>>> GOOD EVENING , I'M ALEX HERNANDES .

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT LEADERS AND CHICAGO'S MEXICAN COMMUNITY ON HOW THE CITY APPROACHES ITS CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS.

TWO TASTY WEEKS ARE COMING UP FOR US IT IS LATINO OWNED RESTAURANTS.

A PLAYLIST OF TROPICAL MUSIC SHE SAYS YOU HAVE TO HERE.

DISCIPLINARY ARTIST CELEBRATING NEARLY TWO DECADES OF WORKING IN ITS FIRST SOLO SHOW.

BESIDES ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS ACCESS TO INFORMATION.

A NONPROFIT THAT IS HELPING CHICAGO'S RESTAURANT STARTUP AND SCALE UP.

ALL OF THAT COMING UP BUT OUR FIRST STORY TONIGHT, LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS RESPOND ON HOW THE CITY HANDLES IT MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION.

RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> CHICAGO TONIGHT, LATINO VOICES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE SUPPORT OF THESE AFFILIATES.

>>> ABOUT 20% OF CHICAGOANS EXPLAIN MX AND MEXICAN HERITAGE THAT THE DISTINCTION THAT MAKES ITS SELF ESPECIALLY -- WHEN MEXICANS CELEBRATE MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY.

PRAISE AND FESTIVAL CELEBRATING MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE HAVE LONG BEEN A PART OF CHICAGO'S HERITAGE TOO.

IN RECENT YEARS THE CELEBRATIONS HAVE GONE BEYOND ORGANIZED EVENTS AS CARAVANS FULL OF -- HAVE FILLED THE STREETS.

EVENT THE CITY HAS STRUGGLED TO CONTROL.

JOINING US ART TERESSA OF THE MEXICAN CULTURAL COMEDY OF CHICAGO , JENNIFER AGUILAR, GIFT OF DIRECTOR OF LITTLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE , CO-CHAIR OF THE ILLINOIS LATINO AGENDA .

WE ALSO INVITED THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPECIAL EVENTS TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE BUT THEY DECLINED.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING TOPIC AS WE KNOW, WE JUST CELEBRATED MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY AND WE SAW THE CARAVANS.

A COUPLE OF DAYS.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU, TERESA.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS ONE THEY WERE ACTUALLY DOWNTOWN?

>> ACTUALLY, THAT WAS QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO .

THE FIRST TIME I PARTICIPATED WAS IN 1974 AND THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN HAPPENING.

THEY ORGANIZED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARADE DOWNTOWN ON STATE STREET.

IT WOULD THEN TURN DOWN TO 18 STREET , NOT ALL THE FLOWS, BUT MOST OF THEM WOULD TURN ON THE EMERGING MEXICAN COMMUNITY.

I HAVE SOME PICTURES THAT ARE THE PICTURES OF THOSE FLOATS.

THAT WERE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HISTORY AND THAT REPRESENTATION OF THE REAL REASON THAT WE CELEBRATE A MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE.

>> JENNIFER, THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATE THE 54th PARADE ON 26th STREET , HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT ORGANIZING THAT?

>> IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK.

WE ALREADY FINISHED THE PARADE AND WE STARTED PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR IMMEDIATELY.

IT'S A LOT OF COORDINATION.

OUR TEAM IS VERY SMALL , A TEAM OF THREE PEOPLE.

THEY ARE VERY EXPERIENCED IN DOING THE PARADE AND PUTTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

AND WORKING WITH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MEETING ALL OF THE REQUIRED GUIDELINES, BUT IT IS A WORK OF THE TEAM.

>> THAT IS INCREDIBLE.

JOSE, GOING WITH YOU, YOU WROTE AN OP-ED ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE DURING THE CELEBRATIONS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE?

>> YES, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

MY OP-ED WAS ABOUT TWO THINGS.

THE FIRST WAS ABOUT PROTECTING OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES.

THE CITY SET UP CHECKPOINTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF CHICAGO .

