE MORE COMING OUT OF THAT.

AND MORE ISSUES THAT THE ARE FOCUSED ON THE COMMUNITY.

THOSE PARITY IN CONTRACTING, PARITY IN MAKING SURE THERE'S LANGUAGE ACCESS TO CITY SERVICES.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE SURE THERE'S REPRESENTATIVES ON THE COUNCIL THAT REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY TO RAISE THE ISSUES ON OUR BEHALF.

>> THAT IS WHERE I HAVE TO LEAVE IT IN THIS SPECIAL CROSSOVER CONVERSATION WITH "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES".

THANK YOU TO JUAN MORANDO, JR., JAMIE NESBITT GOLDEN, CHAUNDRA VAN DYK AND GREG ABBOTT.

UP NEXT, LOCAL EFFORTS TO HELP MILLIONS OF POVERTY CANS WHO HAVE BEEN -- PUERTO RICANS WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT WITHOUT POWER AND RESOURCES FOLLOWING HURRICANE FIONA.

[♪♪♪] >> HURRICANE FIONA SWEPT THROUGH PUERTO RICO LEAVING MILLIONS WITHOUT POWER.

NOW THEY ARE LEFT TO RECOVER AND REBUILD ONCE AGAIN FOR THE DAMAGE.

HERE IN CHICAGO, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND OFFICIALS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND.

JOANNA HERNANDEZ VISITED CHICAGO'S HUMBOLDT PARK NEIGHBORHOOD AND TESTIMONIES US MORE.

DID YOU SPEAK WITH THE LOCALS AND WHAT DID THEY TELL YOU?

>> I DID.

HUMBOLDT PARK HAS A LARGE POPULATION OF PUERTO RICANS.

MANY HAVE RELATIVES OR KNOW SOMEBODY ON THE ISLAND AND SHARED STORIES ABOUT THE CHALLENGES PEOPLE ARE FACING.

WE SPOKE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO SHOWED US VIDEOS WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR HIS MOTHER IN A TOWN IN THE MOUNTAINS IN THE CENTRAL AREA OF THE ISLAND.

YOU CAN SEE THE HEAVY RAINFALL COVERING THE ROADS.

HIS MOTHER IS STILL WITHOUT POWER AND USING CANDLES FOR LIGHT.

>> THE VIDEO LIKE WOW.

>> AGAIN, FIVE YEARS LATER.

>> AGAIN, FIVE YEARS LATER.

I WAS THERE IN PUERTO RICO IN 1993.

AND THAT WAS THE WORST FOR ME THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME.

>> YOU WERE THERE EXPERIENCING A HURRICANE.

>> IT WAS BAD FOR US.

THE HOUSE EVERYTHING YOU KNOW, THE WIND TAKE EVERYTHING.

>> SIMILAR STORIES WERE ECHOED THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I HEARD PRIDE IN PEOPLE'S VOICES I HEARD THE FRUSTRATION ABOUT THE ONGOING BATTLE THE ISLAND'S FRAGILE POWER GRID.

>> >> HURRICANE FIONA SPARKED AN ISLAND WIDE BLACKOUT WHEN IT HIT PUERTO RICO LEAVING MILLIONS WITHOUT POWER AND RUNNING WATER N2020 A PRIVATE CANADIAN-AMERICAN GROUP WAS CONTRACTED TO REBUILD PUERTO RICO'S POWER GRID BUT THE UTILITY TAKEOVER HAS COME WITH CONTROVERSY AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH SUMMER BLACKOUTS.

JESSIE FUENTES IS AN ACTIVIST AND CO-CHAIRS THE PUERTO RICAN AGENDA IN CHICAGO AND HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE TO DEMAND A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OF LUMA.

>> LUMA WAS GIVEN HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BUILD A POWER GRID THAT COULD NOT SUSTAIN ITSELF IN A CATEGORY ONE STORM.

WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.

WHERE DID THE MONEY GO?

WHAT REAL INFRASTRUCTURE DID WE BUILD?

AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT ENERGY BILLS HAVE ALMOST QUADRUPLED IN THE LAST YEAR.

WHAT ARE PUERTO RICANS SAYING IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENERGY AND LIGHT?

>> WHEN HURRICANE MARIA HIT IN 2017 THE ORGANIZATION LED LOCAL RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ISLAND AND ONCE AGAIN RELAUNCHING THE CAMPAIGN AN OPERATION JESSIE FUENTES SAYS IS TARGETED ON COLLECTING FUNDS AND RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COLONIAL RELATIONSHIP PUERTO RICO HAS WITH THE UNITED STATES AS IT REMAINS A U.S.

TERRITORY.

>> PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DONATING WITHIN THE LAST 48 HOURS.

AS SOON AS WE GET MONEY IN AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN GET MONEY OUT.

AND WE SEND IT OVER THERE.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THIS... WE ARE NOT SENDING ANY MONEY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF PUERTO RICO.

