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.

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.

Notable Resources:

Pablo Neruda, The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems

Sendhil Mullainathan, Scarcity: The New Science of Having Less and How It Defines Our Lives

To learn more about Chicago Commons, visit: chicagocommons.org

To support Chicago Commons: Click Here to Donate

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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.

On a personal note, I’m especially thankful to Evette for being a mentor to me when I transitioned into a philanthropic role at JPMorgan Chase. She, and the gentlemen she mentions, David Pesqueira, made it a point to offer valuable advice as I stepped into this new space.

We Learn About:

• The history of the Polk Bros. Foundation;
• Evette shares her history with Polk and how it works to support families in need;
• We hear about Polk's 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.

Notable Resources:

Beryl Satter, Family Properties: How the Struggle Over Race and Real Estate Transformed Chicago and Urban America

Chronicle of Philanthropy

The Non-Profit Times

To learn more about the Polk Bros. Foundation, visit: polkbrosfdn.org

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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.

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;
  
• 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
  
• Her thoughts on the importance of balance and self-care in non-profit work.

Notable Resources:

Steve Phillips, Brown is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created the New American Majority

To learn more about the Chicago/Northern Illinois American Red Cross, visit: redcross.org

To support the American Red Cross: Click Here to Donate

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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). In 2016, Andrea was appointed  Board Chair for Instituto del Progreso Latino.

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.

Notable Resources:

William Bridges, Making the Most of Change

Julio Cortazar, Rayuela

G. Willow Wilson, Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal

For more information on a Chicago Public Library near you, visit: chipublib.org

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Today's episode features 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 substantial role in the expansion and growth of Enlace. Today, Enlace is recognized locally and nationally as a leading organization in youth development, violence prevention and intervention, and community organizing.

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 discusses the importance of authentic leadership and participatory processes that build coalition.

Notable Resources:

David K. Fremon, Chicago Politics Ward by Ward

Mike Royko, Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago

Michael Tesler, Post-Racial or Most-Racial?: Race and Politics in the Obama Era

To learn more about Enlace Chicago, visit: enlacechicago.org

To support Enlace's mission: Click Here to Donate

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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 of the classroom.

Beatriz brings more than 20 years of experience working with non-profit 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.

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

Notable Resources:

Language Education: Preparing Chicago's Public School Students for a Global Community 

A Shared Future: The Economic Engagement of Greater Chicago and its Mexican Community

To learn more about Generation All, visit: generationallchicago.org

To support the Generation All's mission: Click Here to Donate

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This episode features Everett Gutierrez, President and Founder of Legacy Leaders International. I first learned about the work of Legacy Leaders through my participation with the Chicago Community Trust’s Latino Heritage Endowment, Nuestro Futuro. Everett and I eventually connected, and I thought the work he’s doing to help shape future leaders in Chicago was pretty powerful. The mission to equip youth and adults with the tools to develop their maximum potential and become purposeful leaders resonated with me, and I’m glad to have caught up with Everett to discuss their services and vision.

We Learn About:

• Legacy Leaders approach to youth development in schools;
• The organization's goals for expansion into college services including financial management and coaching, along with employee leadership development;
• Everett shares reflections on his own personal journey and how that lead him to found the organization; and
• We hear some solutions for creating better opportunities for students and building strong leaders

Notable Resources:

John Maxwell, Amazon.Com Book Listing

Lori Beth Jones, Jesus CEO & The Path

Rosalind Blasingame Buford, The BluePrint: Strategies for Building a Culture of Excellence

To learn more about Legacy Leaders International, visit: legacyleadersinternational.com

To support Legacy Leaders' mission: Click Here to Donate

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Brought to you by the uBack Giving Tuesday Chicago Celebration

Today we speak with Maricela Garcia, Chief Executive Officer of Gads Hill Center - an organization that since 1898, has created opportunities for children and their families to build a better life through education, access to resources and community engagement.

Mariciela came to the United States in the early 1980s as a result of the war in Guatemala. After her arrival she founded Casa Guatemala to assist newly arriving refugees and later co-founded Women for Guatemala, which we speak about during the interview.

