1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Hey, hey, hey, hey, get us. Latino USA is celebrating 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: thirty years today, Ain't that amos? And we would love 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 1: to hear from you. Dear listener, Do you want to 4 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: share with us exactly what Latino USA has meant to you? 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 1: Do you have a birthday wish for us? Leave us 6 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: a voicemail at six four six five seven to one 7 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 1: one two two four. That's six four six five seven 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: to one one two two four, and we might feature 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: your message in an upcoming show, grass Yas. This is 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: Latino USA, the radio journal of news and Kurture's Latino USA. 11 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 1: Let us Latino USA. I'm Maria Inojosa. We bring you 12 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: stories that are underreported but that mattered to you, overlooked 13 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: by the rest of the media, and while the country 14 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: is struggling to deal with these we listen to the 15 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: stories of black and Latinos. Studios United, Latino Front, a 16 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: cultural renaissance organizing at the forefront of the movement. I'm 17 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: Maria Inojosa. 18 00:00:59,280 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 2: Nose Bayan. 19 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: Hey, Latino USA, listener, here's a show from our archives. 20 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: For this episode of Latino USA, We're going to do 21 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: something a little bit different. Normally, when we interview people 22 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: who speak Spanish. We translate all of those interviews into English, 23 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: but today we've decided not to translate any of the Spanish. 24 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: We wanted to preserve the voices and the people in 25 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: the way that they are naturally conveyed. We'd like to 26 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: ask you to listen, even if you don't understand every word, 27 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: because we think there's a lot you're going to get 28 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: from this multi lingual story. If you like a transcript 29 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: of this with all of the audio translated, you can 30 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: find it online at latinousa dot org. And we should 31 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: mention that this story could be disturbing for some of 32 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: our listeners. Here's our reporting. 33 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 2: In a health clinic in Chicago, Marta Flores is receiving. 34 00:01:57,760 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 3: Some news chom. 35 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 2: Her doctor walks into the exam room and she barely 36 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 2: closes the door before she gets right to it. 37 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 4: Squila and toss see. 38 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 2: Martha has clearly taken aback. The doctor tells her her 39 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:29,959 Speaker 2: high blood sugar means something else. 40 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 4: And tossnostico de diabetiss see per controla. 41 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 2: This is a new diagnosis from Martha, but she's been 42 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 2: coming to this clinic for ten years. She's sixty six 43 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 2: years old and originally from Al Salvador. 44 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 5: Yeah. 45 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 2: Well, Martha doesn't say much or ask many questions after 46 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 2: she hears that she has diabetes, but after the physical exam, 47 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:12,679 Speaker 2: she seems to get less calm. 48 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 4: Comp we know, Whensa, it's a c. 49 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 2: Marta is also worried about what her daughter will say 50 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 2: when she hears about her diagnosis. 51 00:03:51,760 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 6: Okay, I be an rico mia. 52 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: Diabetes can be genetic, but it can also be brought 53 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: on by diet, especially sugary drinks. 54 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 7: A no. 55 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 2: Martha says that when she sits down to eat, she 56 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 2: forgets all about what the doctors tell her she should 57 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:29,039 Speaker 2: be eating. 58 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 6: Media, because. 59 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 2: Then Martha begins to listen to me all of her 60 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 2: favorite foods. 61 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 6: La banana jos. 62 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 5: Include. 63 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 2: She opens her purse and shows me the banana she 64 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 2: has stashed there, and I want to hear more about 65 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 2: her banana fanaticism, but we're interrupted by her cell phone. 66 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 6: Buzzy Dana Gisa, Hello, ladies. 67 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: It's Martha's daughter calling to see when she can pick 68 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: her up, and Martha gives her. 69 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 4: The Newsma Notitia, the goat. 70 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: Is from Fudromedia and pr X It's Latino Usa. I'm 71 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: Maria nojosa and today off to the doctor's office. Going 72 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: to see the doctor is almost always a stressful and 73 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: vulnerable experience. It's a place where your anxieties about your 74 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,679 Speaker 1: body and your life are super heightened, and where everything 75 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: can change with just a few words from your doctor. 