As the year comes to a close, the IL Latino News (ILLN) team is looking back at a year’s worth of producing content that provides greater visibility and voice to the Hispanic-Latino community.
In 2021, ILLN made its debut with the “3 Questions With…” (3QW) podcast. 3QW is a public affairs program tackling matters most important to Hispanics-Latinos by speaking with community and industry thought leaders on civic engagement, education, employment, health care, and many more topics.
Thank you for listening and sending your ideas on guests and topics for ILLN to cover.
In November, Dr. Marina Del Rios, former emergency room doctor at the University of Illinois Hospital, and member of the Illinois Unidos coalition spoke with us about rising COVID-19 cases across Illinois and her fears health disparities exacerbated by the pandemic persisting. “There are areas in the City that are health-care deserts,” she said. “Until we invest in the long term to ensure that every community has the same access to primary care – we’re going to continue to see these disparities.”
“My mom never went passed eighth-grade; my father was a factory worker,” remembered Cesar Rolon in the October interview with 3QW. “That’ll always be my drive.” Rolon, President of Imagen Marketing Consultants, said his parents’ strong work ethic inspires him to do more personally, professionally – for the Hispanic-Latino community.
Rolon shared career highlights that include music, fashion, and community service. Rolon had just finished the latest edition of the Latina Expo, Chicago. The annual event is billed as “Chicago’s largest Latina lifestyle conference and expo.”
“To see people come together, have that one-on-one, support their business, promote what they do – it’s wonderful,” Rolon said about the event returning to being in-person. Last year’s expo was virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last guest of the year was Sylvia Puente, President, and CEO, of The Latino Policy Forum. Puente spoke on 3QW in the middle of the battle to redraw Chicago’s 50 wards.
Latinos demand more wards in the new map (15 Latino wards and 16 Black wards), arguing population growth (up 5 percent). Still, Black representatives do not want to give up more than one ward (17 Black wards and 14 Latino wards) despite a population decrease (10 percent). Currently, the City Council comprises 18 Black wards and 13 Latino wards.
Speaking about the strong stance of the Chicago City Latino Caucus, Puente said, “We had a Latino caucus ten years ago that didn’t have the “ganas”, the will that I think this Latino caucus has.” Puente was a guest on the Latino News Network (LNN) podcast, “3 Questions With…”. “We have several new members (Latino Caucus) who are being very vocal about saying equity means that we are 30 percent of the City and that means 15 (wards).
“3 Questions With…” is produced by the Latino News Network, overseeing five independent local news and information websites with a statewide coverage, Hispanic-Latino editorial focus in New England and the Midwest.
3QW returns in January with new episodes; remember to send your suggestions to info@latinonewsnetwork.com.
A Happy and Healthy 2022 to you all from all of us at IL Latino News!