She also served as the Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, was the founding Executive Director of the Latino Policy Forum. Prior to Gads Hill Center, she was the Director of Capacity Building and Juvenile Justice Policy at the National Council of La Raza.

We Learn About:

• Gads Hill’s legacy of services to every immigrant group that has come to Chicago, including their current work in early childhood education and youth development
• Maricela reflects on her career in human rights advocacy and policy, along with her transition to direct services, and
• How income inequality impacts the educational and social-emotional goals of Latino families across the city

Notable Resources:

Paolo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character

Paul Tough, Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America

To learn more about Gads Hill Center, visit: gadshillcenter.org

To support Gads Hill's mission: Click Here to Donate

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Brought to you by the uBack Giving Tuesday Chicago Celebration

Today's episode features Michelle Morales, Executive Director of the Mikva Challenge – a youth serving organization that is challenging the status quo and helping young people develop into informed, empowered, active citizens and community leaders.

Michelle became the Executive Director of Mikva Challenge about a year and a half ago, bringing with her over 18 years of experience in youth development to the organization.

We Learn About:

• Mikva’s efforts to demystify civic and political engagement, as well as activate youth voice in community change
• Michelle shares what inspires her about youth work, and how they are breaking down barriers that allow youth to flourish, and
• We dig into some interesting reflections on how she’s evolving her leadership and management style; along with her perceptions of gender dynamics in leadership

Notable Resources:

Ta-Nehisi Coates, Letter to My Son

HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management

To learn more about the Mikva Challenge, visit: mikvachallenge.org

To support Mikva's mission, Click Here to Donate

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Today we catch up with Ric Estrada, CEO of Metropolitan Family Services – an organization that has empowered families to learn, to earn, to heal and to thrive since 1857. MFS works with 72,000 families across the Chicagoland region providing financial aid, counseling, workforce, education and legal services.

Ric has nearly three decades of leadership experience in human services, philanthropy and government – including appointments to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Selection Committee for the Emerging Leaders Program, and Board of Directors at the Woods Fund of Chicago.

We Learn About:

• MFS’ growth and its increased services to Latino families across Chicagoland
• Opportunities to support the emotional wellness of working families
• The importance of facilitating leadership, as well as continuing to innovate and build
• Insight on the great possibility that exists in Chicago and ways to get engaged in creating opportunity for families across the city

Notable Resources:

Metropolitan Family Services, FY16 Annual Report

Greg Behrman, The Most Noble Adventure: The Marshall Plan and How America Helped Rebuild Europe

Dana Suskind, Thirty Million Words: Building A Child's Brain

To learn more about Metro Family Services, visit: metrofamily.org

To support Metro Family's mission: Click Here to Donate

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Today’s episode features Sylvia Puente, Executive Director of the Latino Policy Forum - the only public policy and advocacy organization in the Chicago metropolitan area working to improve educational outcomes for children, make housing accessible and affordable, promote just immigration reform, and build the influence and leadership of the Latino community. Through the Latino Policy Forum, she works with more than 100 organizational leaders in the Chicago metropolitan region and has been recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics in the U.S.” by Hispanic Business magazine.

Sylvia was introduced to her life’s work as an advocate, policy analyst, and activist for Latino issues at age thirteen when she joined her mother on picket lines in support of the United Farm Workers.

We Learn About:

• The Latino Policy Forum’s impact strategy and its evolution
• Data supporting the successes and challenges of the Latino community
• Sylvia shares reflections on the farmworkers movement and what inspired her to get engaged in policy, and
• The Forum’s work to position and cultivate Latino and African-American leader

Notable Resources:

Latino Policy Forum's Issue Briefings

Harvard Family Research Project: Guide to Measuring Advocacy and Policy

Jack Weatherford, Indian Givers: How Native Americans Transformed the World

To learn more about the Latino Policy Forum, visit: latinopolicyforum.org

To support the Forum's mission: Click Here to Donate

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