logo
Evanston center named for pioneering Latino couple is dedicated

Evanston center named for pioneering Latino couple is dedicated

Chicago Tribune5 days ago
Donna Johnson grew up on the same Evanston block as the nine children of Dr. Jorge and Luz Maria Prieto, who were honored in Evanston Saturday as a community center was named for them.
'The Prieto family home was the gathering place where everyone was welcome,' said Johnson, a longtime former Evanston resident who is now the mayor of Libertyville. 'The Prietos provided a clear example of the kinds of things we need to admire in this country and practice in our value system – inclusion, service, family and prayer.'
Johnson was among a half-dozen speakers who celebrated the Prietos as Evanston marked the official naming of the Dr. Jorge and Luz Maria Prieto Community Center, 430 Asbury Ave., on July 19.
'This is not just the dedication of a name on a building,' she said. 'It is far more important than that. It is the continuation of a legacy of two wonderful people whose lives not only impacted the lives of their nine children and grandchildren, but my life and that of so many in this community, Chicago and Mexico.'
Dr. Jorge Prieto, who served as president of the Chicago Board of Health in the 1980s and also as a Cook County Hospital department head, was celebrated as a generous physician who treated members of the community regardless of income, opened health clinics in Chicago and traveled to California to treat migrant workers.
'He was a quiet, unassuming man who nonetheless found himself at the forefront of medical, immigrant and workers' rights causes,' said his 2001 Chicago Tribune obituary.
'He became an icon for a generation of Mexican-Americans living in Chicago, a city that at the time barely recognized their existence, let alone provided for it.'
On Saturday, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss called the naming of the community center a 'joyous occasion.'
'This is a wonderful moment to celebrate a family that did so much for the health and welfare of the community and did so much for the integration of Evanston,' Biss said. 'They paved the way for Latino families to come to Evanston.'
Biss said the 14,500-square-foot community center, which will provide recreation such as pickleball courts and drop-in play areas, is a much-needed facility where youth and the rest of the Evanston community can gather.
'This sense of community is what makes Evanston so great,' he said. 'I'm excited about what the facility is going to be and remain for the citizens of Evanston.'
Jeanne Fox, former head of the Evanston Mental Health Board, said Luz Maria Prieto served as the petite but powerful leader of the city's efforts to diversify its staff to begin to accommodate the needs of Latino residents.
'She was an eloquent, passionate speaker,' Fox said. 'She spoke about the needs of Latino residents. In 1975, Evanston had no one in city services who spoke Spanish.'
After appealing to the City Council at three consecutive meetings, Evanston found the funding to hire a Latino outreach coordinator, she said.
'I was assigned to help her accomplish her goals,' Fox said. 'There were many challenges to overcome, but there were many successes, too. Today, many of the services that were achieved are part of regular city services.'
Two of the Prietos' children thanked Evanston for the dedication.
One of the couple's sons, Dr. Jorge Prieto, Jr. agreed with other speakers that his parents did not choose their actions for their own benefit, but rather to improve the lives of others.
'They would never have sought this honor themselves, for their goals were never personal rewards or wealth,' Prieto said. 'They abhorred those who would benefit from the suffering of others. They sought to eliminate the inequities that led to that suffering.'
His parents were exiled from Mexico by a 'corrupt' president, Prieto said. His father grew up in Texas and California during the Depression, he said.
'He experienced life firsthand as an impoverished immigrant,' Prieto said. 'When my parents first moved to Chicago in the middle of the last century, this young Mexican couple experienced the discrimination that was so prevalent then and unfortunately still exists. They moved to Evanston because they sought better opportunities for their growing family.'
Daughter Luz Maria Prieto shared a story of her father providing medical treatment to a man who could not afford to go to a doctor.
'For our family, this story captures how my family worked as a team and my father practiced medicine,' Prieto said. 'He believed everyone deserved medical care regardless of their income.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Serious liver disease is up among heavy drinkers, even without more drinking
Serious liver disease is up among heavy drinkers, even without more drinking

