But up north, the implications for Chicago are just as significant, given that Biden’s move came less than three months before the arrival of the Democratic National Convention.

Many have predicted Republicans such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott would pounce on the opportunity to increase the number of migrant buses sent to Chicago in order to embarrass the liberal city during the high-profile event and try to weaken Biden in his rematch against Donald Trump. Limiting asylum-seekers’ entry into the U.S. before then could make it more difficult for Abbott and others to follow through on that gambit.

Biden’s policy is designed to drastically curtail the number of migrants seeking asylum at the southern border by halting illegal crossings during periods of high traffic, such as right now. In Chicago — ground zero for how the nation’s recent migrant crisis has played out — political leaders and advocates had mixed reactions to the move.

The divisions reflect an ongoing tug-of-war between progressive and centrist blocs in the Democratic Party, a coalition that’s showing strain as left-leaning party members rip Biden for his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a statement Wednesday that neither endorsed nor condemned Biden’s new asylum restrictions, keeping in line with his reluctance to publicly criticize the president. He instead sought to place blame with Congress, where House Republicans turned down proposals to deal with the situation.

“As President Joe Biden has said, our reliance on a nearly 40-year-old immigration process is inadequate for effectively and humanely addressing today’s challenges,” Johnson wrote in a Tuesday statement. “It is time for Congress to finally work with President Biden to pass comprehensive immigration reform, and create fair and functional policies for our country.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker told reporters Wednesday that Biden’s executive order was “imperfect” but rejected the premise that it was election-year politicking.

“In my view, we now have a proposal from the president that is, again, it’s not a perfect solution,” Pritzker said. “We’d like the Congress to take action, but the Republican-controlled House is unwilling to do so. … And so, the president is using whatever tools he has to do what is necessary.”

About 43,000 asylum-seekers have made their way to Chicago since 2022, when Abbott sent his first migrant buses north. The resultant humanitarian crisis at one point saw impoverished migrant families sleeping outside Chicago police stations and became a lightning rod for GOP criticism of Biden’s immigration record.

Now, with the White House taking its boldest action on border enforcement yet, local leaders in the city that will serve as the backdrop to the convention celebrating Biden’s nomination are also attacking him from the left. Though Johnson has opted to tread more carefully as he prepares for his role as Chicago’s biggest cheerleader during the DNC, the same could not be said about his most vocal surrogates.

Johnson’s handpicked Housing Committee chair, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, continued to voice disapproval with the Biden administration following the executive order announcement.

“It’s critical that President Biden understands that following the recipe of fascists like Trump is not going to yield results,” Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, said Wednesday. “He’s playing into Trump’s playbook, which is, create chaos for political gain, chaos that has been created throughout Latin America and chaos that is now here in our country.”

Sigcho-Lopez’s earlier reproach of the Biden administration landed him in hot water when colleagues in April attempted to censure him for speaking at a demonstration against the DNC and Gaza war that included a veteran torching an American flag. Though the vote to punish him failed, the saga forced Johnson to address questions on whether this much intraparty strife unfolding in the backyard of the DNC would hurt Biden’s reelection chances.

U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, too issued a statement this week calling Biden’s move “politically motivated.”

“This renewed ban is bad policy, since evidence suggests asylum bans simply do not work. It is also bad politics, since it attempts to mimic Trump-like policies,” Garcia wrote Tuesday. “Instead of enacting cruel and ineffective policies, we must remain committed to creating a fair and human asylum system that welcomes people who come to our country.”

Garcia, whose district includes the heavily Latino Southwest Side of Chicago, instead called for Biden to equip the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with the resources to process asylum applications at a faster rate. He also said the White House should provide relief for longtime immigrants too.

U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, who represents the Northwest Side of Chicago and northwest suburbs, echoed the disappointment in a statement also comparing the policy to Trump.

Not all local Democrats expressed dismay over Biden, however. Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, said the outcome was not ideal “but Congress has failed to address a comprehensive immigration plan. And what we’re seeing is the president being the adult in the room.”

“That’s the frustrating part within the Democratic Party,” Villegas said. “We’re a big tent, but we have to understand that at some point, there needs to be decisions made that are not going to be very popular. … It’s unfortunate that the folks from the left — the far-left, the extreme left of the Democratic Party — are trying to compare President Biden to Trump.”

Local immigration advocacy groups in Chicago shook their heads at the action they said harks back to the previous president, who in 2018 utilized the same immigration law Biden is leaning on now to try to ban asylum-seekers from the southern border. As with what unfolded in the wake of Trump’s actions back then, Biden’s new order is likely to receive legal challenges.

Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said Biden’s policy showed “disregard for those seeking safety as well as those who have stepped up against cynical tactics from anti-immigrant governors.” He and other advocates also noted the time was now to pressure Biden to use his executive authority to issue work permits for undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for much longer.

Ald. Michael Rodriguez, 22nd, who represents the Southwest Side Little Village neighborhood, said Biden’s order was not the solution Chicagoans were seeking when they called on the federal government to take responsibility for the burden local municipalities such as Chicago were shouldering during the migrant crisis.

“The president should think twice about who his base really is,” said Rodriguez, Johnson’s handpicked chair of the Workforce Development Committee. “I’m really disheartened by this move. I’m upset and I expect more. And I hope this doesn’t cost the president at the ballot box more than he thinks it helps him.”

Another member of Johnson’s City Council leadership team, Immigration Committee chair Ald. Andre Vasquez, questioned whether the policy was simply border security theater during a heated presidential race.

“It seems incredibly cynical, given that the election is around the corner,” Vasquez, 40th, said. “Now as you see public statements from folks, it does fracture the party. … Trying to make the case of Chicago and how we Democrats are a party that celebrates our cultural diversity and welcomes immigrants, I think ends up ringing a little more hollow.”

Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations at the southern border are unsure whether Biden’s decision to limit illegal crossings at the border will actually curb the number of new arrivals to Chicago, said Haniel Lopez, senior program officer for Search for Common Ground Mexico.

Lopez, who works with migrants in the border town of Juarez, Mexico, said human trafficking operations are at an all-time high and he believes those fleeing their home countries will just find other ways to enter the U.S. — but at the expense of their safety and well-being. That makes Biden’s actions “more a political movement than actually seeing people for what they are,” he said.

“It makes us feel like the U.S. is sending us their crisis,” Lopez said. “This decision is going to put the migrant community in a very vulnerable position.”

Chicago Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner contributed.

