What the president’s plan for student loan forgiveness means for borrowers. Plus, reimagining the immigration process. A food pantry fights to expand. And bringing change to communities.

A new student loan debt relief plan will cancel up to $10,000 in federal loans for individuals making less than $125,000 a year. For low-income students who received Pell Grants, they can receive up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness. According to research by Excelencia in Education, 50% of Latinos in higher education receive federal Pell Grants to help pay for college. 

Former U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez is coming out of retirement to announce the formation of a new immigration reform organization. His group Our Nation's Future aims to help people with green cards become naturalized citizens by educating immigrants on the path to citizenship and advocating for a modernized immigration system.

Rogelio Lopez, An East Side CPS counselor, gives “Latino Voices” La Ultima Palabra on what he says is the most daunting part of bringing change to your community.

A food pantry in Pilsen has been operating out of a former church for the last two years. The founder is hoping to buy the building but says she is running into obstacles with the Chicago Archdiocese.

Advice on staying healthy in the new school year. The history and future of the labor movement in Chicago. A Pilsen block party. And local band Así Así.

Chicago union organizing has played a big role in everyday life ranging from Labor Day to the eight-hour workday. But it’s not all history, with workers in a variety of fields trying to unionize and change labor laws in the state.

The Thalia Hall Block Party will bring live music and food vendors to Allport Street directly in front of the historic music hall. Organizers are hoping it will become an annual tradition.

Chicago band Así Así layers psychedelic, electronic, and surf sounds to create a moody blend of indie rock on their debut album “Mal de Otros,” released Aug. 18.

“The science is pretty much supporting all the changes that CDC is doing,” said Dr. Geraldine Luna, medical director at the Chicago Department of Public Health. “The reports of cases at school have been lower and we expect them to continue to be the lowest as we vaccinate children and send them protected to school.”

The lone Latino lawmaker in Indiana and his thoughts on political representation. Plus, pharmacy deserts on the city’s west side. And Discount Mall vendors searching for answers. 

According to the Indiana Latino Institute, undocumented immigrants contribute nearly $100 million to the state’s economy. Yet when it comes to their representation in the general assembly the state has a single Latino representative.

In June, a Supreme Court decision overruled a lower court that forced the policy to be reinstated in December. But while President Joe Biden previously tried to end the policy, there has been little comment thus far on when his administration might officially follow through.

Immigrant advocates on the “Remain in Mexico” policy. Plus, what’s behind dropping college enrollment for Latinos. A soaring mural in Pilsen. And advice for an upcoming celestial show.

While this year's that display might be a little harder to see than in past years, Chicago Astronomer Joe Guzman says it’s still worth getting out there and looking up.

A report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows a 5.4% drop in the head count of Latino undergraduates in fall of 2020. And for the first time in 20 years, the number of Hispanic-serving institutions of higher education dropped from 569 in 2022 to 559 in 2021.