Los Angeles Times

time33 minutes ago

  • Los Angeles Times

Serious liver disease is up among heavy drinkers, even without more drinking

Serious liver disease is becoming more common among Americans who drink heavily, according to a new study from Keck Medicine of USC. It's not that more people are partying with alcohol. And it's not that the drinkers are having more drinks. It's that more of the people who drink regularly are becoming sick. Over the last two decades, the share of heavy drinkers who have advanced liver scarring jumped from 1.8% to 4.3%. For women, more than 1.5 drinks per night, on average, is considered heavy drinking. For men, it's 2 drinks. 'The fact that the risk not only increased but that it more than doubled — almost tripled — is really astonishing,' said Dr. Brian P. Lee, a liver transplant specialist at Keck Medicine of USC and lead author on the study. It was published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology on Wednesday. Lee said he thinks patients might dramatically change their thinking and behavior if they had this information. The increase in illness was seen especially in women, older people and those with conditions like obesity or diabetes. Three USC researchers analyzed national health data from more than 44,000 adults surveyed between 1999 and 2020 in a well-known national heath study known as NHANES. Of those, 2,474 were heavy drinkers according to the definition of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — 20 grams of alcohol per day for women and 30 grams for men, roughly the equivalent of 1.5 and 2 drinks. They found a more than twofold increase over the two decades in significant liver fibrosis, a condition where healthy liver tissue is replaced by stiff, fibrous tissue — like a sponge hardening into leather. If left unchecked, this can eventually lead to liver failure or cancer. By comparison, non-heavy drinkers saw a much smaller increase, from 0.8% to 1.4% over the same period. This rise in liver damage is especially troubling because many people don't realize anything is wrong until the disease is advanced. 'Liver disease is silent,' Lee said. 'Most people won't, even if they have [advanced liver scarring], have any symptoms at all.' Drinking patterns did not change much over the study period. But the health profiles of heavy drinkers did. Rates of metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure — increased from 26% of people, to nearly 38%. Demographics shifted too: heavy drinkers became more likely to be women, people over the age of 45, and those living in poverty. 'We're showing with this study that the picture of the American drinker is changing dramatically,' Lee said. 'You have more women who are drinking heavily, more ethnic minorities who are drinking heavily, and these are groups that are known to have a higher sensitivity to alcohol in causing liver damage.' Other factors may also be at play, said Dr. Sammy Saab, medical director of the Pfleger Liver Institute at UCLA, who was not involved in the study. People could be consuming different types of drinks, or at different times. 'Have we moved away from beer, wine, to hard cocktails? Have we moved away from drinking with food, where the food absorbs some of the alcohol you consume, versus drinking without food where alcohol is better absorbed?' Saab asked. Then there are cultural changes, he said. 'In the old days, if you drank, you'd still have to drive home, but now we've got Uber, we have Lyft,' he said, which may remove some deterrents to heavy drinking. The current definition of heavy drinking in the U.S. may actually be too lenient, Lee said, especially compared to evolving global standards. Canada, for example, now advises no more than two drinks per week to minimize health risks. 'In the U.S. right now, we consider heavy drinking to be eight drinks or more per week for women and 15 or more for men — but that's quite high,' he said. 'We've shown in prior studies that you can develop liver disease at lower quantities than the U.S. threshold.' The study's findings highlight the need to rethink long-held assumptions about alcohol-related liver disease, and Lee hopes it can be used to develop more effective screening methods for early detection. The paper raises a lot of good questions, Saab said, serving as a call to action for researchers and clinicians to better understand this increase in alcohol-associated liver disease — and how to stop it.