La mayoría dijo que nunca dudaron de que Sheinbaum, una protegida del actual presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador y su partido izquierdista Morena, ganaría las elecciones. Algunos de ellos hicieron campaña por ella en Chicago, organizando mítines, marchas y otros eventos durante los últimos meses.

Para algunos ciudadanos mexicanos en Chicago, la histórica victoria aplastante significa otros seis años de “un gobierno que prioriza a los pobres y a la clase trabajadora”, dijo Elvira Arellano, una de las líderes del movimiento Morena en Chicago. Alrededor de 200 personas bailaron y brindaron junto con Arellano el domingo por la noche en Mi Tierra, 2528 S. Kedzie Ave., adornado con los colores borgoña de la fiesta y la bandera mexicana.

El apoyo abrumador a Sheinbaum fue evidente entre los miles de ciudadanos mexicanos, que comenzaron a llegar a las urnas antes de las 5 a.m. del domingo. Al mediodía, miles de personas tomaron la avenida South Ashland, lo que obligó a la policía a cerrar calles y levantar barricadas para controlar a la multitud.

Más de 184,372 ciudadanos mexicanos votaron desde el extranjero, más del doble que en las elecciones presidenciales de 2018. Miles de personas en todo el mundo quedaron fuera de las 23 oficinas consulares que celebraron la votación en persona por primera vez.

Los ciudadanos mexicanos expresaron su desconexión y criticaron la falta de coordinación por parte del Instituto Nacional Electoral. Según el INE, sólo 1,389 ciudadanos mexicanos en Chicago pudieron votar en persona el domingo. Más de 1,317 se registraron para votar y hubo 1,500 boletas electrónicas abiertas disponibles.

Cientos de personas no pudieron emitir su voto incluso después de esperar en fila durante más de 12 horas porque no pudieron llegar a la casilla electoral antes de las 7 p.m. hora de cierre.

Sin embargo, animaron a la multitud y la animaron a votar por Sheinbaum.

“Morena, Morena”, corearon algunos después de votar.

En total, 10,560 mexicanos en el área de Chicago se registraron para votar en persona, en línea y por correo, lo que convierte a Chicago en la segunda ciudad con el mayor número de ciudadanos mexicanos registrados para votar en Estados Unidos, según Eduardo Puga del Instituto Nacional Electoral.

Si bien muchos estaban entusiasmados por elegir a la primera mujer presidenta del país, muchos más estaban ansiosos por votar para garantizar que Morena, liderado por el líder populista López Obrador, conocido coloquialmente como AMLO, permanezca en el poder.

Durante los últimos seis años, López Obrador ha sido elogiado por algunos por derrotar a los partidos establecidos que gobernaron México en 2018, presionando para poner fin a la corrupción y fortaleciendo el sistema de bienestar social para los ciudadanos pobres y de clase trabajadora.

Sheinbaum ha prometido continuar con las políticas actuales de ampliación de los programas sociales para la clase trabajadora y de bajos ingresos.

Eso es algo que habla muy bien a los inmigrantes mexicanos en Chicago, dijo Lilia Fernández, profesora de la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago que se especializa en la historia de los latinos en los Estados Unidos de mediados a finales del siglo XX.

La mayoría de los mexicanos que viven en Chicago provienen de pequeños pueblos rurales, expulsados ​​por razones económicas o violencia, dijo. La mayoría sigue siendo parte de la clase trabajadora y se preocupa profundamente por aquellos que todavía están en México o esperan regresar algún día. Por eso no le sorprende el apoyo al partido a pesar de las críticas que ha recibido.

“Para aquellos inmigrantes de clase trabajadora en Chicago, ver a Morena y AMLO invertir en la economía popular y fortalecer la red de seguridad social es muy alentador”, dijo Fernández. “La victoria aplastante muestra que Morena ha encontrado más apoyo del que sus críticos le dan crédito”.

Aunque sigue siendo popular, López Obrador ha demostrado ser intolerante con las críticas y la supervisión. Sus críticos dicen que sus medidas para atacar al poder judicial, recortar el financiamiento a la agencia electoral de México y ampliar las responsabilidades de los militares en la vida civil han erosionado la democracia mexicana. La oposición ha respondido con grandes protestas.

López Obrador es considerado el mentor de Sheinbaum, y su elección consolida su legado y demuestra que su partido Morena puede sobrevivir. El nuevo presidente, dijo Fernández, enfrenta una serie de desafíos, incluida la violencia de los carteles, la escasez de agua y el impacto continuo del calentamiento global y el cambio climático.

Edith Cortez hizo fila durante casi 10 horas para votar por Sheinbaum a pesar de que no había estado en México durante 34 años. A pesar de la frustración, dijo que estaba comprometida a ser parte de la historia para elegir a la primera mujer presidenta.

Cortez de Guerrero, México, dijo que votó por Sheinbaum porque las vidas de su familia en México han cambiado para mejor en los últimos seis años bajo AMLO. También espera volver a vivir allí algún día.

“Pero todavía queda mucho trabajo por hacer”, dijo Cortez. Algunos de sus familiares han sido víctimas de la violencia de los carteles y confía en que Sheinbaum abordará el tema, aunque López Obrador ha sido criticado por no abordar la violencia en el país. “Quizás algunos no estén de acuerdo en que AMLO ha hecho un buen trabajo, pero yo no estoy de acuerdo, ha hecho mucho más que el expresidente en seis años, Sheinbaum puede seguir con esos cambios”.

Otros mexicanos en Chicago dijeron que algunos de los temas más importantes para ellos incluyen los beneficios sociales para las personas mayores y las familias de bajos ingresos, la seguridad, la economía y las relaciones entre Estados Unidos y México.

Arellano, una activista inmigrante, en el país sin permiso legal, conocida por buscar refugio y refugiarse en una iglesia en 2006, dijo que hizo campaña para Sheinbaum con la esperanza de que su administración priorizara la relación entre Estados Unidos y México para abordar una forma de crear una reforma migratoria para los millones de mexicanos que viven en el país ilegalmente.

Para Juana Domínguez, de 77 años, de Michoacán, México, una nueva era de Morena significa más avance y reconocimiento de los necesitados.

“Ella es hermosa y sabia en muchos sentidos”, dijo Domíngez sobre Sheinbaum. “Ellos (Morena) nos han ayudado mucho a las personas mayores”.

“Por lo menos nos dan para la tortilla”, dijo Daniel Peña Salgado, de 76 años, de Morelos, México. “Al menos nos dan algo de dinero para comprar tortillas”.

Peña Salgado señaló que él y su familia son carpinteros, trabajadores agrícolas y artistas que han trabajado toda su vida.