WE ARE SENDING MONEY TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND FAMILIES AND LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT TRULY UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT MONEY SHOULD GO.

>> AND IS THE GROUP HEARING OF PEOPLE HAVING TO LEAVE PUERTO RICO AND COME HERE?

>> JESSIE FUENTES SAYS THEY ARE WORKING TO COLLECT EMERGENCY FUNDS AND IF THEY HAVE TO THEY WILL WELCOME CLIMATE REFUGEES.

>> HOUSES ARE LITERALLY UNDERWATER.

TALK ABOUT BRIDGES BEING RIPPED FROM THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE FROM A LANDSLIDE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CLIMATE REFUGEES.

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO COME HERE BUT SOME FAMILIES DON'T HAVE A CHOICE, RIGHT?

THEY HAVE LITERALLY LOST THEIR HOMES AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND THE STATE OF ILLINOIS HAVE TO BE READY TO WELCOME PUERTO RICANS.

>> THERE ARE MORE THAN 800,000 PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER AS OF FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND THEY ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO RETIRE POWER.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SAID THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL PAY THE 100% OF PUERTO RICO'S RECOVERY FOR 30 DAYS.

AND PEOPLE REMAIN WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TALK TO THEIR LOVED ONES ON THE ISLAND.

>> THANK YOU, JOANNA.

>> AND YOU CAN LEARN MORE WHERE YOU CAN DONATE.

HEAD OVER TO OUR WEBSITE.

BACK WITH MORE "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

[♪♪♪] THE SISTERS BELINDA AND MA RITA, THE FRONT WOMEN OF THE LUNA BLUES MACHINE.

HERE THEY PERFORM THEIR SONG I CAN DO IT WHICH THEY RELEASED IN 2020 TO OFFER A MESSAGE OF RESILIENCE DURING A TOUGH TIME.

[♪♪♪] ♪I CAN DO IT I KNOW I CAN♪ ♪NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I CAN DO IT♪ WE'VE USED DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE OURSELVES AND OTHER PEOPLE, TOO, WHICH WE GET A KICK OF.

>> URBAN FOLK.

BROWN SOUL.

>> LATIN SOUL.

ACOUSTIC HIP-HOP.

[♪♪♪] WE'VE BEEN SINGING IN CHOIR AND CHORUSES TOGETHER SINCE WE WERE LITTLE.

>> AND WE WOULD CREATE THESE MUSIC GROUPS IN GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND WITH OUR FRIENDS.

>> [♪♪♪] ♪I CAN DO IT I KNOW I CAN♪ [♪♪♪] I MEAN I'VE BEEN WRITING POETRY SINCE GRAMMAR SCHOOL THAT IS USUALLY WHERE IT STARTS.

AND THEN IF I HAVE IT ALL THAT IS GREAT AND SOMETIMES I ONLY HAVE A PART.

I WILL ONLY HAVE DIVERSE AND THEN I WILL COME TO MY SISTER I NEED A CHORUS FOR THIS AND SHE'LL HELP ME WRITE IT.

♪I CAN DO IT I KNOW I CAN♪ [♪♪♪] >> GROWING UP, MY MOM WOULD LISTEN TO A LOT OF OLDIES MUSIC ON THE RADIO.

AND I JUST REMEMBER PICKING APART THE MUSIC AND LISTENING TO THE HARMONIES NOT THE MELODIES.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO TRY TO DUPLICATE THAT IN MY HEAD.

AND SING THEM OUT LOUD.

[♪♪♪] THE OLDIES WITH THE HARMONIES THAT DEFINITELY INFLUENCED ME.

90s, EARLY 90s R&B MUSIC ALSO HAS INFLUENCED US A LOT.

ERIKA AND LAUREN HILL ARE BIG INFLUENCES.

>> MEXICAN MUSIC.

[♪♪♪] >> WE STILL GET EXCITED ABOUT OUR GIGS AND WRITING NEW STUFF AND CREATING NEW IDEAS.

SO IT'S FUN.

IT IS A LOT OF FUN.

[♪♪♪] >> YOU CAN CATCH THE LUNA BLUES MACHINE LIVE SATURDAY OCTOBER 8 IN A COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE IN ALBANY PARK.

YOU WILL FIND MORE ON THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.

>> DURING WINTER EVERY CHICAGOAN HAS DREAMED OF ISLAND BREEZES.

BUT IF A TRIP TO TAHITI IS NOT IN THE CARDS THE DANCERS AT HOKULEA ACADEMY OF POLYNESIAN DANCE CAN DELIVER A WAY OF TROPIC.

ERICA GUNDERSON HAS THIS HIP SWINGING STORY.

>> HAWAIIAN HULA IS STORYTELLING.

IT WAS A WAY OF RECORD KEEPING.

>> .

>> IN STAGE PERFORM MASS ANDED THE STUDIO THEY TELL THEIR LOVE STORY THROUGH DANCE.

