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Launched in 2016 by the Illinois Office of Tourism, the Illinois Made program promotes authentic travel experiences throughout the state and encourages visitors to discover hidden gems off the beaten path. Small businesses play a vital role in making Illinois a welcoming and unique destination for visitors year-round, and highlighting them is a great way to experience all Illinois has to offer.

•  Café Tola, a fusion of culinary delights, reaches its pinnacle at this Lakeview family-owned business. It exudes vibrant Mexican charm and offers an enticing menu featuring homemade empanadas and exceptionally delicious coffee. This delightful fare is served daily in a cozy, compact space located on Southport Avenue.
• Atrévete Confections offers an opportunity to satisfy your sweet tooth in Montgomery, Illinois, with magnificent croissants, gateaux, cheesecakes and signature confections. 
•  Yeni’s Palarte Mexican Ice Cream in Peoria Heights, Illinois, offers an array of ice cream and smoothies, including keto-friendly, dairy-free and water-based options.

Attractions

• Come to The National Museum of Mexican Art, where you can immerse yourself in the richness of Mexican art and culture in Chicago. 
• The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture is hosting a pop-up exhibit titled Resistencia y Libertá that celebrates the community expression of Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba music through fashion.
• The Mexican Cultural Center DuPage encourages and promotes Mexican heritage through cultural, ethnic and civic activities designed to educate the City of West Chicago's Mexican community and the community at large.

Road Trip Itineraries for National Hispanic Heritage Month

• The first itinerary, "Immersed in Hispanic Cultural Heritage," showcases various ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Chicago and Rockford over three days, covering 89 miles of travel.
• The second itinerary, “Community Treasures with a Latino Flavor,” offers ways to celebrate Latin food, culture, and local businesses in Peoria and the Quad Cities over three days, covering 104 miles of travel.

For the complete list of experiences around Illinois to discover around National Hispanic Heritage Month, click here.

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Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States annually from the 15th of September to the 15th of October. In Hawaii, we have various events across the islands to commemorate this time, including the yearly Hispanic Heritage Festival.

Currently, around 11% of the population of Hawaii identifies as Hispanic and it is one of the fastest-growing demographics in the state, increasing more than 80% since 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. READ MORE AT HONOLULU CIVIL BEAT

Hispanic or Latino/Latinx communities are vastly underrepresented in the tech industry. According to 2020 US Census data, Hispanics account for 19% of the US population, the nation's second largest racial or ethnic group after non-Hispanic whites. While they hold 17% of all jobs in the US, that number falls to just eight percent of STEM roles. READ MORE AT DIGINOMICA

Hispanic enrollment at postsecondary institutions in the United States has seen an exponential increase over the last few decades, rising from 1.5 million in 2000 to a new high of 3.8 million in 2019 – partly reflecting the group’s rapid growth as a share of the overall U.S. population. 

The decline for Hispanics, and other racial and ethnic groups, in 2020 was driven by a drop in enrollment at two-year institutions. Hispanic enrollment at two-year colleges declined by about 230,000, or 15%, from 2019 to 2020. READ MORE AT PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Seven out of 10 Americans attribute the country’s economic growth to Latino population growth, reflecting that U.S. Hispanics have the highest workforce contribution rate (65.6 percent) and have started the most small businesses out of any other population group over the last decade.

There are significant areas where misconceptions about the Latino workforce can be corrected:

• More than 75 percent of Americans believe Latino immigrants have a lot to offer this country and are an economic boost (Asian, 87 percent; Black, 85 percent; White, 76 percent).
• Many non-Latinos also believe undocumented immigrants are taking jobs Americans depend on (Asian, 55 percent; White, 53 percent; Black, 49 percent), though undocumented immigrants make up only 13 percent of all Latinos in the United States.
• The view that Latinos are farmworkers is prevalent, even among Latinos, who believe half of Latinos fit that description. A commonly held misperception is that “farmworker” describes more Latinos than “entrepreneurial or business-minded,” despite U.S. Latinos creating the most small businesses in the country over the last 10 years. READ MORE AT LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL

Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated in the U.S. for over 30 years. Formally known as National Hispanic Heritage Month, the annual event honors Hispanic cultures and traditions originating from 20 countries and one territory. Both the Hispanic and Latinx communities observe Hispanic Heritage Month because of their shared Spanish language.

If you’re ready to dive deep into fun Hispanic Heritage Month facts, keep on reading. READ MORE AT GOOD HOUSE KEEPING

Barnes & Thornburg has added Martín Montes as a partner in the firm’s Chicago office, where he will serve as group lead in Chicago for the Government Services and Finance Department.

Montes joins Barnes & Thornburg following a decade of legal and business experience at Exelon and served in executive leadership roles at ComEd, where he managed regulatory strategies and large customer business operations. He also spent nine years as associate general counsel at Walmart, where he developed and executed global legal strategy across Walmart’s international retail markets. At the firm, Montes will focus his practice on representing clients in the energy, utility, healthcare, education, and retail sectors in a variety of issues before the executive and legislative branches in Illinois. READ MORE

More than being an excuse to treat oneself to nachos, tacos, mezcal and margaritas, Cinco de Mayo has a history that runs deep and continues to serve as a vehicle conveying Mexican culture, pride and values.

Here are a few things to know about the day. READ MORE AT THE NEW YORK TIMES

Chicago’s Black population is at its lowest point in more than 60 years, according to 2020 census data released Thursday. While the pace of Black population loss slowed over the past decade, the number of Chicago’s Black residents dipped to about 788,000 in 2020, according to the census data. That’s the lowest it’s been since before 1960. Latinos are now the city’s second-largest racial or ethnic group, growing by 5% — from roughly 779,000 in 2010 to nearly 820,000 in 2020. READ MORE AT WBEZ

Yesterday’s South Carolina Republican debate set in idyllic Myrtle Beach belied the chaotic and boisterous verbal dueling going on inside the Myrtle Beach Conference Center.

There didn’t appear to be much adherence to time limits or audience control – the booing was at one of the highest decibel levels seen thus far. 

Only Romney seemed above it all by focusing not on the other Presidential contenders but rather on Obama bashing.  Most of the early questions focused on Romney’s business style and his job growth record – you would of thought he was the CEO of multiple Fortune 100’s by the number of jobs he allegedly created instead of financing the talents of the real job creators – entrepreneurs.

After debating on how to create jobs, who hated Osama bin Laden more and all agreeing 99er’s (those American out of work more than 99 weeks) are for sure deadbeats, questions of immigration landed on Romney’s podium.

The man who continuously asserted his priority to ‘strengthening families’ didn’t appear bothered much by splitting up families when a member is deported or having as many of the undocumented leave ASAP.

When the question on immigration was posed it was started by the moderating panel pointing out that Romney’s father was born in Mexico – while returning to the U.S. where Mitt was born making him the ultimate anchor baby (that’s my term not theirs).

The question was framed as to why when someone had a father born in Mexico are they also identified ‘as having one of the harshest stance on immigration.’ 

Let me point at what is being implied here.  Point One -Romney you are of Mexican descent, have relatives living in Mexico.  Point Two – Your father left Mexico for the U.S. to give his family a better opportunity.  Point Three - The people you are seeking to deport or at least the majority of them could be family or family of family, i.e. Mexican.  Point Four – You are the son of an immigrant yet don’t connect with the immigrant struggle.http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/por-que/details/leave-and-get-in-line-romney-tells-the-undocumented-at-the-sc-debate/13373/