Aunque no pudo votar después de esperar más de ocho horas en la fila, confiaba en que Sheinbaum ganaría.

Mientras algunos critican los programas de bienestar social que incluyen dar un subsidio a adultos de 65 años y más, argumentando que es una práctica socialista, Mayra López-Zúñiga, estratega política radicada en Chicago, dijo que es una forma de reconocer a una población que había sido mantenidos sistemáticamente en la pobreza e ignorados por los antiguos partidos gobernantes.

“El hecho de que la gente esté dispuesta a salir a votar, esperar en fila durante horas, demuestra que ellos (Morena) están hablando con la gente y la gente está respondiendo”, dijo López-Zúñiga.

Traducción por José Luis Sánchez Pando/TCA

Most said they never doubted that Sheinbaum, a protege of current President Andres Manuel López Obrador and his leftist Morena party, would win the election. Some of them campaigned for her in Chicago, hosting rallies, marches and other events over the past few months.

Ciudadanos mexicanos en Chicago celebran a la primera mujer presidenta después de algunas horas de espera para votar

For some Mexican nationals in Chicago, the historic landslide win means another six years of “a government that puts its poor and working-class first,” said Elvira Arellano, one of the leaders of the Morena movement in Chicago. About 200 people danced and toasted along with Arellano Sunday night at Mi Tierra, 2528 S. Kedzie Ave., adorned with the party’s burgundy colors and the Mexican flag.

The overwhelming support for Sheinbaum was evident among the thousands of Mexican nationals, who began arriving at the polls before 5 a.m. Sunday. By noon, thousands of people took over South Ashland Avenue, forcing police to close off streets and set up barricades to control the crowd.

More than 184,372 Mexican nationals voted from abroad, more than double the 2018 presidential election. Thousands across the world were left out in the 23 consular offices that held in-person voting for the first time.

Mexican nationals voiced their disconnect, criticizing the lack of coordination by the National Electoral Institute. Only 1,389 Mexican nationals in Chicago were able to cast a vote in person Sunday, according to the INE. More than 1,317 registered to vote and there were 1,500 open electronic ballots available.

Hundreds could not cast a vote even after waiting in line for more than 12 hours because they couldn’t reach the polling booth before its 7 p.m. closing time.

Nonetheless, they cheered the crowd and encouraged them to vote for Sheinbaum.

“Morena, Morena,” some chanted after voting.

In all, 10,560 Mexicans in the Chicago area registered to vote in person, online and through the mail, making Chicago the city with the second-highest number of Mexican nationals registered to vote in the United States, according to Eduardo Puga of the National Electoral Institute.

While many were excited to pick the first woman president of the country, many more were eager to vote to ensure that the Morena, led by populist leader López Obrador, colloquially known as AMLO, stays in power.

Over the last six years, López Obrador has been praised by some for defeating the established parties that had ruled Mexico in 2018, pushing to end corruption and strengthening the social welfare system for the poor and working-class citizens.

Sheinbaum has promised to continue current policies of expanding social programs for the low-income and working class.

That’s something that speaks loudly to Mexican immigrants in Chicago, said Lilia Fernandez a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago who specializes in the history of Latinos in the mid-to-late 20th century United States.

Most Mexican nationals living in Chicago come from small rural towns, pushed out for economic reasons or violence, she said. Most remain part of the working class and deeply care for those still in Mexico or hope to return someday. So the support for the party despite the criticism it has received, does not surprise her.

“For those working-class immigrants in Chicago seeing Morena and AMLO investing in the people’s economy and strengthening the social safety net is very encouraging,” Fernandez said. “The landslide win shows that Morena has found more support than its critics are giving it credit for.”

Though he remains popular, López Obrador has shown himself to be intolerant of criticism and oversight. His critics say his moves to attack the judiciary, slash funding to Mexico’s electoral agency and expand the military’s responsibilities in civilian life have eroded Mexican democracy. The opposition has responded with large protests.

López Obrador is considered Sheinbaum’s mentor, and her election cements his legacy and shows that his Morena party can survive. The new president, Fernandez said, faces a number of challenges, including cartel violence, a water shortage and the ongoing impact of global warming and climate change.

Edith Cortez waited in line for nearly 10 hours to cast a vote for Sheinbaum even though she had not been to Mexico for 34 years. Despite the frustration, she said she was committed to being a part of history to elect the first woman president.

Cortez of Guerrero, Mexico said that she voted for Sheinbaum because the lives of her family in Mexico have changed for the better over the last six years under AMLO. She also hopes to return to live there one day.

“But there is still a lot of work to be done,” Cortez said. Some of her family members have been victims of cartel violence and she is confident that Sheinbaum will address that though Lopez Obrador has been criticized for failing to address violence in the country.  “Some may not agree that AMLO has done a good job, but I disagree, he has done much more than the former president in six years, Sheinbaum can continue with those changes.”

Other Mexicans in Chicago said some of the most important issues for them include social benefits for senior citizens and low-income families, safety, the economy and U.S-Mexico relationships.

Arellano, an immigrant activist, in the country without legal permission, known for seeking sanctuary and taking refuge at a church in 2006, said that she campaigned for Sheinbaum hopeful that her administration prioritized the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico to address a way to create immigration reform for the millions of Mexicans living in the country illegally.

For Juana Dominguez, 77, of Michoacan, Mexico, a new Morena era means more advancement and recognition of those in need.

“She’s beautiful and wise in so many ways,” said Domingez about Sheinbaum. “They (Morena) have helped us older people a lot.”

“Por lo menos nos dan para la tortilla, ”said Daniel Peña Salgado, 76, of Morelos, Mexico.  “At least they give us some money to buy tortillas,”

Peña Salgado pointed out that he and his family are carpenters, agricultural workers and artists who have worked their whole lives.

Though he couldn’t vote after waiting in line for more than eight hours, he was confident that Sheinbaum would win.

While some criticize the social welfare programs that include giving an allowance to adults 65 and older, arguing it is a socialist practice, Mayra Lopez-Zuniga, a political strategist based in Chicago, said that it is a way of recognizing a population that had been systematically kept in poverty and ignored by former ruling parties.

“The fact that people are willing to go out and vote, wait in line for hours, shows that they (Morena) are speaking to the people and people are responding,” Lopez-Zuniga said.

The Pilsen neighborhood that Rivera grew up in was plagued by street violence but deeply rich in muralism and immigrant-owned shops that shaped its strong Mexican identity. 

