>> In a neighborhood where nearly 90% of the residents identify as Latino and many families are rooted in Catholic tradition, a lead grassroots organization has grown into a community hub.

We stopped by to learn how they're working to break stigmas and serve the neighborhood.

They call home.

>> It's a Wednesday morning and youth from Gage Park are part of a free summer camp program called the Also notice it's run by the Gage Park Latinx consul.

>> I feel like a lot of moms were looking for programming for their children.

And I feel like whenever I look at a community specifically Pima Community, if you're able to reach the moms, you been able to reach everyone.

>> Got them at the innocent Antonios on those are 2 of the organization's founders Bull for Born and raised in Gage Park.

>> It made me feel really happy to be back in my community, you know, but it also opened my eyes to that.

investment that Gage Park faces equally of other cells with a communities, especially coming from the loop area and having to take the train back.

>> what started as a grassroots initiative to serve local families has grown into a community hub during the pandemic.

The center stepped in to distribute groceries, connect families to resources.

An advocate for the neighborhood's first vaccine site.

>> 6, 0, 6, 3, 2.

Which is this a code?

We're in had the number one mortality rate during COVID and yet the city wasn't responding.

Whether it's through a summer camp, food distribution or history workshops.

>> The leaders say the goal is the same, creating a space where everyone feel seen.

>> program could clear, right, which is the LGBTQ+ history program for high school youth.

It's a summer internship where they learn about the history poor people and particularly clear black and brown people in Chicago so that they can see themselves reflected in history books, which oftentimes is not the case for our community.

>> While its services are open to everyone.

The leaders identities aren't hidden.

It's woven into the center itself.

>> Like you could look at our space right now, it's a very clear space.

>> In the neighborhood where families are rooted in Catholic traditions.

They say this ability matters.

>> I grew up hearing those narratives of like let's keep it ourselves.

We don't have to broadcast it.

But for us, it was important broadcast it.

And I think it's because if people saw young people who look like them Latino right from the community where they're from and they saw doing acts of social service to benefit their families.

That would ultimately a lot of the stigma that has been taught to our community for generations.

>> As we sit in the space they created.

We talk about coming out what it feels like to be young activist and now the work being part of history.

For me, we have solidified place in history and in Chicago's history.

>> And to be able to do that while still being alive is a blessing because I know so many organizers in the past didn't get their flowers until long after they were gone and their stories weren't celebrated its hold while they were alive.

I hope that it inspires younger people to to be free and to know that they can organize.

>> And in the canals of the youth programming and that they can do programming for adults and the you can like the in community with others.

Regardless going to come.

>> To learn about the Gage Park Latinx comes hill and their programming head over to our website.

Back to wrap things up right after this.