>> WE ACTUALLY MET AT A POLYNESIAN DANCE COMPETITION IN HAWAII.

AND IT WAS THERE WHEN WE BECAME FRIENDS AND STARTED TALKED.

>> I LOVED SEEING HIM DO WHAT HE LOVES TO DO.

I ENJOY WHEN HE DANCES.

AND WE DANCE TOGETHER.

>> A NATIVE OF MEXICO, AND HE GREW UP IN CHICAGO, ARE BOTH LIFELONG DANCERS.

SIX YEARS AFTER MEETING IN HAWAII THEY MARRIED IN 2009.

A YEAR LATER THEY OPENED HOKULEA ACADEMY OF POLYNESIAN DANCE WHERE THEY TEACH THEIR OTHER GREAT LOVE.

THE LOVE OF POLE INDONESIAN CULTURE POLYNESIAN CULTURE AND DANCE.

LEFT, LEFT.

>> IN MEXICO, A FAMILY GATHERING IT WAS DANCES AND PLAY GAMES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I SAW IN THE CULTURE THEY ARE FAMILY ORIENTED IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FAMILY.

POLYNESIAN DANCING IT GOES DEEP INTO CONNECTING TO EVERYTHING IN NATURE THEIR ANCESTORS THE LAND THEY LIVE IN.

>> AND THE HOKULEA PROFESSIONAL DIVISION PERFORMS ALL OVER THE CITY LIKE THIS EVENT IN ALBANY PARK.

THE FAME IS TO EDUCATE.

>> THEY HAVE NO GPS OR NOT MAPS OTHER THAN THE STARS AND THE SKY AND THE BIRD MIGRATION.

>> WHEN THEY DECIDED TO MOVE TO CHICAGO THERE WAS OTHER POLYNESIAN GROUPS AROUND BUT WHAT WE NOTICED IS NOTHING WAS GIVING THAT AUTHENTICITY WE WOULD SEE ON THE ISLAND.

AS THE STORY GOES IF THE STORY DOES NOT EXIST, YOU CREATE IT.

>> POLYNESIAN ARE HAWAII AND TAHITI.

A LIEU OUT IN HAWAII YOU SEE THE GRASS SKIRT AND THE FIRE DANCES AND ALL THE STUFF IN HAWAII.

PEOPLE GET THAT IDEA IT'S ALL HAWAIIAN DANCING.

WHEN THEY STARTED LEARNING THE DANCE, THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STYLES AND I FEEL HIKE I HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THOSE POLYNESIAN CULTURES THAT I AM PORTRAYING.

IT HAS TO BE THE RIGHT WAY.

I TRY TO DO MY BEST TO KEEP IT AUTHENTIC AND RESPECTFUL AS POSSIBLE.

>> LEARNING THE STUFF FROM DIRECTLY FROM HAWAIIANS, TAHITIANS... [♪♪♪] WE TEACH THAT TO OUR DANCERS THAT THESE ARE THE MOVEMENTS.

THESE ARE THE TEACHINGS WE WERE TAUGHT AND IN MOST POLYNESIAN CULTURES IT IS A GIFT, SO YOU PASS THAT GIFT ON.

>> THEY SAY THEIR STUDENTS COME FROM ALL OVER THE CHICAGO AREA OFTEN HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO POLYNESIAN CULTURE THAT LEADSTH EMTO SEEK OUT HOKULEA.

>> I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A DAPSER BORN AND RAISED FOR HAWAII AND LIVED HERE FOR FIVE YEARS.

FOR HIM IT'S MORE ABOUT THE CAMARADERIE AND THAT FELLOWSHIP.

>> BUT WHETHER THE DANCERS COME FROM HAWAII, MEXICO OR CHICAGO AND WHETHER THEY LEARNED THOSE STEPS ON A TROPICAL ISLAND OR IN JEFFERSON PARK, THE STORY HOKULEA TELLS ALWAYS RETURNS TO LOVE.

>> WHEN I DO GET TO SEE HIM DANCE I'M IN LOVE.

>> SOMETHING THAT CONNECTS US IN A WAY LIKE IT'S NOT HOME BUT IT'S HOME.

>> THAT IS THE COOL PART WE GET TO DO THE BUSINESS AND WE GET TO PERFORM TOGETHER AND THE LOVE IS REAL AND DEEP AND WE CAN SHARE WHAT WE HAVE WITH OTHERS THROUGH DANCE.

IT'S PRETTY COOL.

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

>> THEY CAN TEACH ANYONE THOSE MOVES.

IF YOU ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE YOU WILL FIND MORE ON OUR WEBSITE.

AND THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.

YOU CAN CATCH MY REPORTING ON 91.5FM-WBEZ.

MORE FROM THE HOKULEA ACADEMY OF POLYNESIAN DANCE.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES" I'M MICHAEL PUENTE.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY, STAY SAFE.

BUENOS NOCHES.

[♪♪♪]