Despite the recent changes, nothing erodes the fabric of the community that has been woven over generations, including his, Rivera said. He and his family still live in the same house that his parents bought when they moved to Pilsen from Mexico in 1961.   

He loved Pilsen then and he loves Pilsen now, he said. So when the opportunity came to open a business in the area, he took it. 

Earlier this month Rivera and a group of friends-turned-business partners celebrated the grand opening of Monochrome Brewing. The new brewery, at  2101 S. Carpenter St., breathes fresh life into the space once occupied by Lo Rez Brewery & Taproom, which shuttered its doors last year after seven years of operation.

Drawing inspiration from Pilsen’s vibrant community and rich culture, Monochrome Brewing reflects the evolving landscape of Pilsen, where Latino-owned and -inspired businesses are reclaiming previously “trendy” spaces in the face of ongoing gentrification. The emerging trend is more than just a business endeavor: It’s a concerted effort by community stakeholders to preserve the neighborhood’s cultural identity while encouraging community members to reinvest in their own backyard. 

The brewery is the latest business to open in Pilsen that is partially or fully owned by a Latino with roots in Chicago’s South Side. A report from UIC’s Great Cities Institute released last May suggests the movement could be driven by a growing number of Latinos living in the area who are college-educated and making more money.

Last fall, Kevin Canchola and his partner took over the location of Belli’s, near Pilsen’s Plaza Tenochtitlan, a previously vegan juice bar that was transformed, both in name and menu, to reflect the neighborhood while maintaining the focus on health-conscious meals. Next month, a Mexican seafood restaurant takes the reins from Dusek’s in Thalia Hall. One of the new owners, Marco Ascensio, said he wants to enrich the gastronomic tapestry of the neighborhood but keep the flavors of its immigrant roots.

For Rivera, opening his own brewery has been a dream come true. 

“I just love Pilsen, and the area has changed so much but as long as this generation and next generation stay in the neighborhood, invest in the community, we can make it into the place we’ve always called home,” said Rivera, who attended St. Ignatius College Prep and has a graduate degree from University of Illinois at Chicago.

Monochrome “is more than a brewery. It’s a space by the community and for the community,” he said.

When the former owner of Lo Rez told Rivera he was planning to close the brewery that had been home to Venados, the running club that Rivera’s father helped to establish in the 1980s, the dream became a possibility. 

Rivera, a lover of craft beer, was already friends with Dave Coyle, who is from McKinley Park and owns a brewery in Michigan. The two knew brewer Luis Flores, the mastermind behind the unique craft beer offered at Monochrome. Enriqueta Hibbard, an avid runner, and Rivera’s aunt, joined the group to make the dream a reality. 

The four business partners took over the space that brought in hundreds in their opening week. Many of them are loyal supporters and friends of the Rivera family, who fostered the relationships through the running community over the last three decades.

“Enrique loves beer, Enrique loves Pilsen. It can’t get more community than that,” said Michael Rojas, a member of the Venados running club since 2020. 

Following his father’s footsteps, Rivera developed a love for running and for Venados when they would meet in the front yard of their home. 

Eliberto Rivera, now 74, recalled helping to form the club when a group of his friends decided to start running together to support each other in a space where there were few Latinos. The group was made up of friends and family.

Today, it religiously gathers more than 150 runners every Wednesday evening to run 3 to 5 miles despite rain or snow. Most stay to have a beer after.

Venados and the community it has brought together is what makes the new venture special, Hibbard said. 

“It’s a business that started out of the community already around it,” she said. “When we learned that (Lo Rez) was closing it was sad because the space had become a space where friends and family would gather, sharing stories and memories.”

Hibbard and Rivera had been exploring ways to invest in the neighborhood, but they did not want to leave the place they call home, she said. Opening the brewery “was all very organic.” 

Rivera, Coyle and Flores were brought together through their love of beer after meeting at Coyle’s brewery, Arclight Brewing Co. in Michigan. When Rivera told Coyle and Flores of the opportunity, they jumped on board with Flores’ brand Monochrome as their flagship. 

Flores, a self-taught brewer raised in Southeast Chicago, said he is inspired by the project because he’s always wanted to have his own brewery. The menu will carry Mexican-inspired beers along with his traditional pour and collaborations with other brewers. 

“It’s pretty rare to run into a Mexican brewer or even a Latin American brewer,” Flores said, recalling how his mother would scold him for learning to brew at home with his brother.

Monochrome’s menu will include Flores’ arsenal of different styles and he plans to add “fun styles” of hard seltzers, beer and noalcoholic drinks with Mexican flavors.

“I’m so proud of them because I’ve seen how much work and passion they have put into the project,” said Juana Rivera, 78, Rivera’s mother. “I hope that what they’re doing can inspire other young Latinos to show them that it is possible to stay.” 

Latinos succeed

The new Pilsen that Rivera and his partners are betting on boasts new and renovated homes that sell for over $500,000, some even reaching $1 million. The median income has jumped nearly 40% over the past decade, from around $43,000 to $60,000 according to the report from UIC’s Great Cities Institute. 

Despite the higher rents and rising property taxes, the area continues to be predominantly Latino, making up 71% of the population in 2020, according to U.S. census data.

But the census data showed that in 1990, Latinos accounted for 88% of the population. The data suggests that gentrification solidified throughout the Lower West Side during the last two decades, continuously losing low-income Mexican immigrant working-class families but attracting professional single or coupled Latinos without children. 

The findings from the UIC study also show that more Latinos in the area are college-educated and thus have a higher income. Latinos over age 25 with a bachelor’s degree or higher nearly tripled over the last two decades. 

“What we landed on was that gentrification that has occurred, has not been an exact displacement yet of Latinos, versus it has been a shift in the types of households of Latinos,” said Alexander Linares, one of the authors of the latest research. “It has less to do with the working class and more to do with the middle class. And that could also be taken in a positive way, right?”

This shift could be depicted as ‘gentefication,’ a term popularized to describe how neighborhoods change when college-educated, higher-earning Latinos invest and live in the changing area. It’s a twist to the word gentrification by adding ‘gente,’ or ‘people’ in Spanish. 

While some may criticize the move because the displacement of immigrant lower-income Latinos continues, others celebrate the upward mobility of first- and second-generation Latinos fulfilling their parents’ dreams.

Marcos Ascensio, one of the chefs and headmasters of the project taking over Dusek’s, said they decided to bring a Mexican seafood concept to the neighborhood because “Pilsen needs a good seafood place.” 

