Governor Quinn Honors "Latinos Building Illinois"

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn's administration today kicked-off a new exhibit designed to showcase Latino's accomplishments in building Illinois' infrastructure. The free exhibit is part of 2014 Latino Heritage Month and is open today through Friday, September 26, in the James R, Thompson Center Atrium, 100 W. Randolph, Chicago.

"This exhibit shows how Latinos helped transform our Prairie State into the transportation hub, economic engine and global state it is today," Governor Quinn said. "As part of Latino Heritage Month, I urge everyone to visit our free exhibit that displays an important part of Illinois' history and future."

The exhibit analyzes "Latinos in the Illinois Workforce," showing that Latinos comprise 15 percent of our state's workforce, with 90 percent in the private sector, 7 percent in government and 3 percent self-employed. It shows that fewer Illinois Latinos receive public assistance than in Texas and Florida, that more Illinois Latinos are homeowners (56 percent) and that an increasing number of Illinois Latinos have college degrees or are college-bound.

The exhibit also tells the stories of Latinos of the past who, since the 1880s, have helped build Illinois' roads, railroads and water infrastructure. It highlights the "box-car people" who lived in rail cars in Aurora, Galesburg and South Chicago. It profiles Latinos who built stronger voices for workers, such as Olgha Sierra Sandman, who - with the help of Cesar Chavez - organized workers in Onarga, Illinois in the 1970s, which led to enactment of the "Illinois Field Sanitation Act of 1983." It salutes Illinois Latino engineers, architects, construction firms and business-owners.

Over the past five years, the number of Illinois Latino-owned businesses has risen dramatically (43 percent) and 82 percent of these firms were started by the current owner. Illinois has three Latino-owned firms in the nation's top 100.

The number of Latino-owned road builders receiving contracts through the Illinois Department of Transportation has nearly doubled in five years (from 585 to 1,100) and the amount of those contracts has also soared (from $45 million to $114 million). The exhibit profiles one such contractor - Brenda Garza Karhoof - who, as a young Mexican-American growing up in Danville, was fascinated by a bridge-building contest in her high school. This interest in engineering led to a successful career in which her firm has built bridges, highways and water systems across Illinois.

Several additional award-winning Illinois Latino architects who are "building strong visions" are profiled, including Patricia Saldaña Natke - who designed La Casa Dormitories - and Edward Torres - who led the renovation of the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Notable public art is also celebrated, such as the Puerto Rican flag sculpture on Paseo Boricua, wall murals in Pilsen and the Daley Center Picasso.

To inspire future builders, "Latinos Building Illinois" profiles rising stars in STEM professions (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and describes job training apprenticeships targeting Latino workers offered by the state and building trades.

The exhibit also reflects on the long history of construction expertise in Latino culture, such as Machu Picchu, Chichén Itzá and the Panamerican Highway.

The exhibit is posted on the Governor's website (http://www.illinois.gov/LatinosBuildingIllinois), where readers where readers can learn about Governor Quinn's salute to baseball star and humanitarian Roberto Clemente, his observation of "El Grito," his trade missions to Mexico and Brazil and his agenda to make Illinois the most "welcoming state" in the nation through such initiatives as the Illinois DREAM Fund.

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