"I really believe that for me to be able to keep Angel safe, the only way that I can do that is to build a stronger community," Yoellie Iglesias, Executive Director, Madre Latina told the CT Mirror. "And every time that I help a family in anything that they need, I really believe that that family will also work to keep my child safe." That inspired Iglesias to start Madre Latina, a non-profit organization created in 2011 to educate, connect and empower Hispanic women and mothers.  Dubbed “The mother of all Mothers,” for assisting mothers like her in raising their children, Iglesias is known as the go-to person for help in the Waterbury community. Yoellie with her son Angel, her inspiration for Madre Latina. “Madre Latina is an organization that is committed to seeing young women realize their dreams,” William R. Rybczyk, President/CEO of New Opportunities, Inc., said. “Through the [...]

The images that come to mind for most United States residents when thinking of Cinco de Mayo are of Mexican flags, sombreros, long mustaches, tequila and, in general, a vibe of celebration and partying. But, where did this celebration come from and how has it changed with the passage of time? It was late morning of May 5, 1862, when the Mexican soldiers defending the city of Puebla saw the French army marching towards their position. These were dark days for the nation of Mexico. They had lost half their lands to the United States less than two decades ago, the crippling debt to European nations had impoverished the whole country, the division between conservatives and liberals could not get any deeper and now the French army had come to claim Mexico as their own. These young and inexperienced Mexican soldiers would never have believed that some hours later [...]

State Rep. Hilda E. Santiago, D-Meriden, said serving people and working in state government is her biggest passion. Her involvement in local government started in 1990, Santiago said. In 2005, she became the first Puerto Rican female to win an open seat on Meriden's City Council, she said.  With March celebrating Women’s History Month, the Latino Communities Reporting Lab interviewed Santiago and three other Latinas who are making an impact in the Meriden community. “Today, I am proud to say that I am the first Latina to be named Assistant Deputy Speaker Pro-Tempore — a high ranking leadership post in the House of Representatives,” Santiago said. “Every vote I cast in the legislature represents the voice of the people in my district and the state. Securing critical safety net services and ensuring a better Connecticut for all residents and their families have always been top priorities for me,” Santiago said. Vowing to fight for voting [...]

The first time DePaul junior, Ariana Collazo heard of an Afro-Latina individual in school was last year during her Afro Caribbean class when Haitian American novelist Edwidge Danticat came to speak to her class.   “Listening to her story was really inspiring and I’ll never forget watching her,” said Collazo.  Collazo said she felt connected to the author's experience of being ostracized and the way classmates treated her differently growing up, coming from a Puerto Rican and African American background.  Ariana Collazo in front of Lane Tech High School. Photo courtesy by Ariana Collazo. Collazo said she remembers being teased by elementary school kids when they found out that her mom was African American. "Of course, not speaking Spanish, they’d always be like ‘How are you a real Puerto Rican if you can’t even speak Spanish, and your mom is Black?” Collazo said.  Although in the U.S 5 percent of [...]

During the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic, Latinos, in particular, have suffered and faced disproportional health and economic impacts. For example, the group is 1.7 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than their non-Hispanic white counterparts and 4.1 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19, and 2.8 times more likely to die from the disease. The pandemic is taking a toll on mental health. A 2021 Healthy Now survey found that about 60 percent of Americans were more likely to feel stressed, anxious, and/or depressed last fall as compared to 50 percent during the fall of 2020. On June 5, 2020, Wallingford resident Massiel Abramson launched her online business Massiel Abramson, LMFT Therapy and Consulting. Abramson saw the opportunity during the pandemic to support people with their mental health. “I have an entrepreneur spirit and it’s always been my calling to increase communication among individuals when it comes [...]

WBEZ Chicago and Illinois Latino News (ILLN) are proud to announce a new partnership in best serving the public. The collaboration between ILLN and the WBEZ Community Engagement team will provide an opportunity to produce programming together that elevates the visibility and voices of Chicago’s diverse communities, with its first community event planned for the end of March. “In our mission we state that our role is to ‘serve and inform the public and connect diverse audiences by telling stories that matter,’” said Tracy Brown, Chief Content Officer for WBEZ Chicago. “This new partnership with Illinois Latino News is an opportunity to do just that. We’re looking forward to working with ILLN to engage with diverse communities across Chicago to understand the issues impacting their daily lives.”  Hugo Balta, Owner and Publisher of ILLN, commented on the partnership, saying, “Now, more than ever, it is crucial for local news [...]