Author: Nissa Rhee

Immigration | Interviews | La Vida de La Villita | Little Village | Police

Tania Unzueta

An organizer challenges the way we think about—and police—immigration today

by 6 months ago

Dan Rowell

Tania Unzueta is a fierce advocate for the rights of undocumented immigrants around the country. She helped found the three organizations that defend the rights of immigrants, including Organized Communities Against Deportation and its predecessor the Immigrant Youth Justice League, and Mijente, a national Latinx organization. She was first arrested for staging a sit-in in Senator John McCain’s office in 2010 in support of the Dream Act. These days, she continues to work with OCAD and serves as the policy director for Mijente, a political hub that calls itself pro-Latinx, pro-Black, pro-woman, pro-queer and pro-poor.

Education | Interviews | La Vida de La Villita | Little Village

Fanny Diego-Alvarez

A community leader shares stories of neighborhood resilience and innovation

by 6 months ago

Natalie Gonzalez

Fanny was born in the state of Guerrero in Mexico and moved with her family to Little Village when she was six years old. She comes from a long line of community organizers and is a familiar face at political rallies and neighborhood events. Between 2005 and 2017 she worked at Enlace, a capacity building organization in Little Village. She now works as the sustainable community schools project manager at Chicago Public Schools. This initiative, jointly created by the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools, aims to support neighborhood schools by investing in wraparound services, restorative justice practices, culturally relevant curricula, and family engagement.

Immigration | Interviews | La Vida de La Villita | Little Village

Jimena Martinez

A health advocate talks about growing up in Little Village and her memories of crossing the border as a child

by 6 months ago

Natalie Gonzalez

Jimena migrated to the United States with her parents and two siblings when she was five years old. For a long time, she tried to suppress her memory of crossing the border. It wasn’t until she was a lot older that she was able say that it wasn’t a dream.

Health | Lead

Keeping Kids On Track

Illinois considers giving lead-poisoned children access to its successful Early Intervention program

by 2 years ago 1 Comment

Nicole Hamp is a pediatrician who says Illinois's Early Intervention program can help families maximize a lead-affected child's development. (Will Camargo)

When Saeri Geller’s son was fifteen months old, she caught him eating paint chips in their home in Grand Crossing. A visit to the doctor confirmed her fears: Ian had dangerously high blood lead levels.