Ascensio grew up in the Little Village neighborhood where he learned the appreciation that Mexican people have for seafood, but said there are very few restaurants offering the fusion with the technique and culture that his restaurant intends to offer. His team from the Logan Square neighborhood’s Taqueria Chingon — including Obelix and Le Bouchon’s Oliver Poilevey — are partnering with owners 16” on Center to open the new restaurant. 

The new restaurant, Mariscos San Pedro, at 1227 W. 18th St., will cater to the neighborhood’s natives and visitors drawn by its strong Mexican heritage. “Mexicans will pay for good seafood,” he said. “So putting this place here was just fitting.” 

For Ascensio, the project — a dream come true for a boy from the Southwest Side — is about providing a menu for the children of immigrants working to stay in the neighborhood, for their parents who have inspired his culinary work and inviting newcomers to try their quality food. 

Though gentefication can bring investment and revitalization to neglected areas, it often comes at the cost of pushing out the very people who give these neighborhoods their character, said Javier Yanez, a co-founder and board member of the Pilsen Chamber of Commerce. Some small-business owners who have been in the area for decades worry they won’t be able to keep up with the high property taxes and rising rents. 

Development and preservation

Through this movement, however, Latinos can remain as community stakeholders, which could mean that they will continue the grassroots efforts or support nonprofits to create affordable housing for immigrant working-class families and oppose spikes in property taxes, Yanez said. 

The Pilsen Chamber of Commerce has been organizing meetings with business owners to find ways for community development projects to empower the businesses already there and encourage local residents to invest in the area. 

“It comes down to finding the capital needed to do that,” Yanez said. The chamber of commerce, he said, helps to guide entrepreneurs to find that capital. 

But he added that it’s crucial to strike a balance between revitalization and preservation to ensure that Pilsen can thrive without losing its identity and diversity.

“We just need to continue to support that type of growth and open the doors and say: ‘Hey, you can do it here, in the same place where you grew up,’” he said. “That speaks volumes — about our economic power, but more so about our love for our community.” 

The new brewery, he said, is a “perfect example” of how longtime residents can find ways to stay in the neighborhood and be a part of the stakeholders that can help preserve Pilsen and its people.

Closer to Blue Island Avenue, Quesabirria Jalisco opened in early 2023 at a storefront formerly occupied by Casa Indigo at 1314 W. 18th St. Ventura Orozco, the new owner, hails from the Back of the Yards neighborhood but has “deep roots” in Pilsen from his mother’s side. He spent most of his adult life in Mexico, but when he returned to the United States a few years ago he saw Pilsen’s potential as a hub for culinary tours. 

“What better place to do it than Pilsen, right?” he asked. Orozco chose to shift to Pilsen from his initial Little Village location because of its history as a hub for Mexican food and culture.

“The truth is the gentrification that’s going on in Pilsen has made it a hub for everything,” Orozco said. Unlike other new restaurant openings, Orozco kept his style similar to a traditional taquería. He says that classic taquerías are becoming “numbered” on the block. But he’s still optimistic.

“Mexican people come in and say, ‘Thank you for keeping the culture alive on the block.’” 

Three surprising rules for sold-out tacos at Quesabirria Jalisco in Pilsen

When Kevin Canchola and his girlfriend, Jovana Torres, took over Belli’s, at 1850 S. Blue Island Ave., in October 2023, they wanted to add a touch of “Latincity.” 

The two redesigned Belli’s and renamed it Gracias, María, after Canchola’s Mexican grandmother, who died the same month as Belli’s closure. 

Canchola is a third-generation Mexican American who grew up near Midway Airport and lived in Pilsen on and off for over a decade, starting in 2008. He had a childhood connection to the neighborhood: His aunt owned a now-defunct panadería called Josefina’s and he would frequently visit his cousins there.

Since they took over, they’ve added nonvegan Latin-inspired recipes that reflect their family: pozole verde, a chicken salad sandwich inspired by his abuela and protein bites. 

“What I see right now is Latino businesses are thriving,” Canchola said. He talks about sending his customers to institutions he grew up on like El Milagro and more recent ones like plant and home goods shop Semillas. “It’s Latinos supporting Latinos right now.” 

“I just hope a percentage of it will always be Latino,” Canchola said. 

Angélica Varela, Pilsen-based owner of Semillas, 1848 S. Blue Island Ave., said the store was established in 2021 on the same block as Gracias María. Desiring more floral options within her community, she said she thought it was time for her generation of Mexican American millennials to start opening businesses. 

Varela takes the meaning of her business seriously. She explains that they try to define themselves as a “seed” in the community that will help others sprout and grow. She sees Semilla’s as a “safe haven” for people to be in touch with nature.

“Not only did they see a Latina opening up a plant shop, they saw someone that looked like them opening something in the neighborhood,” Varela said. “That really wasn’t done before.”

For the first time, Mexican nationals could cast a vote in person at consular offices around the world, in a historic election where the country is set to elect its first woman president. Voters will decide whether Claudia Sheinbaum, aligned with the left-wing party Morena, or Xóchitl Gálvez, with the center-right party PAN, will succeed Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a populist and creator of the Morena movement.

With only nine voting booths at the Mexican Consulate, the process was lengthy and frustrating for some in Chicago — some waiting more than 10 hours — but they were excited and committed to voting.

For some Mexican immigrants, the opportunity to vote in person from Chicago encouraged them to vote, many for the first time ever. Others said electing the first female president inspired them to wait in line despite the lack of coordination.

“We want to vote, we want to vote,” dozens chanted as the lines stalled and the sun hit their faces. While 1,317 Mexican nationals registered to vote in person in Chicago, there were only 1,500 available electronic ballots on a first-come, first-served basis for those who did not register but who had a valid Mexican voter’s identification card, according to the National Electoral Institute, or INE.

In all, 10,560 Mexicans in the Chicago area registered to vote in person, online and through the mail, making Chicago the city with the second-highest number of Mexican nationals registered to vote in the United States, said Eduardo Puga of the National Electoral Institute.

The latest census data indicates that 1 in 5 Chicagoans identify as Mexican. People from all over the Chicago area, suburbs and nearby states who did not register traveled to the Mexican Consulate in Chicago hoping to get a chance to access one of the 1,500 electronic ballots. Hundreds were expected to be left out.

“They (INE) underestimated our power, our presence in Chicago,” said Edith Cortez, who is from Guerrero, Mexico. She has been living in Wood Dale for 34 years, but “one day” she wants to return to Mexico, she said. Though she was frustrated after more than six hours waiting in line to vote, she refused to leave.

