George Salazar, Urban Warriors
George Salazar’s life could have easily gone in the wrong direction. Close male relatives had joined the Latin Kings street gang, and some of his peers associated with a rough…
September 22, 2025
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Amy Roman, The Alliance 98
The deaths of a friend from gun violence and of people she knew from COVID-19 took a toll on Amy Roman. She was unsure of her career goals and future,…
September 22, 2025
Impact
Christian Aguilar, OPEN Center for the Arts
Aspiring filmmaker Christian Aguilar, 25, is fascinated with the creative ways artists can tell stories. OPEN Center for the Arts in Little Village is helping to make his goal of…
September 22, 2025
Impact
Luis Gonzalez, Erie Neighborhood House
The oldest of three siblings in a family with immigrant parents, Luis has felt pressure to succeed. The high school senior has received mentorship in the Proyecto Cuídate program at…
December 20, 2022
Impact
Endy Salgado and Aldo Vazquez, New Life Centers
Endy enjoyed being physically active as a youngster. Most of all, he loved to run—every minute of every day. So when Epifanio Diaz of New Life Centers came to his…
December 20, 2022
Impact
Angel Benitez
Angel Benitez had to leave his after-school program in the 7th grade because his family couldn’t afford it. Then they found out about Universidad Popular, which was offering an after-school…
November 2, 2022
Impact
Brandon Hirales, Chicago Youth Boxing Club
Brandon Hirales learned about Chicago Youth Boxing Club from his older sister, who won a Golden Glove tournament after training there for four years. The idea of winning boxing matches…
October 28, 2022
Impact
Giselle Garcia, Beyond the Ball
Giselle, 21, feels like she grew up in Beyond the Ball, a nonprofit in Little Village that uses the power of sport and play to uplift individuals and the community.…
October 28, 2022
Impact
Bridging the Gaps in Adult Education, Technology and Health Literacy
When Robert Guzman joined CCLC in 2018, he was the only Career Pathways Navigator at the Near West American Job Center, a comprehensive one-stop hub in Pilsen for adult education providers. He helped to establish the Career Pathways model by working as a liaison between adult…
December 3, 2021
Impact
The McCormick Foundation Helps Children, Families, and Communities Thrive
At Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, we take pride in being among today’s leaders in trauma-informed care to help kids in Chicago heal from abuse, neglect, housing instability, and…
September 14, 2021
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