KEEPING INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE SHOWING UP FOR FESTIVITIES GOING INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

I FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE THAT NO PERSON OF COLOR, NO MEXICAN SHOULD GO THROUGH THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAVE TO SHOW I.D.

OR BE SEARCHED REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CITY.

THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ANYWHERE.

CHICAGO IS ALREADY ONE OF THE MOST SEGREGATED CITIES IN THE WORLD.

WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE CHECKS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES.

>> THE SECOND THING WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF --.

YOU MENTIONED CHICAGO IDENTIFIED AND THAT CULTURAL DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED.

>> IS OKAY JUST ELABORATE LIKE THAT IN DOWNTOWN STREET LIKE WE DO EVERY YEAR?

>> FIRST WE NEED TO HAVE SOME EVENTS THAT ARE ORGANIZED AND PUT TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF CHICAGO TO REALLY WELCOME AND EMBRACE FOLKS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

SEPARATIONS LIKE THE ONES WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

THE POPULATION OF MEXICANS , WE ARE ALL OVER THE CITY.

THE CITY NEEDS TO START TREATING MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH THE SAME RESPECT AND ENTHUSIASM IT DOES WITH OTHER MAJOR EVENTS LIKE ST. PATRICK'S DAY, PRIDE MONTH, AND THE TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT , THAT EVEN HAD HER TREATMENT.

IT WASN'T DRIVABLE.

THEY WERE WELCOMED AND CELEBRATED.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF RESPECT FOR MEXICANS DURING MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY.

>> THAT BRINGS ME TO THE FOLLOWING .. YOU MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE MISSING ELEMENTS OF THE CELEBRATION IS -- WHICH WE KNOW THAT'S HOUTMAN DIXON INDEPENDENCE DAY WAS BORN IN 1810 WITH .

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> EL GRITO LOOKS WAS CELEBRATED DOWNTOWN .

EL GRITO.

AND THAT IT KIND OF STOPPED BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION WHO ORGANIZED EL GRITO , I GUESS RESOURCES , THINGS HAPPEN.

>> IN OTHER CITIES, THE MEXICAN CONSULATE IS THE ONE THAT ORGANIZES THOSE EVENTS.

DO THINK THAT SHOULD HAPPEN HERE IN CHICAGO?

>> IT ALREADY HAPPENS HERE IN CHICAGO.

IN 2014, CARLOS JIMENEZ CALLED 135 MEXICAN LEADERS FROM THE CHICAGO AND METROPOLITAN AREA INCLUDING ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STARTED AT THAT MEETING NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS WERE HELD.

TO FORM , WHICH I PRESIDE FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE WITH EL GRITO EXCEPT FOR THE TWO YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC.

THERE IS A COMMITTEE THAT DOESN'T.

WE HAVE EL GRITO THIS YEAR .

AT BONITO HORAS HEISKELL.

A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM THAT METROPOLITAN AREA COULD NOT GET TO THE EVENT BECAUSE OF THE CARAVANS.

>> WOULD IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF EL GRITO WAS DOWNTOWN?

>> DEFINITELY.

WE AS A CITY NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE CHANGED.

THERE ARE 1,000,000 1/2 MEXICANS, MEXICAN AMERICANS IN THE METRO AREA.

AND THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A MAJOR CELEBRATION DOWNTOWN SUCH AS EL GRITO OR EVEN A PARADE.

>> NOW, I WANT TO GO BACK WITH YOU JENNIFER .

DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD TRY TO STOP DOWNTOWN CELEBRATIONS?

OR MAKE AN OFFICIAL EVENT DOWNTOWN AND MAYBE THAT WOULD HELP IN SOME WAY TO STOP THE CARAVANS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS?

>> I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD NOT TRY TO STOP IT.

THE MORE THEY TRY TO STOP IT OR PREVENT IT, THE MORE PEOPLE WILL COME OUT.

THAT IS HOW THE EVENTS AND GOING AROUND CRUISING GOT MORE POPULAR DURING THE PAST YEARS.