Texas Removes 1.8 Million People From Health Care Plan
Texas Removes 1.8 Million People From Health Care Plan

Newsweek

time34 minutes ago

  • Newsweek

Texas Removes 1.8 Million People From Health Care Plan

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Almost 1.8 million Americans have been disenrolled from Medicaid health coverage in Texas in the last two years, according to data by KFF, a nonprofit health policy research and news organization. These Americans have lost their health insurance as part of the unwinding process happening nationwide after Medicaid coverage was expanded following the COVID pandemic. A spokesperson for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) told Newsweek it is "committed to ensuring that those qualified for benefits receive them," and worked closely with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) "throughout the public health emergency and the Medicaid unwind process." "Federal guidance required HHSC to redetermine eligibility for 6 million Medicaid clients over the course of 12 months," they added. "Redetermining eligibility within federal requirements was a massive undertaking. Throughout the unwind, HHSC met with our federal partners on a regular basis to ensure that we followed federal guidance, and we will continue to collaborate with CMS to provide eligible Texans with benefits." Why It Matters The unwinding process has resulted in significant drops in Medicaid enrollment across the U.S. in recent years. While some of those disenrolled from Medicaid may still have had access to other forms of health insurance through their employment, those left without insurance could be in a vulnerable position. Higher rates of uninsured populations in states have been associated with negative impacts on health outcomes and medical costs. File photo: doctors treat a child in a hospital. File photo: doctors treat a child in a hospital. Gerald Herbert/AP What To Know During the pandemic, some states expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) while some Americans may have being encouraged to enroll for health coverage given the spread of the virus, causing nationwide enrollment levels to increase. Federal rules then meant states had to keep most Medicaid enrollees on the program even if their eligibility status changed, a requirement which expired in March 2023, allowing states to resume removing individuals from the program. Medicaid enrollment has since steadily declined, driven by both eligibility losses and procedural disenrollments. In Texas, there were 5,922,450 covered by Medicaid in March 2023, but by March 2025, that number was 4,164,694, KFF data shows. This marks a change of almost 1.8 million, a rate of decline faster than in Florida, California and New York. The number of people with Medicaid coverage is now just lower than February 2020 levels, a difference of 1 percent. Reasons for Texas' steeper drop in Medicaid enrollment could be because of the fact it, combined with Florida, New York and California, made up a significant proportion of Medicaid enrollment before the unwinding, Timothy McBride, a professor of public health at Washington University in St. Louis, told Newsweek. All four states together accounted for 36 percent of Medicaid enrollment and subsequently accounted for 31 percent of the drop in the unwinding period between 2020 and 2025, he added. This is in part because the states have large populations, but also because they have some of lowest percentages of health insurance coverage by employers or private plans, McBride said. This is due to "higher poverty rates, especially in Florida and Texas, fewer good jobs that offer health insurance, and a higher percentage of nonwhite persons, especially in Florida, Texas, and California," he said. "If they do not have private coverage they seek Medicaid," he added. For those that were able to gain health insurance through private coverage once being rolled off Medicaid, there is little concern. However, those that may remain uninsured as a result of the unwinding process "I am worried about," McBride said. "The negative outcomes could be delays in seeking needed medical care leading to worse outcomes, lack of prevention, which is especially problematic if they have chronic conditions, bad mental health and financial outcomes, and higher medical debt since they have to pay for more out of pocket," he added. What People Are Saying Timothy D. McBride, professor of public health at Washington University in St. Louis, told Newsweek: "Part of the drop is people who maintained Medicaid coverage on paper because they got it at some point during the pandemic but remained there through the PHE. Yet some may have moved along and obtained other coverage, so really were not needing the Medicaid anyway. The group we are concerned about is those who have become uninsured or who lost the coverage for procedural reasons. It appears from some work that maybe 30 percent or so of those who lost coverage may be uninsured. And a lot of people—around that number lost coverage for procedural reasons, many of them children." Laura Dague, a professor of health policy at Texas A&M University, told Newsweek: "How impactful the decreases in enrollment will be in terms of individual health depend on how aware people were of their ongoing coverage and how often they used it, and there is not much empirical evidence on this topic at the moment. A much bigger issue for Texas in my opinion will be the upcoming projected decreases in Marketplace enrollment due to decreasing subsidies; Texas has had major growth in that market in the last few years as subsidies increased." What Happens Next As the unwinding continues, more reductions in enrollment are expected in the state, and across the country. With millions already having lost health coverage, concerns remain about access to care for low-income individuals and families.

