 More than one quarter of Chicago's population is Latino and three quarters of that population is Mexican The influence of Chicago's Mexican community is everywhere in its art entertainment and food in its traditions of faith family Enterprise and ethnic pride Hello, I'm Chaplain Dean with the Chicago Police Department This is the latest in a series of videos to expand your knowledge and understanding of the many diverse communities within our city Having even a basic knowledge of a person's customs and culture enables police officers to conduct their duties in a more efficient and respectful manner Today we explore Chicago's Mexican community. That's all part of Chicago And that's what makes Chicago very unique because you have all these different groups and these groups do have their pride And and they wanted to simplify their contributions to the city The first major wave of Mexican immigrants surged into Chicago in the early 1900s Latinos in the city of Chicago. It's an old community and it's a new community Old community is that we have an old community in South Chicago Or because of the stables a lot of Latinos mostly Mexicans lived in the South side Then we have the Pilsen community another import location where a lot of immigrants came from Mexico to reside in Pilsen that became now a Springboard to the little village community another large Latino population there the old Jobs that once existed like in the meatpacking steel are no longer there But now it's more service-oriented work working in restaurants job tour the services landscaping Pilsen you'll actually find a very low unemployment rate because people will work whether it's it's in a factory Whether it is selling popsicles in the summertime They will find they will create work for themselves because that's what they come for They come for work and to be close to family and friends already living in Chicago a lot of times people will send Money back to Mexico, but at the same time when the people from Mexico come here You're expected to take care of them So you will find many times two families living in one apartment what has happening is that you find one or two nuclear families living together to make ends meet and That is something to to take into consideration When you might go into an a police officer might go into a home and find that two families are living there Along with an extended family new immigrants may not speak or read English This can be frustrating for both police and the Spanish speaking public trying to communicate with police well certainly first of all the tone of voice is Is very important to when when a police officer speaks speaks to someone who doesn't understand the language sometimes when when one Speaks to somebody that in which language might be the barrier We assume that they're deaf As opposed to just not understanding what you're saying and then there's the fear of police that many Mexicans bring with them from their homeland one of the main problems again is the fear to the police particularly when They are not able to say anything for them. They are not able to talk for themselves They are not even able to say that they want to contact the consulate general New immigrants regardless of their legal status have the right to contact their consulate if they are detained by police The first right they have is to call their consulate or their embassy so the embassy can You know help them out with their rights that they do have in any foreign country Fear of police and fear of deportation may prevent new immigrants from reporting crime Many times in our community. It's the issues of language the issues of culture That are two major barriers and obviously to some extency in the barriers of immigration Even if you're here documented in this country and you have illegal residents You might not be a you a citizen yet and you might wonder will this kind of attention play and Effect my opportunity to become a US citizen down the line The majority of Mexicans who come to Chicago are Catholic Every year thousands gather in the Pilsen community to re-enact the crucifixion of Christ There is also great respect for the dead Mexicans celebrate the day of the dead the day of the dead, which is November 1st and November 2nd in many homes you they built altars The disease right in memory of the disease Alters may be erected outside in cases of violent or accidental deaths a Lot of times especially the Roman Catholic faith They will have a novena which would be nine days of prayer. So you may see an altar Somewhere and have people there for nine days gathering Whether at the site or in people's homes or in the church or in all three The image of our Lady of Guadalupe is of special significance to Mexicans one of the most strongest cultural icons In the Mexican community is definitely the our the image of our Lady of Guadalupe If you go to a Catholic Mexican home, you're going to find the image of a loopy there It is an icon in this important symbol right of Mexican identity Metals of the Virgin of Guadalupe or other Saints are often worn and should be treated with respect Some Mexican Catholics also wear an article of faith called a scapular There are individuals who have made certain that who will do what is called Amanda or sort of a promise that that to wear a Certain image and that includes the secular is the brown many times they they will wear them permanently and so to remove them And it is It's very disrespectful Whether on the body in the home or even in a car Religious icons should be handled with respect a lot of these things have been blessed and for them to be blessed by a priest it is very big and very important to To the Latino community because religion is such an important piece The Mexican culture holds its elders in high regard and expects others to do the same So we do have a family orientation They elderly, you know, I respected in our community and if an officer is disrespecting an elderly You know, I think that would cause some problems showing respect is as simple as acknowledging an older person with a polite hello If you're walking through the neighborhood and you just kind of wave and say hello I mean up to people that you normally see it's a good thing. It especially Especially to our elders and to some of the adults in our community. It's very important that you That you do acknowledge Elders in our community. It's considered a form of respect Young people like to be respected too and not judged by the clothes they wear Most Mexican kids are obviously influenced by youth culture in this country, especially the rap music and The hip-hop look right and oftentimes that looks associated with gang designs and the core, but it's not right It's just a style right in which kids are influenced by right as is the custom in Mexico Groups of people gather outside to socialize Especially during warmer weather people of the Latino culture love to hang out We love to hang out and we love to be amongst family and we love to be in big groups I mean, that's just our nature. That's what we like to do and when possible Police officers are invited to stop and say hello to people. They see socializing on the streets And police officers just in the car and that's why you see is him in the car There's no interaction You'll never get to know that person I think one of the things will be to approach them in a very few very simple words in Spanish It would be nice to say buenos dias and buenas tardes or buenas noches, which is you know, good morning. Good afternoon or good evening There's something warm about hearing Hello in your native tongue. We're a very open culture and I think that we're we're ready We're willing to to make inroads in terms of our relationship with the police officers and the police department But but again, we need to take risks and it's on both sides, you know We need to create relationships and we need to take those risks and and build something All of the people we encounter on a daily basis Expect to be treated with dignity and respect Mexicans are no exception It is our hope that this video will serve to enlighten and foster a new awareness and understanding Thanks for watching and as always stay safe