I DO BELIEVE HAVING AN EVENT DOWNTOWN SUCH AS EL GRITO WHAT PROVIDE A SAFE DOWNTOWN FOR MEXICANS TO CELEBRATE.

>> EVERYONE SHOULD COME IN DURING THE DAY AND WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE.

A HUGE OFFICIAL EVENT FOR THE CITY AND LEAVE IT AT THAT .

SAME QUESTION TO YOU, JOSE, DO THINK THE CITY SHOULD TRY TO MAKE THE OFFICIAL EVENT DOWNTOWN TO AVOID A COUPLE OF REPEATED DAYS OF CARAVANS?

>> I THINK THE CITY SHOULD HAVE AN OFFICIAL EVENT , NOT ONE EVENT , THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF CHICAGO INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

THEY SHOULD NOT TRY TO STOP INDIVIDUALS FROM CELEBRATING.

WE SHOULD BE EMBRACING YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CELEBRATE THEIR CULTURE.

WE SHOULD WORK WITH THEM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CELEBRATE PEACEFULLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF CHICAGO.

>> WE COULD KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS TOPIC FOR A FULL SHOW.

THERE IS A LOT TO TALK ABOUT BUT I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

>>> WE CONTINUE WITH MORE UP NEXT, HOW LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IS HELPING CHICAGO RESTAURANT OWNERS.

STAY WITH US.

>>> IN THE CITY BELOVED FOR ITS DINING SCENE, CHICAGO RESTAURANT ARE AT THE HEARTBEAT OF COMMUNITIES, DEFINING NEIGHBORHOOD CULTURES THROUGHOUT CUISINE.

THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY IS ALSO ONE OF THE TOUGHEST TO SUCCEED IN.

THAT'S WHY A NONPROFIT BEGAN ITS MISSION TO HELP ON RESTAURANT ENTREPRENEURS KEEP THOSE COMING.

ERICA HAS THE DISH.

>> Reporter: LIKE MOST FRIDAY AFTERNOONS, IT'S BUSY IN THE KITCHEN AT RUBYS TACOS ON 18th STREET.

IT IS 100 PERCENT FAMILY-OWNED AND OPERATED THEY REPRESENT THE NECESSARY PIECES OF A SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT.

BUT IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT RUBYS TACOS WERE ONLY AVAILABLE ONCE A WEEK AT MAXWELL STREET STAND.

SINCE THEN, THE RAMIRES FAMILY WHO OWNS RUBYS HAS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED INTO THIS BRICK-AND-MORTAR LOCATION FOR THAT THANKS IN LARGE PART TO -- WHO SHARES THE SPACE WITH RUBYS FOR NOW.

>> THEY WERE STREET VENDORS.

THEY STARTED SELLING TAMALES OUT OF A COOLER THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE MET THEM AND THEY HAD A VERY IMPRESSIVE TO STENT.

>> IT FORCED THEM INTO AN APARTMENT SELLING OUT OF THEIR APARTMENT.

WE PUT THEM IN A PHYSICAL SPACE THAT SUPPORTED THEIR REVENUE STREAM AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

>> Reporter: THIS KITCHEN WAS STARTED BY RESTAURANT INDUSTRY VETERAN JACKSON FLOREZ AND HER FRIEND BRIAN SOTO WHEN FLOREZ LOST HER JOB EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC.

>> I HAD A SWEET GIG AS A RESTAURANT OPERATOR AND BRIAN OWNS AND OPERATES AN ACCOUNTING FIRM.

>> I WAS A CPA RUNNING AN ACCOUNTING FIRM.

I HAD A LOT OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE CLIENTS SO DURING THE PANDEMIC I SAW THEM STRUGGLING WHEN THEY HAD TO SHUT DOWN THEIR DOORS PICKS >> Reporter: THEY SELF-FUNDED A MICROGRAM PROGRAM TO HELP STRUGGLING SPOTS.

