ABC7 celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with special Our Chicago: Lideres Innovadores
CHICAGO (WLS) -- ABC 7 CHICAGO celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of news stories, vignettes and a half-hour special, "OUR CHICAGO: LIDERES INNOVADORES.'
'OUR CHICAGO: LIDERES INNOVADORES' will be hosted by ABC 7 anchor Mark Rivera and meteorologist Jaisol Martinez with contributions from anchor anchors Rob Elgas, Tanja Babich and reporter, Michelle Gallardo. The half-hour special offers a rich tapestry of stories highlighting members of Chicago's vibrant Latino community, airing twice on ABC 7, Sunday, September 29, from 11:00-11:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 6, from 4:30-5:00 p.m. It will also be available on abc7chicago.com and ABC 7's connected TV apps.
The Monochrome Brewing Company in Pilsen, a meeting place celebrating Latino culture, community and craft beer, will serve as one of the backdrops for the special in addition to the beautiful murals sprinkled throughout the Pilsen neighborhood.
Throughout the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, a series of vignettes spotlighting inspiring people from the Hispanic community will be featured on ABC 7.
'OUR CHICAGO: LIDERES INNOVADORES' will profile stellar individuals and organizations that play an important role in their communities and the city of Chicago:
- LA LUCHE LIBRE WRESTLER - Paloma Vargas is a Lucha Libre wrestler who goes by her stage name, "The Sriracha Muchacha"! Wrestling professionally for more than 15 years now, she wows audiences from local street festivals all the way to the stages of the Goodman Theater! For Vargas, Lucha Libre wrestling not only allows her to feel like her true self but also lets her be a positive influence on other women looking for belonging within the world of professional wrestling.
-COLORES MEXICANOS - On the Magnificent Mile, Colores Mexicanos, stands out as a vibrant shop offering authentic cultural treasures featuring everything from jewelry and purses, handmade in Mexico.
-IRAZU RESTAURANT - Located in Wicker Park, Irazu has the proud distinction of being Chicago's first and only Costa Rican Restaurant. Started by Miriam and Gerardo Cerdas as a takeout restaurant 34 years ago, Irazu, now run by her son Henry, has expanded and continues to thrive. The restaurant has some fan favorites including El Casado, the national dish of Costa Rica, homemade, savory rum cake, and the popular oatmeal shake, dubbed one of Chicago's iconic drinks by the press.
-Venados Running Club - The Venados Running Club has been on the run since 1981. The club was founded as a way to connect like-minded neighborhood runners. Today, it serves as a bridge between old and new Pilsen.
-Latino Executive Golf (LEX Golf) - The Latina Executive Golf Organization was created to empower and encourage women, especially Latinas, to engage and increase participation in golf activities. Founded by Paola Meinzer, an immigrant from Colombia, the organization aims to change the "status quo" by providing support, resources and opportunities that increase diversity, equity and inclusion on the golf course - while networking and having FUN!
-Glow -is a trauma-informed mentoring program run by the Union League Boys & Girls Club in Pilsen. The mission of this after school group is to help young girls work through traumatic experiences caused by their environment and eliminate negative self-talk. Glow helps the girls find community with like-minded individuals.
-Latin Rhythms - One of Chicago's leading dance studios, Latin Rhythms, teaches anyone and everyone the joys of Latin culture and dance. Founder Maricza Valentin helps lead instruction on dances ranging from Salsa, Bachata and Mambo to Cha Cha Cha. The studio boasts a wide variety of options, from beginning dance instruction to participation in youth and adult dance companies. Maricza's greatest joy is that Latin Rhythms serves as a conduit connecting people from all walks of life and all cultures.
Latin Rhythms - One of Chicago's leading dance studios, Latin Rhythms, teaches anyone and everyone the joys of Latin culture and dance. Founder Maricza Valentin helps lead instruction on dances ranging from Salsa, Bachata and Mambo to Cha Cha Cha. The studio boasts a wide variety of options, from beginning dance instruction to participation in youth and adult dance companies. Maricza's greatest joy is that Latin Rhythms serves as a conduit connecting people from all walks of life and all cultures.
About ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago
ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago is the No. 1 local news source and most-watched television station in Chicago. With top-rated daily newscasts spanning decades and the largest social media presence in the market with more than 2.6 million Facebook followers, ABC7 Eyewitness News provides breaking news, investigative reporting, weather, politics, traffic and sports in the multiplatform space toChicago, the suburbs and northwest Indiana. Named Best News Operation by the Associated Press for four consecutive years, ABC 7 Eyewitness News produces "Chicago Proud," a series of features that spotlights everyday heroes in and around Chicago.The station also produces the highest-rated New Year's Eve special in Chicago, holiday kickoff special "The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival," syndicated to a national audience, as well as the award-winning program series "Our Chicago," which showcases the city's diversity and highlights contributions in the Black, Hispanic, Asian, LGBTQ+ communities, among others.Every Friday, Windy City Weekend, entertains while giving Chicagoans everything they need to know about what's happening in the city. ABC 7 is the only Chicago station producing and broadcasting parades representing Chicago's rich cultural history. In addition to producing town halls focused on current social issues, the station has a long and proud tradition of broadcasting political candidate debates keeping Chicago's electorate informed.ABC7's outreach efforts include annual partnerships with the Red Cross for life-saving blood drives, one of the biggest one-day drives in the country and, most recently, spearheading an effort to raise more than $1.5 million for area food pantries.
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