76 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 1: Undocumented people generally can't access insurance and so their healthcare 77 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: options are very limited, but one of the places they 78 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: can go are free health clinics. Free clinics have only 79 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: been around in the United States. Starting in the nineteen 80 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: sixties and seventies, there were places that popped up to 81 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: deal with the growing number of young people who were runaways, 82 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: or uninsured or addicted to drugs. 83 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 2: What's a free clinic. 84 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 8: It's where our growing up children go for help when 85 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 8: they can't or won't come home. 86 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: The first one was the hate Ashbury Free Clinic, which 87 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: came to be after a flood of young people ended 88 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: up in San Francisco for the Summer of Love. 89 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 8: Dentists, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals are here as volunteers. 90 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 8: They treat all the embarrassing ailments of the youngsterdents to 91 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:50,919 Speaker 8: nereal disease, drug complaints, hepatitis from shooting drugs with dirty needles, 92 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 8: pregnancy problems here, for example, was developed that form of 93 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 8: teenage group therapy where the kids just talk out their emotion. 94 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, thank god that you don't think I felt 95 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 4: that her so she said she couldn't see me. 96 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 6: Oh yeah. 97 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: Today there are twenty eight million uninsured people in the 98 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: United States, and free clinics can often be their only 99 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: safety inn We're going to spend time in one of 100 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: those clinics. In fact, it's the largest free health clinic 101 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: in the United States. It's called Community Health in Chicago, 102 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: and it only serves people who don't have health insurance. Now, 103 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: it's almost impossible for journalists to get behind the scenes 104 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: access to medical centers because there are a lot of laws, 105 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: and rightly so, that protect patients privacy. So when Community 106 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: Health in Chicago told us that they would give us 107 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: full access to their facilities, we saw this as a 108 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: rare opportunity to observe the daily dramas that unfold there. 109 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: We spent three days sitting in on doctors exams and 110 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: talking with patients and staff and all of this to 111 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: try to capture or a snapshot of how undocumented life 112 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: manifests itself both physically and mentally. Now, at the beginning 113 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: of this show, you heard producer Sophia Palisa ka this 114 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: past summer, she flew to Chicago along with producer Antonia, 115 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: and Antonia is going to take it from here. 116 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 9: Thanks Dramos. 117 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 7: The clinic is located in Chicago's Ukrainian Village, a quiet 118 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 7: residential neighborhood. It takes Gabriel do Mingez half an hour 119 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 7: by car to get to the clinic every morning. 120 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 5: That is logo. 121 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 7: Gabriel is the custodian at Community Health and he is 122 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 7: in charge of opening the clinics unassuming glass stores every 123 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 7: day around eight o'clock. 124 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 5: Aki in directa meenteno. 125 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 7: Gabriel has a kind face transition lenses and a lot 126 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 7: of tools hanging off of his belt loop so. 127 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 5: The key. 128 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 7: He leads me inside the building and I thank him 129 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 7: for letting me in, But as soon as I start 130 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 7: to leave in search of the front desk, he stops me. 131 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 3: He lets me know that he's like me. He documents 132 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 3: the world, Yeah, does your participate? 133 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 7: He pulls up Facebook to show me videos he took 134 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 7: of his zoomba classes. He even bought a stabilizer which 135 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 7: makes the videos look very professional. 136 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 5: He's implemented. 