SOON OUTSIDE VENDORS BEGIN CONTRIBUTING TOO.

THAT FUNDING HAS ALLOWED THEM TO DISTRIBUTE OVER $80,000 IN MICRO GRANT TO DATE AS WELL AS OFFER FREE BUSINESS EDUCATION AND ONGOING SUPPORT TO INSPIRING AND CURRENT RESTAURANT WHISPER .

>> YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED THAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO OPEN RESTAURANTS WITH NO EXPERIENCE, LITTLE CAPITAL AND AN IDEA AND WE HELP ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH OR NAVIGATE THE INS AND OUTS OF ZONING PERMITS AND LICENSES.

WE HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR YOU.

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LANDSCAPE IS BESIDES ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS EXCESS INFORMATION.

WHAT DOES SALES-TAX MEAN?

WHAT TAXES ARM I EXPOSED TO?

WHAT PERMITS AND LICENSES MI EXPOSED TO?

HOW DO I COST OUT MY MENU?

HOW DO I HAVE INVENTORY CONTROLS?

HOW DO I WORK QUICKBOOKS?

>> THE KITCHEN TEAM SO THEY HELP ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH ALL PHASES OF THEIR BUSINESS IN ORDER TO BUILD STROBER COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE COMING FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR HELP SOMETIMES.

IT'S REALLY HARD FOR US TO EVEN ASK FOR HELP SO PART OF THOSE PIECES ARE BREAKING DOWN THOSE BARRIERS SO THAT WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING FOR RESOURCES, IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT.

A LOT OF TIMES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES , WHAT THEY BRING TO THOSE COMMUNITIES IS NOT JUST SKILLS, FOOD, THEIR CRAFT , BUT IT IS ALSO JOBS AND THEY ARE ECONOMIC ENGINES IN ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES.

>> Reporter: FLOORS AND SOTO SAY THEY ONLY NEED TO LOOK TO THEIR ROOMMATES, RUBY, TO SEE THAT THERE APPROACH WORKS.

RUBYS HAS BEEN OUR BEST CASE.

IT SHOWS THAT SOMEONE CAN COME HERE TO AMERICA, START SOME LITTLE TO STAND AND GROW IT INTO A FULL-FLEDGED BUSINESS, HIRING 10+ PEOPLE AND HAVING THEIR FAMILY ON A SALARY.

THAT IS TRUE SUCCESS.

>> Reporter: A DREAM.

FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, LATINA VOICES, THIS IS ERIKA GUNDERSON.

>> IT OFFERS CLASSES FREE OF CHARGE TO RESTAURANT OPERATIVE PRINTERS.

YOU CAN FIND MORE ON THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> IT'S GETTING TO THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN PEOPLE IN CHICAGO STARTED TAKING ABOUT SPENDING TIME SOMEPLACE A LITTLE WARMER, MAYBE AN ISLAND.

IS THAT WHERE YOUR HEAD IS AT?

SHE HAS THE SOUNDS OF THE TRAFFIC IN THIS WEEK'S HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.

>> Reporter: AS THEY CONTINUE THE CELEBRATION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, I WANT TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON THE TROPICAL MUSIC FROM ACROSS LATIN AMERICA .

FOR EXAMPLE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC THERE NATIONAL MUSIC IS MERENGUE AND MUCH AT THE AND YOU CAN HEAR IT FROM ARTISTS BUT THERE IS A MODERN TRIO DOING AMAZING THINGS WITH ELECTRONIC MUSIC WITH MERENGUE AND GUMBO.

THERE CALLED -- IT IS BITE TO TWIN SISTERS BY THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC .

THEY ARE INCORPORATING SENSOR-BASED ELEMENTS AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC WITH MERENGUE AND CRATING THIS BEAUTIFUL FUSION AND THEY WERE HERE IN CHICAGO PERFORMING.

GLOBAL SOUNDS COMING TO CHICAGO AND I WANT TO SHARE ONE OF THEIR NEW SONGS CALLED Y AHORA.