“It makes me proud to see so many Mexicans here willing to vote,” Cortez said. “This shows how hungry we are for a change in our country; we must unite, after all, we’ve been forced out of our country into the United States by former politicians.”

A woman president opens the door to create a domino effect of changes in a country that has been so deeply correlated with a macho culture, Cortez said.

“We are progressing, regardless of which candidate wins, we’re going in the right direction,” she said, referring to Sheinbaum, who has remained the front-runner for the majority of the campaign, and her opponent, Xóchitl Gálvez. A third, less popular candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez of Citizen’s Movement, is also running.

Voters will also have a say in nine gubernatorial races, including the states of Chiapas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatán and Mexico City, 128 senators of the republic, and all 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies.

López Obrador, a populist colloquially known as AMLO, finishes his term as one of the most popular and controversial leaders in modern history after taking the reins from established major parties in Mexico.

Sheinbaum, a scientist and former Mexico City mayor, is representing Morena, the country’s current ruling party. Her opponent, Gàlvez, is a former senator representing a coalition of the National Action Party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party and the Party of the Democratic Revolution.

Sheinbaum has promised to continue current policies of expanding social programs for the country’s low-income and working class. Meanwhile, Gàlvez has promised to quell violence and corruption, harshly criticizing AMLO’s failed policies to stop cartel violence.

Though he remains highly popular, López Obrador has shown himself to be intolerant of criticism and oversight. And his critics say his moves to attack the judiciary, slash funding to Mexico’s electoral agency and expand the military’s responsibilities in civilian life have eroded Mexican democracy. The opposition has responded with large protests.

López Obrador is considered Sheinbaum’s mentor, and if she is elected, it would cement his legacy and show that his Morena party can survive beyond his presidency.

After waiting in line for more than six hours, two brothers, Daniel Peña Salgado, 77, and Angel Peña Salgado, 83, gave up and stepped out of the line.

“We are disappointed,” said Angel Peña Salgado. “We vote for every single election; it’s important to vote, it’s our responsibility.” The two, however, did not register and could no longer handle waiting in line without eating or sitting down.

Daniel Peña Salgado, who prefers Sheinbaum, said he was looking forward to seeing a woman in power in Mexico. “This is the year of the woman,” he said.

“I have faith that everything will work out,” said Angel Pena Salgado.

Unlike the two brothers, Juana Salgado, 77 and her son Carlos Salmeron, 55, were able to vote after waiting in line for a little over eight hours. They drove from Blue Island and were in line by 5 a.m. To them, a woman president in Mexico sets a role model for the rest of the world because gender “shouldn’t matter to determine a person’s capability to lead,” Salgado said.

Salgado said that she votes in every presidential election, and she wanted to make sure to be a part of history.

“We deserve it, we work hard,” Salgado said. “Es una chulada.”

“It’s beautiful.”

Many Mexican nationals living in Chicago have deep roots in Mexico. Most have family living in Mexico and religiously send money back home, forming part of the more than $63 billion in remittances sent to Mexico in 2023 — with most of the money arriving from the United States —  according to Banxico, Mexico’s central bank.

They say voting is a way of honoring their roots and protecting their capital because they intend to go back or live in both the United States and Mexico. For those who are undocumented and cannot travel back to Mexico, voting gives them a say in the future of the country they love, where they send money and a place they still consider home.

Several members of the Illinois Latino Caucus traveled to Mexico City to attend a watch party for Sheinbaum after members of her team invited them.

State Sen. Karina Villa said the candidate’s team had been working to get people in the Chicago area to go out and vote.

“North America is having the first-ever female president, and that is really significant. This is electrifying,” Villa said on a phone call from Mexico.

Villa, whose parents were Mexican immigrants, said of the winner: “They must take a look at the folks living in the U.S.”

“The number of people that showed up to vote today shows the power of Mexicans in Chicago,” she said.

The power Villa refers to is in numbers and money, she said. Mexico is the United States’ No. 1 trading partner, said Jaime di Paulo, who is president and CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“So the business conversation is very important and how each candidate plans to deal with it,” Di Paulo said.

To Di Paulo, Gálvez is the candidate who has provided more information about how to improve trade or support small-business relationships between the two countries.

But having the first Mexican woman president is the most exciting part of this year’s elections for Di Paulo.

“That is going to shut a lot of people down in terms of labeling Mexico a machista culture. I think that Mexico is doing the right thing, whoever wins,” Di Paulo said. “It’s a proud day to be Mexican, Mexican American.”

By 7 p.m., the lines still wrapped around the blocks that surrounded the Mexican Consulate even though voting had been closed. Some registered voters had waited more than 12 hours and did not get to vote. Angry and defeated, some started leaving the grounds.

Heavy downpours forced organizers of the Latino fest in Grant Park to cancel the event Sunday evening just before the world-renowned headliner, Grammy-winner Peso Pluma, was set to perform.

The rainout was a massive disappointment for the tens of thousands who had attended Sueños, now in its third year. Nearly 70,000 people attended the Latino music festival on Saturday alone, bringing Latinos from all over the country together.

In an email sent to festivalgoers, the Sueños team announced that those who bought tickets through Front Gate Tickets will automatically be refunded 25% of the ticket price in as little as 30 days.

While some fans say they’re satisfied with the refund, others are angry, flooding social media with negative criticism. They also urged organizers to add stages and more security to control the crowd.

The organizers’ decision came after heavy storms had already battered Chicago and the suburbs throughout much of the day, forcing organizers to delay the festival and cancel several earlier performances.

Around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, as the crowd cheered Maluma’s performance, the music suddenly stopped and a message appeared on a red screen urging attendees to evacuate the park.

Most, however, were in disbelief. Peso Pluma was set to be the closing act, an anticipated performance after two canceled concerts in Chicago last year.

At a brief presentation in an after-party at The Mine nightclub, Peso Pluma spoke of his disappointment on the cancellation and promised the crowd that he will be back in October.

“I’m embarrassed about what happened at Sueños, but just so you know how much I care about the people from Chicago and how I love you all, I’ll be back soon,” he said in Spanish to a cheering crowd.

Despite several public announcements asking patrons to disperse, thousands of festivalgoers refused to leave the park for a considerable amount of time. Many chanted the artist’s name, “Peso, Peso,” in unison and in protest of the decision to stop the concert.

In an Instagram post, the Sueños team said the decisions to first delay the concert and then cancel it altogether “were not taken lightly” and it was done in coordination with the National Weather Service and Chicago public safety officials.

“We did everything we could to keep the fest going,” organizers said in the social media statement. “We will never put anything above the safety of our community.”