Trump's Medicaid Cuts Put People with Disabilities at Risk
Trump's Medicaid Cuts Put People with Disabilities at Risk

Time​ Magazine

time34 minutes ago

  • Time​ Magazine

Trump's Medicaid Cuts Put People with Disabilities at Risk

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark legislation, which enshrined in federal statute civil rights for people living with disabilities, has transformed countless lives. It opened the world up to an entire population who, until that point, were more often than not excluded and isolated from society. It codified a legal pathway for equality and inclusion by dismantling longstanding barriers that prevented people with disabilities from having the opportunity to pursue employment, live independently, access transportation and public spaces, and so much more. The ADA affirmed the fundamental right of every American to participate fully in society, and is foundational to ensuring that those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have equal opportunities to thrive and live with autonomy. Yet, as we celebrate the ADA's enduring legacy this year, the future for people with disabilities looks less certain. The ADA's vision is not self-sustaining. Its promise is fulfilled through an ecosystem of vital support services, many of which rely on Medicaid funding. For millions of Americans living with disabilities, Medicaid is a lifeline that provides access to essential home- and community-based services (HCBS). These services include the most basic activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, eating, and more, as well as the residential programs, employment supports, and assistive technologies that allow people with I/DD to live with dignity in their own homes and communities. These services are at the heart of the ADA and crucial to making inclusion a reality. Following the passage of President Donald Trump's tax bill, which will cut aproximately $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next several years, these support systems are in jeopardy. This attack on Medicaid threatens to unravel decades of progress toward equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities, as access to these services will undoubtedly become more limited. Read More: The Big Budget Bill Could Make Your ER a Mess Cuts to Medicaid could mean fewer available care services, longer waiting lists for critical support, and potentially the loss of the very assistance that allows those with I/DD to live independent and fulfilling lives. Imagine losing the career coach who helps you get ready for work and makes it possible to maintain steady employment, or the direct support professional (DSP) who helps you bathe and brush your teeth, or the transportation service that connects you to your community. These cuts translate into a forced retreat from independence, pushing individuals back into isolation and dependency, often in hospitals or costly, state-run institutions, directly contradicting the ADA's core tenets. The ripple effect extends to the dedicated community providers who are the backbone of the HCBS ecosystem. These organizations operate on thin margins, relying heavily, or solely, on Medicaid to fund their services. Cuts of this size may fall heavily on providers, who are already in crisis because of long-term underinvestment in community-based services, leaving them struggling to offer their DSPs competitive wages and benefits due to stagnant and insufficient reimbursement rates. Ultimately, these cuts could lead to reduced capacity, staff layoffs, and even the closure of programs. The national shortage of DSPs is also expected to worsen. To pay wages, providers rely on Medicaid reimbursements from their states; if states are rendered unable to increase reimbursement rates, providers will lose the DSPs they employ to better-paying opportunities in other hourly wage industries such as fast food and retail. This monumental blow to Medicaid funding will make it even harder to find and retain the individuals who provide day-to-day care. Troublingly, these DSPs, whose work is both physically and emotionally demanding, often rely on Medicaid themselves due to insufficient wages. When providers are forced to scale back programs or shutter entirely, the entire HCBS infrastructure weakens, leaving countless individuals without the support they need. The strain is then placed on the families of people with I/DD, potentially forcing some to leave their own jobs to provide care for their loved ones. For the many individuals with I/DD who don't have family or existing networks of support, access to care may be lost completely. Read More: The GOP Budget Takes From the Poor and Gives to the Rich The true scale of the impact remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that it will be nothing short of devastating. A nearly $1 trillion cut to Medicaid is not just a budgetary change. It will harm people with disabilities and the progress we have made since the passage of the ADA. Decades of advocacy, innovation, and hard-won victories for equality and inclusion are at risk of being rolled back. As we honor the ADA this year, we must recommit to its vision by unequivocally protecting the very funding that makes true community living and inclusion a reality for all. We cannot allow the fundamental rights and opportunities of people with disabilities to be undermined. Solutions must be found, advocates must fight back, and state leaders need to find ways to preserve funding for these vital services. Access to care is not a luxury, it is a necessity that is integral to upholding the rights of those with disabilities.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store