.

I WOULD LOVE TO MENTION A HUSBAND AND WIFE DUO AND THEY DO CLASSICAL MUSIC FROM PUERTO RICO, SALSA, ALL THE TROPICAL STYLES AND WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THEM IS, NOTHING STOPS THEM BECAUSE DURING THE PANDEMIC THEY WERE LIKE, WE ARE NOT GETTING ANY POWER FROM THE HOUSE SO WE HAVE TO GO INTO THE CAR TO RECORD A LIVE ELECTRONIC DIGITAL PERFORMANCE .

THEY DID IT AND I THINK YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO PART OF THAT SONG.

SOMETHING WACKY AND CRAZY AND WEIRD BECAUSE IT IS FROM A BAND THAT YOU HAVE TO HEAR.

IT'S FROM TWO MEMBERS OF TWO OTHER BANDS, MERIDIAN BROTHERS GOT TOGETHER , IT'S CRAZY IT IS FUNNY IT IS TROPICAL AND OUT-OF-CONTROL.

THE NAME OF THE BAND IS SUCK MY THUMB.

THEY ARE MEMBERS FROM BAND MERIDIAN BROTHERS.

THEY GOT TOGETHER.

THEY MIXED CLASSIC TRADITIONAL MUSIC LIKE THIS ALSO AND MERENGUE WITH A METAL.

IT'S CRAZY.

GOT A LISTEN.

>> YOU WILL FIND MORE ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> A TASTE OF WHAT TO EXPECT ON THIS YEAR'S LUTTON RESTAURANT WEEK .

STAY WITH US.

WITH GOT THE MUSIC TO CONTINUE CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, NOW IT IS TIME FOR FOOD.

THAT'S WERE LATIN RESTAURANT WEEK COMES IN FROM OCTOBER 6th TO OCTOBER 20th.

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO ARE OFFERING SPECIAL MENUS TO CELEBRATE CUISINES ACROSS LATIN AMERICA.

>> THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT LATIN RESTAURANT WEEK IS THE DIVERSITY .

SOMETHING I WANT TO TOUCH ON IS THE DIVERSITY WITHIN DIVERSITY .

NOT ONLY ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUISINE AND DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES THAT WE HAVE , BUT ALSO THE TYPE OF DINING , FAST CASUAL PLACES.

YOU CAN ENJOY COLOMBIAN COASTAL CUISINE FROM LACES LIKE --.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT OFFERS AN ELEVATED AMBIENCE WITH A WATER VIEW, YOU CAN GO DOWN TO --.

WE ALSO HAVE DIVERSITY WITHIN OWNERSHIP.

WE HAVE RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 25 YEARS LIKE RUBYS TACOS OR WE HAVE WOMEN OWNED RESTAURANTS LIKE --.

IT'S ABOUT CELEBRATING THE OWNERSHIP AND THE RESILIENCE THAT PEOPLE IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY HAVE MAINLY HISPANIC.

THEY ARE CREATING SPECIALS FOR YOU GUYS TO ENJOY.

ALL IN ALL, THE CHEFS LOVE TO DO THIS BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO GET CREATIVE.

YOU MIGHT SEE A DEAL.

WHATEVER YOU DO, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

IT IS A LIMITED TIME SPECIAL ONLY AND THEY ARE TAKING THEIR TIME TO CREATE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THE COMMUNITY.

WE WANT THE CONSUMER TO GO OUT AND ENJOY, TRY SOMETHING NEW FOR THE FIRST TIME, DELVE INTO THE AUTHENTICITY OF CERTAIN RESTAURANTS AND FIND A NEW FAVORITE.

>> YOU WILL FIND MORE IN LESSENED LATIN RESTAURANT WEEK ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> A LOCAL SCREEN RENTER IS DEBUTING HIS WORK FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AT A SOUTHSIDE ART CENTER.

HE SHARED HIS ART WITH ANGEL ON HOW HE IS USING THE MEDIUM TO CONNECT WITH BLACK AND BROWN COMEDIES.