Sueños started as a festival to celebrate Latino culture and create a unique space for reggaeton music, but it has transformed into a festival highlighting the rise of regional Mexican music over the last few years. Artists like Pluma and young Mexican American singers like Xavi and Ivan Cornejo, who performed Saturday, have crossed over into a more mainstream market.

Sueños has quickly become a staple of the city, recognizing the presence and economic power of Latinos in Chicago and across the nation. Though attendees vary in background, the majority are young Latinos. A line with hundreds of festivalgoers wrapped along Michigan Avenue as they waited to enter the festival Saturday. Several said they had been in line for more than an hour.

The two-day festival is presented by the producers behind Baja Beach Fest, Chicago’s Reventon Promotion and C3 Presents, the Live Nation subsidiary that also puts together Lollapalooza.

Alrededor de 225,000 ciudadanos mexicanos se han registrado para votar en persona, en línea o por correo para emitir su voto en Estados Unidos, Canadá y Francia, según los últimos informes del Instituto Nacional Electoral.

López Obrador, un populista conocido coloquialmente como AMLO, termina su mandato como uno de los líderes más populares y controvertidos de la historia moderna después de tomar las riendas de los principales partidos establecidos en México.

Sheinbaum, científica y ex alcaldesa de Ciudad de México, es la favorita y representa a Morena, el actual partido gobernante del país. Su oponente, Gálvez, es un ex senador que ahora representa una coalición del Partido Acción Nacional, el Partido Revolucionario Institucional y el Partido de la Revolución Democrática.

Sheinbaum, la protegida de López Obrador, ha prometido continuar con las políticas actuales de ampliación de los programas sociales para la clase trabajadora y de bajos ingresos del país. Mientras tanto, Gálvez ha surgido como la candidata opositora que promete sofocar la violencia y la corrupción, criticando duramente las políticas fallidas de AMLO para detener la violencia de los carteles.

También se postula un tercer candidato, menos popular, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, de Movimiento Ciudadano.

Chicago tiene el segundo mayor número de votantes mexicanos registrados en Estados Unidos, según Arturo Castillo, asesor electoral del Instituto Nacional Electoral. Los datos del último censo indican que 1 de cada 5 habitantes de Chicago se identifica como mexicano. Los Ángeles tiene la mayor cantidad de votantes mexicanos registrados, con Houston en tercer lugar.

Los votantes también tendrán voz en nueve contiendas para gobernador, incluidos los estados de Chiapas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatán y Ciudad de México, 128 senadores de la república y los 500 miembros de la Cámara de Diputados.

Cada consulado mexicano tendrá 1,500 boletas disponibles para personas que no se registraron pero tienen identificación de elector mexicana válida y desean votar en persona. Las papeletas se distribuirán por orden de llegada.

En Estados Unidos, la votación presencial se realizará en los consulados de México en Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Fresno, Houston, Los Ángeles, New Brunswick, Nueva York, Oklahoma, Orlando, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San José, Santa Ana, Seattle y Washington, D.C.

El consulado de México en Chicago abrirá sus puertas el domingo a las 9 a.m. Las urnas cierran a las 7 p.m. Los votantes que todavía estén en fila a las 6 p.m. podrán emitir su voto.

Votación en línea: Las personas registradas para votar en línea pueden emitir su voto a través de la plataforma del INE hasta el 2 de junio a las 6 p.m.

Voto por correo: El INE envió un paquete para que voten quienes opten por esta modalidad. El paquete contiene las papeletas para emitir el sufragio y un sobre prepago para enviar de regreso a México sin costo. El paquete debe devolverse lo antes posible para asegurar que el INE lo reciba antes del 1 de junio a las 8 a.m.

Voto presencial: Quienes se registraron para votar en persona tendrán una boleta reservada en su consulado de preferencia. Para aquellos que no se registraron, habrá 1,500 papeletas disponibles.

— Traducción por José Luis Sánchez Pando / TCA

Mexico is expected to elect its first woman president Sunday in the election between center-right Xóchitl Gálvez and left-wing Claudia Sheinbaum. For the first time, Mexican nationals living in Illinois and northern Indiana can cast a vote in person at the Consulate General of Mexico of Chicago to decide who will succeed Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

About 225,000 Mexican nationals have registered to vote in person, online or through mail to cast a ballot in the U.S., Canada and France, according to the latest reports from the National Electoral Institute.

López Obrador, a populist colloquially known as AMLO, finishes his term as one of the most popular and controversial leaders in modern history after taking the reins from established major parties in Mexico.

Sheinbaum, a scientist and former Mexico City mayor, is the front-runner, representing Morena, the country’s current ruling party. Her opponent, Gàlvez, is a former senator now representing a coalition of the National Action Party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party and the Party of the Democratic Revolution.

Sheinbaum, López Obrador’s protege, has promised to continue current policies of expanding social programs for the country’s low-income and working class. Meanwhile, Galvez has emerged as the opposing candidate promising to quell violence and corruption, harshly criticizing AMLO’s failed policies to stop cartel violence.

A third, less popular candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez of Citizen’s Movement, is also running.

Chicago has the second largest number of registered Mexican voters in the U.S., according to Arturo Castillo, electoral adviser of the National Electoral Institute. The latest census data indicates that 1 in 5 Chicagoans identify as Mexican. Los Angeles has the most registered Mexican voters, with Houston in third place.

Voters will also have a say in nine gubernatorial races, including the states of Chiapas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatán and Mexico City, 128 senators of the republic, and all 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies.

Each Mexican consulate will have 1,500 ballots available for people who did not register but have a valid Mexican voter’s identification and wish to vote in person. The ballots will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

In the United States, in-person voting will take place at Mexican consulates in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New Brunswick, New York, Oklahoma, Orlando, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Ana, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

The Mexican consulate in Chicago will open its doors at 9 a.m. Sunday. Polls close at 7 p.m. Voters still in line by 6 p.m. will be allowed to cast their vote.

Online voting: Those registered to vote online can cast their ballots through the INE platform through June 2 at 6 p.m.

Mail-in ballots: The INE sent a package for those who choose this modality to vote. The package contains the ballots for casting the votes and a prepaid envelope to send back to Mexico at no cost. The package must be returned as soon as possible to make sure the INE receives it by June 1st at 8 a.m.

In-person voting: Those who registered to vote in person will have a ballot reserved at their preferred consulate. For those who did not register, 1,500 ballots will be available.

lrodriguez@chicagotribune.com

Despite several public announcements asking patrons to disperse, thousands of festivalgoers refused to leave Grant Park for a considerable amount of time and many chanted the Grammy Award-winning artist’s name, “Peso, Peso,” in unison and in protest of the decision to stop the concert.

