Latino in Chicago Eric Lugo

Today’s episode features Edgar Ramirez, President and CEO of Chicago Commons, an organization that has invested and helped shape the lives of Chicagoans since 1894. Like a few other organizations, Chicago Commons has evolved from its settlement house origins to partner with individuals, families, and communities to overcome poverty, discrimination, and isolation. Their programs are designed to help children, families and seniors GO further to live richer, more fulfilling lives. Emphasis on the GO.

Edgar joined Commons in 2010 at the Associate Executive Director. In this episode, we learn about: Chicago Commons eastern European immigrant origins to now servicing elderly and early learners on South and West sides; Edgar’s journey to Commons and how mentorship really shaped his path; How listening to community has influenced Commons’ approach to programming; Edgar shares Insight on how Commons’ bridges services in African-American and Latino communities; and Edgar also reflects on his leadership and what’s changed since becoming CEO.

This episode features Evette Cardona, Vice President of Programs at the Polk Bros. Foundation – a Chicago-based foundation that supports organizations providing direct services to communities of need in areas such as social services, education, cultural programs and healthcare. Polk's assets have grown to more than $400 million, with more than $20 million in grants distributed each year. Evette joined Polk as an intern 19 years ago, and was promoted to her current role from Senior Program Officer in 2012. Today, we learn about: The history of the Polk Bros. Foundation; Evette shares her journey to Polk and how it works to support families in need; We hear about their approach to investing in violence prevention and intervention, and mental health services; How she’s balanced bringing her whole-self to philanthropic decision-making; Polk’s efforts to integrate racial equity into their philanthropy and how Latinos fit into that narrative; and How to think about getting into philanthropy.

In this episode, I catch up with Celena Roldan, Chicago & Northern Illinois CEO of the American Red Cross. Each year, this region responds to 1,200 natural and man-made disasters, and teaches more than a quarter million people in Chicagoland each year health, safety and disaster preparedness skills. Prior to joining Red Cross, Celena served as the Executive Director of Erie Neighborhood House which was founded in 1870 to strengthen low-income, primarily Latino families through skill-building, access to critical resources, advocacy and collaborative action. We learn about: American Red Cross’ work that goes beyond emergency response, including being a critical partner to home fire response in the region; Their efforts to go into neighborhoods and educate communities around fire safety; The work the Red Cross is doing to build trust among Latino families; What’s similar and different about her work at Erie and the Red Cross; Celena reflects on her time in Louisiana after catastrophic flooding; and Shares her thoughts on the importance of balance and self-care in non-profit work.

In this episode, I connect with Andrea Sáenz, First Deputy Commissioner for the Chicago Public Library. In this role, Andrea supports strategy, organizational development and leads program design and evaluation for the 80 library system. Before joining the Library, Andrea served as Chief of Staff to Chicago Public Schools CEO; Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Vocational and Adult Education at the US Department of Education in Washington, DC; and Executive Director of the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE). Andrea also serves as Board Chair for Instituto del Progreso Latino. In this episode, we learn about: The core of the Library’s mission to provide free access to knowledge without barriers; How the Library is focusing on strengthening family engagement and services; Her own circuitous journey to the Library system; and How the Library is adapting to better serve Latino families.

In this episode, I connect with Katya Nuques, Executive Director of Enlace Chicago – an organization dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of residents in Little Village. They do this by fostering a physically safe and healthy environment in which to live; and by championing opportunities for educational advancement and economic development. Katya began her career at Enlace in 2005 as the Director of Community Schools, where she played a signficant role in the expansion and growth of Enlace. In this episode we learn about Enlace’s history of organically developing community-driven solutions in Little Village; Katya shares some of the successes of collaborative education and anti-violence efforts that have strengthened the Little Village neighborhood; and she also discusses the importance of authentic leadership and participatory processes that build coalition.

This episode features Beatriz Ponce de Leon, Executive Director of Generation All – a citywide initiative to unite Chicagoans in revitalizing neighborhood public high schools so all students experience high quality learning opportunities both in and outside the classroom. Beatriz brings more than 20 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations and public institutions in Chicago. She has implemented public education campaigns, led community and organizational planning processes, designed and facilitated workshops for youth and adults, and authored numerous action plans and reports. In this episode, we learn about: Generation All’s efforts to improve neighborhood public high schools in Chicago; Bea offers great insight on how we can address educational challenges in Chicago - such as growing investment, supporting teacher professional development, and post-secondary advising; and Why collaborative leadership and decision-making is valuable.