Chicagolandia Oral History Project

06/05/2026

06/04/2026

The signs appeared as far north as Kenosha, WI

Learn more: https://abc7chicago.com/post/north-chicago-waukegan-news-maga-ice-signs-appearing-threaten-immigrants-pop-suburbs/19207554/

06/03/2026

This Sunday!

05/31/2026

Elgin – if you enjoyed El Patio Fest last night, read this written by an ECC student about her father. This photo is part of Chicagolandia’s “Photos of Latinx Suburbia” series, prepared by students at Elgin Community College. ECC student Bri writes:

The first question I asked my dad was regarding his feelings being a first time dad in a new country. Juan says, “Me sentía emocionado y con una gran responsabilidad al ser papá de mi primera hija.” What pushed him forward was achieving his dreams for his family. My dad left Mexico due to financial issues back home. He expressed that he left Mexico due to wanting to help his parents with money back home. “Mi situación financiera no era buena. Teníamos muchas necesidades y mi prioridad era ayudar a mis papas a sostener el hogar en México.” I felt immense pride learning that my dad’s dream was simply for his daughters to go to school and not work physically, which is exactly what we’re doing. My father started working the day after coming to this country, and hasn’t rested since.

My dad has his own landscaping company. My dad also opened a restaurant in downtown Elgin called “El Patio,” and I asked what inspired that. He says that it was an extravagant adventure that thankfully worked out. Juan says “Ese proyecto fue como una aventura a lo loco. Dice el dicho que en la locura es donde salen las cosas buenas.”

We also talked about how growing up his family was very close, which is exactly how my sisters and I were raised. We have a beautiful relationship and it truly is thanks to how our parents raised us. My dad has always been my biggest inspiration, and even after going through some unimaginable things, he remains kindhearted, heartworking, and loving.

05/27/2026

NEW INTERVIEW!

View Clips here: https://chicagolandiaoralhistory.org/2026/05/27/ana-gil-garcia/

Dr. Ana Gil Garcia hails from Isla Margarita, Venezuela and migrated to the United States in 1991. She is a professor Emerita, five-time Fulbright Scholar, published author, and an esteemed community leader.

In the first clip, Dr. Gil Garcia describes her and her family’s experience of the economic crisis in Venezuela. She describes how economic desperation and authoritarianism contributed to Venezuelans fleeing to other nations, including the United States. Dr. Gil Garcia also shares how thousands of Venezuelans showed up to vote in Chicago for a Venezuelan recall referendum in 2016. She explains how she and others founded the Illinois Venezuelan Alliance in the context of rising migration from Venezuela to Chicago.

In the second clip, she describes how the Illinois Venezuelan Alliance suddenly became a frontline organization for assisting thousands of Venezuelan migrants, including families with children, that arrived in Chicago in 2021 and beyond.

05/27/2026

✨ REINAS SIN FRONTERAS ✨🌈
Una noche de arte, talento y comunidad con propósito. ❤️
Este 12 de junio acompáñanos a un espectacular show drag y musical a beneficio de organizaciones y esfuerzos comunitarios que brindan apoyo humanitario, recursos de bienestar y asistencia de emergencia para familias migrantes e inmigrantes que están atravesando momentos difíciles.
💃 Grandes artistas
🎶 Música • Show • Comunidad
🤝 Unidos por la dignidad, el apoyo y la esperanza
📍 Mariscos El Amigo Mexican Restaurant
2184 W Lake St, Hanover Park, IL 60133
🚪 Puertas abren: 9:30 PM
🎤 Showtime: 11:00 PM
🎟️ Boletos: $15
Porque cuando una comunidad se une con amor y compasión… no existen fronteras. ❤️🏳️‍🌈
ApoyoComunitario LatinosUnidos ArteConCausa LoveIsLove See less

05/21/2026

This photo is part of Chicagolandia’s “Photos of Latinx Suburbia” series, prepared by students at Elgin Community College. ECC student Aliza writes:

In this photo, my aunt is standing in the middle of the frame, holding pamphlets, wearing a shirt that states, “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.” This took place during 2020 and was inspired by the incident that occurred with George Floyd’s murder. My aunt, along with many other people, had noticed the unveiling of intense police presence in segregated neighborhoods. As a result she took the initiative to get signatures to petition for a reform in helping victims in a crime get mental health treatment. My aunt took initiative to fight for her community in Cicero. Hearing about their actions in putting in the work to make their community a better place for all is truly inspiring, and it tells plenty about the Latinx community and their history in the U.S.

Overall, Latinx history is connected to each and every person of Latin descent. The efforts for a changed society, for better opportunities, for connection to the culture itself, can be found in those who tell their stories, especially living in Chicago’s suburbia.

05/20/2026

This photo is part of Chicagolandia’s “Photos of Latinx Suburbia” series, prepared by students at Elgin Community College. ECC student Hannah writes:

Pharmacist Sonny Garza was a stalwart of the Elgin Hispanic community in the 1990s.

Owner of Roth Pharmacy, formerly located at 370 Summit Street, Garza served as president of the Elgin Hispanic Network (EHN). Garza was a prominent proponent of English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Garza said, “If we can educate them in their own language first and then go to English as a second language, it will be easier for them in the long run.” For Latino leaders in Elgin, being bilingual played a vital role in the success of the Hispanic community.

In addition to his contributions at the Elgin Hispanic Network and as director of Centro de Informacion, Garza provided pharmaceutical counseling services for the Community Crisis Center, Salvation Army, and Elgin Township. He also served as a board member of St. Joseph Hospital and the Three Fires Boy Scout Council. In 1994, the Human Relations Commission of Elgin awarded him the Dr. Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award for his advocacy for civil rights.

Garza’s exceptional volunteerism was not his only claim to “fame.” The exterior of his business, Roth Pharmacy, appeared in the second episode of the first season of Grace Under Fire in 1993. Despite his short-lived 15 seconds of fame, Mr. Garza made a long-lasting impact on the Hispanic community in Elgin that lives on to this day.

05/17/2026

Esta fotografía forma parte de la serie «Fotos de la Suburbia Latina» de Chicagolandia, elaborada por estudiantes del Elgin Community College (ECC). Hannah, estudiante del ECC, escribe:

El farmacéutico Sonny Garza fue un pilar de la comunidad hispana de Elgin durante la década de 1990. Propietario de Roth Pharmacy —ubicada anteriormente en el 370 de Summit Street—, Garza ejerció como presidente de la Elgin Hispanic Network (EHN). Garza fue un destacado defensor de los programas de inglés como segundo idioma (ESL). Garza afirmó: «Si logramos educarlos primero en su propio idioma y luego pasamos al inglés como segundo idioma, les resultará más fácil a largo plazo». Para los líderes latinos de Elgin, el bilingüismo desempeñaba un papel vital en el éxito de la comunidad hispana.

Además de sus contribuciones a la Elgin Hispanic Network y al Centro de Información, Garza prestó servicios de asesoramiento farmacéutico al Community Crisis Center, al Ejército de Salvación y al municipio de Elgin. También formó parte de la junta directiva del Hospital St. Joseph y del Consejo de los Boy Scouts «Three Fires». En 1994, la Comisión de Relaciones Humanas de Elgin le otorgó el Premio Humanitario Dr. Martin Luther King en reconocimiento a su defensa de los derechos civiles.

La excepcional labor voluntaria de Garza no fue su única fuente de «fama». La fachada de su negocio, Roth Pharmacy, apareció en el segundo episodio de la primera temporada de la serie *Grace Under Fire* en 1993. A pesar de sus efímeros «15 segundos de fama», el Sr. Garza dejó una huella perdurable en la comunidad hispana de Elgin, la cual perdura hasta el día de hoy.