The rainout was a massive disappointment for the tens of thousands who had attended Sueños, now in its third year. Before Peso Pluma was scheduled to take the stage, organizers posted a message with a red background on a large screen urging attendees to evacuate the premises due to severe weather. Most remained in disbelief and angry.

The organizers’ decision came after heavy storms had already battered Chicago and the suburbs throughout much of the day, forcing organizers to cancel a number of earlier performances. But after the initial wave of storms moved through the area, organizers around 1 p.m. announced they would allow people to enter at 3 p.m. and start the show an hour later. But then, right before 8 p.m., another wave of storms arrived and the Sueños team announced the festival was being canceled “due to severe weather in the area.”

In an Instagram post, organizers said they decided to cancel the second day of the festival in coordination with the National Weather Service and Chicago public safety officials.

“We did everything we could to keep the fest going,” organizers said in the social media statement. “The decisions to have a delayed start and evacuation were not taken lightly. We will never put anything above the safety of our community.”

The cancellation of the festival on Sunday came one day after Sueños saw its largest crowd, as nearly 70,000 people attended the Latino music festival on Saturday.

Sueños started as a festival to celebrate Latino culture and create a unique space for reggaeton music, but it has transformed into a festival highlighting the rise of regional Mexican music over the last few years. Artists like Pluma and young Mexican American singers like Xavi and Ivan Cornejo, who performed Saturday, have crossed over into a more mainstream market.

Sueños has quickly become a staple of the city, recognizing the presence and economic power of Latinos in Chicago and across the nation. Though attendees vary in background, the majority are young Latinos. A line with hundreds of festivalgoers wrapped along Michigan Avenue as they waited to enter the festival Saturday. Several said they had been in line for more than an hour.

The two-day festival is presented by the producers behind Baja Beach Fest, Chicago’s Reventon Promotion and C3 Presents, the Live Nation subsidiary that also puts together Lollapalooza.

The headliner for Sunday, Grammy winner Peso Pluma, promised to galvanize a larger crowd, though weather kept the grounds closed after the expected noon start. The festival posted on social media it would open at 4 p.m.

What started as a festival to celebrate Latino culture and to create a unique space for reggaeton music has transformed into a festival highlighting the rise of regional Mexican music over the last few years.

Artists like Pluma and young Mexican American singers like Xavi and Ivan Cornejo, who performed to a thrilling crowd on Saturday, have crossed over into a more mainstream market. Last year, Junior H and Grupo Firme performed on closing day, putting on a unique show that left the crowd wanting more.

Cornejo’s sweet melodies have made him a Gen-Z favorite. Cornejo, 19, taught himself to play the guitar by watching videos and says he began songwriting after enduring a heartbreak.

On Saturday, the young Mexican American singer passed out red roses to girls in the crowd as the strings of the guitar playing pierced a cheering crowd.

Amid sparkling and vivid outfits, hundreds wore cowboy boots and hats, honoring a genre that had long been somewhat neglected. The sounds of accordion or the guitar, which characterize regional Mexican music, now intertwine with Latin trap and reggaeton at the festival as more artists collaborate.

This year, Puerto Rican rappers Young Miko and Rauw Alejandro closed the first night to an excited crowd that danced and sang along to their lyrics. Despite the rain and thunder on Sunday that delayed the opening, festivalgoers lined up again to try to get a front stage view of some of the top artists, including the anticipated acts from Gabito Ballesteros, Maluma and Pluma.

Sueños has quickly become a staple of the city, recognizing the presence and economic power of Latinos in Chicago and across the nation. Though attendees vary in background, the majority are young Latinos.

Now on par with Lollapalooza and Pitchfork, some hope that organizers add more stages and create a better system to enter the festival. A line with hundreds of festivalgoers wrapped along Michigan Avenue as they waited to enter the festival Saturday. Several said they had been in line for more than an hour.

The two-day festival, taking place over Memorial Day weekend, is presented by the producers behind Baja Beach Fest, Chicago’s Reventon Promotion and C3 Presents, the Live Nation subsidiary that also puts together Lollapalooza. Organizers reported the festival brought in $120 million to the local economy in 2022 and created 1,000 jobs, and also contracted dozens of local food and beverage vendors.

For Latinos in Chicago, the festival is more than just a celebration of music, it’s a celebration of their identity and culture. On Saturday, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cristina Pacione-Zayas, his chief of staff, stopped by the festival.

“This is the most amazing and fastest-growing music festival in the country. We wanted to make sure that we welcome all the patrons and make sure that folks know that we have a deep interest in this and make sure that this festival continues on and on,” Pacione-Zayas said.

Chicagoan Lisset Gamino, 27, attended the festival for the first time this year. She said she was inspired to attend because of the lineup, a mix of “good reggaeton and Mexican music.”

Gamino is a first-generation Mexican American from Michoacan and Guerrero who grew up listening to regional Mexican music.

The rise of regional Mexican music and how it is celebrated and accepted now makes her proud, she said. “But it also irritates me a little because everyone wants a bandwagon. Artists want to collaborate with the bandas. It’s annoying because they’re only doing it because it’s popular.

“I’m very proud to be Mexican,” she said, “But I love seeing so many people from different Latin American countries together listening to music together.”

Concertgoers Nikki Franco, and Juli Perez, both 19, say they met when they were children at their local church in Albany Park. Their friendship turned into romance and the two have been dating for over a year. Their love for reggaeton music took them to attend Sueños for the second time. “It makes me feel proud that all these Latin artists are here with us,” she said.

Stephanie Ramos, 29, was born and raised in Logan Square. She says she loves Young Miko and Peso Pluma, said she attended the festival after experiencing the vibe last year as she worked one of the stands.

“Everyone is proud to be Mexican nowadays,” Ramos said, which was not the case when she was in grammar school and high school. “Everyone was ashamed of their music, but Peso Pluma really brought that out of people.”

Ramos, a first-generation Mexican American, said that the festival brought a sense of dignity to the Latino community in Chicago. “Now everyone wants to wear cowboy boots and hats,” she laughed.

Alex Bejar, 27, of Cicero has attended Sueños since its 2022 inaugural festival.

“I love that it brings people from all over the United States. It’s a very Latino space and it’s so cool to experience this,” he said. Growing up, he said, he noticed the way Latinos were marginalized and the festival now dedicated to his community makes him proud.

“We’ve come a long way,” he said.