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FILM ‘Castaway’ seeks to create intergenerational dialogue for Latinx audiences through storytelling
An upcoming short film, “Castaway” by director and writer Nathan Marquez, shines a spotlight on the intersectionality between being queer, growing up Latinx and Catholic and learning to find community. The film is currently in pre-production with Z Marc Productions both producing and supporting funding for the short film by hosting the Queer Creative Lounge…
Christian Díaz becomes first openly queer person on Metra board, aims to create more equitable transit
From growing up in a transit-rich community to working in Chicago’s transit network itself, Christian Díaz is all about connecting both people and places. Appointed to the Metra board in April 2026, Díaz is its first openly queer member. He comes with a background of public service, and hopes to put all his experience into…
‘Celebrate what makes you different’: Why Chicagoan Mario Treto Jr. chose a life in public service
Mario Treto Jr., who is Illinois’ secretary of the department of financial and professional regulation, said that he’s reassured by the frequent calls he gets for advice from agency heads in other states. “We’re doing it right if we’re being looked at as a beacon of hope,” said Treto, whose agency oversees licensing for professionals…
Latino queer youth are facing a unique mental health crisis: Chicagoans are fighting to reach them
Something as large-scale and daunting as the modern youth mental health crisis could never be solved overnight. Considering queer Latino youth are part of two communities which are underrepresented, underserved and under attack by the federal government, their challenges are especially unique. In a 2024 report by the Human Rights Campaign, over 70% surveyed queer Latino youth…
Gay Chicago couple found dead in mass grave after going missing outside Mexico City
On May 20, gay Chicago couple Guillermo Jaffet Hidalgo Ortiz and Zafar Padamsee Mawani, both American citizens who had moved to Mexico City last October, disappeared. The couple left their home to pay for a chairlift for Mawani’s mother, who has Alzheimer’s and lived with the couple, according to Ortiz’s former roommate of over 10 years,…
Yaritza Perez spreads the word about human rights in Chicago
For many Chicagoans, Yaritza Perez is the face of human rights enforcement. As project coordinator at the Chicago Commission on Human Relations, she is tasked with community outreach and education, speaking to residents about their protections under the Human Rights Ordinance and the Fair Housing Ordinance, and educating them about how to file a complaint if they…
Longtime LGBTQ+ activist and Dreamer makes a play for Florida statehouse
When Brazilian-born Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet came to the United States in 2001 at age 14 his life changed forever. Sousa-Lazaballet was undocumented and experienced many challenges due to his immigration status and queer identity. Now, Sousa-Lazaballet is the sole Democratic candidate for Rep. Anna Eskamani’s seat (she is currently an Orlando mayoral candidate for the 2027 election). The…
Parade honors strength of Chicago’s Puerto Rican and LGBTQ+ Communities
The 45th annual Puerto Rican People’s Day Parade took place in Humboldt Park on June 13. The parade kicked off at Division St. and Campbell Ave, and was Grand Marshal-ed by Hon. Miguel “Ricky” Mendez Perez, the Mayor of Isabela, Puerto Rico, as well as Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th Ward). This year the parade honored…
Puerto Rican Cultural Center named Chicago Pride Parade’s 2026 ‘Out Front’ honoree
The Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) will lead the 55th annual Chicago Pride Parade as this year’s “Out Front” community group, marking a moment of heightened visibility for Latino LGBTQ+ communities amid political adversity. The PRCC will head the June 28 procession as it travels through Lakeview. PRIDEChicago, the nonprofit that organizes the annual parade,…
Evette Cardona, Mona Noriega reflect on years of activism ahead of Pride Parade Grand Marshals role
Longtime LGBTQ+ advocates/activists Evette Cardona and Mona Noriega are among this year’s Chicago Pride Parade Community Grand Marshals. Cardona and Noriega were chosen alongside author, Press Forward Chicago Executive Director and Windy City Times Co-Founder/Owner Tracy Baim and the Alliance of Illinois Judges (Illinois’ LGBTQ+ judges’ association). The honorees were chosen through a community nomination process and,…
Meet the En La Vida newsletter writer
Lu Calzada
Pronouns: They/Them
“Lu loves to cook new recipes, read manga and explore the city with their beloved roommates. You’ll hear from Lu every second Wednesday of the month in our En La Vida newsletter.”
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