>> THIS IS A MULTIPLE AND MULTITUDES.

IT'S AN EXHIBITION THAT SPANS MY WORK OVER THE LAST 15, 19 YEARS.

>> Reporter: NEARLY TWO DECADES, WILLIAM ESTRADA HAS BEEN PRACTICING ART OF ALL MEDIUMS .

THOSE VISUALS ARE NOW ON DISPLAY AT THE HYDE PARK ART CENTER.

>> THERE IS MULTIPLE PROJECTS, THE FAMILY PORTRAIT PROJECT WHICH CAME ABOUT FROM A CONVERSATION WITH MY MOTHER ABOUT OUR MULTIPLE MIGRATIONS.

MOVING ACROSS THE CITY, ACROSS THE NATION.

BETWEEN 12 AND 15,000 PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.

>> Reporter: HIS EXPERIENCE EXTENDS BEYOND PHOTOGRAPHY.

HE CURRENTLY TEACHES SCREENPRINTING AT UIC BUT HAS TEACHING ROOTS FARTHER SOUTH AS WELL.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING TEACHING ARTISTS .

IT HAS GUIDED A LOT OF THINKING AND WAYS THAT I MAKE WITH MEMBERS IN PUBLIC.

ONE OF THE BEST PLACES WHERE I COULD HAVE MY FIRST EXHIBITION WHICH HAS BEEN A HUGE INFLUENCE ON MY ART.

ALWAYS DO THE LIGHT COLORS FIRST.

I LIVE IN CICERO AND SO PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN HAVING , SPECIFICALLY IN THAT INTERSECTION , THIS BORDER BETWEEN BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS .

I WAS INTERESTED IN ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS WITH BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES SPECIFICALLY, THINKING ABOUT HOW WE ARE REPRESENTED , THE LACK OF REPRESENTATION ALSO, BUT ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE RICH HISTORIES THAT EXIST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> ESTRADA AND HIS SCREEN RENTER HIT THE STREETS.

UNLIKE OTHER MEDIUMS, THE ARTIST SAYS SCREENPRINTING IS ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE.

>> MOST OF THESE ARE WORK THAT I HAVE CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS.

THESE PRINTS WERE ACTUALLY CREATED THROUGH THE ARCH STREET .

THESE ALL WERE CREATED WITH THE INTENTION OF THE PUBLIC FINISHING THEM OFF FOR A LOT OF PRINTS I CREATE ARE REMINISCENT OF COLORING SHEETS .

WE REFER TO THEM AS MAD LIBS WHERE THE COLOR IS INVITED TO ADD TO THEM AND FINISH THEM, THINKING ABOUT THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING WITH -- RECLAIMING THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE VIOLENCE THAT IS HAPPENING ACROSS CHICAGO AND BEING ABLE TO RECLAIM SPACES.

THEY FEEL SAFE TO OUR NEIGHBORS.

I THINK I WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT THERE IS SO MUCH BEAUTY IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.

WE NEED TO INVEST IN IT AND SUPPORT IT AND CELEBRATE IT.

MORE ART CAN BE CREATED IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M ANGEL.

>> YOU CAN SEE WILLIAM ESTRADA AT THE HYDE PARK ART CENTER NOW THROUGH OCTOBER 29th.

>>> THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS AND OTHER PROGRAMMING NOTE, BEGINNING NEXT WEEK, CHICAGO TONIGHT LET'S LATINA VOICES WILL BE ON AT 5:30 AND 10:00 ON THURSDAY EVENINGS WITH HOST JOANNA HERNANDEZ.

DON'T FORGET TO TUNE IN EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING .

I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT LATINA VOICES, THANK YOU.

>> CLOSED CAPTIONING IS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFFORD AND CLIFFORD LAW, CHICAGO PERSONAL INJURY AND -- WHOSE ATTORNEYS EMBRACE THE CULTURE OF THE PHILANTHROPY AND SERVICE