137 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 10: See the pro. 138 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 3: Over the next three days, we meet a lot of characters. Okay, 139 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 3: to go do that? 140 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 2: Do you have time? 141 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:57,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, the patient's not here. 142 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:58,599 Speaker 11: Yes, so I leave you. 143 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 9: Yeah, yeah, I know, sorry about and you are. 144 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:09,599 Speaker 7: If you were to take a god's eye view of 145 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 7: the clinic while my fellow producer, Sophia and I spent 146 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 7: time there, we would look like pac men gliding around 147 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 7: a maze of corridors chasing patients, and the patient's path 148 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 7: through this maze starts at the front desk. According to 149 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 7: the front desk, Monday and Thursday mornings are their busiest times. 150 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 12: Amos Borquet. 151 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:42,559 Speaker 7: This is Altis Mendez and her name could not be 152 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 7: more perfect for her position. 153 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 6: We were talking to our patients. 154 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 4: He asked me what my name was, and he said, well, 155 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 4: I forgot. Like you know, it's very easy when you 156 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:51,439 Speaker 4: have pain, just think of me. 157 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 13: That's my name, Dolores. 158 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 7: Overall, the clinic sees eighty five hundred patients a year. 159 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 7: To be able to get care here, an individual patient 160 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 7: must have no insurance and have an annual salary of 161 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 7: under thirty thousand dollars. The clinic doesn't treat kids, because 162 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 7: Illinois provides healthcare to minors regardless of status. Once a 163 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 7: patient checks in, they sit in the skylit waiting room. 164 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:19,079 Speaker 7: Their names are called out one by one, they take 165 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 7: their vitals, and then the patients are led to their appointment. 166 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 7: There are neurologists, ophthalmologists, even a dentist who will extract 167 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:35,719 Speaker 7: your teeth while you listen to calming retro jams. The 168 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 7: exam rooms in the clinic are laid out in a 169 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 7: U shape. The nucleus of the clinic is in the 170 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 7: center of the U, and it's an open space with 171 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 7: computers and chairs where doctors and staff hang out. Every 172 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 7: morning and afternoon, the staff gathers here for briefing called 173 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 7: the huddle, which Sophia caught on the first day on 174 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 7: the board. 175 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 2: And I think that's all, thanks guys very quick. Today 176 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 2: the morning huddle is led by Amelia Pilch. She's from Poland, 177 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 2: moved here thirteen years ago. 178 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 14: Uh, you know, economy in Poland wasn't that great? Isn't 179 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 14: that great? I guess, so we just came here with 180 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 14: my parents. 181 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 2: And the Chicago metropolitan area has the largest Polish community 182 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,199 Speaker 2: in the United States. And the clinic reflects that about 183 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 2: a third of patients are Polish speakers, and that's part 184 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 2: of why we wanted to visit Community Health. Almost all 185 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 2: of the patients we spoke to there were immigrants, and 186 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:26,599 Speaker 2: sometimes Amelia briefs the doctors, but she also maintains this 187 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 2: leaderboard at the center of the clinic. 188 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:30,679 Speaker 14: A provider is like, really really good at it, we 189 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 14: give them a shout out during the hudel. 190 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 2: It's a whiteboard with names like the high score ranking 191 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 2: screen in an arcade game, but all the names on 192 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,839 Speaker 2: it are residents, and instead of a point total, the 193 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 2: categories are things. 194 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 14: Like diabetics for they want to see less than nine. 195 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 2: Percent things us non doctors wouldn't understand. 196 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 14: That means that their diabetes is well ish controlled, so 197 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 14: anything over nine percent. 198 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 2: And the residents are pretty into these rankings. 199 00:12:57,280 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 14: It's pretty competitive, to be honest, Like it's so tiny. 200 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 14: They're like they always look for their names, and some 201 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 14: of them have been on there for like, you know, 202 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,079 Speaker 14: eight ten times the same name, so they're very like, 203 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 14: you know, so we kind of here's you're awesome. 204 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 2: Doctor Mattilios interrupts Amelia as she scours the board for 205 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 2: her own name. 206 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 14: Yes, you were there some Well, it's for the residents only, so. 207 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 11: You know. 208 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 2: She's the doctor who diagnosed Martha at the beginning of 209 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:23,319 Speaker 2: the story. 210 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 11: Oh, she's told me. I've heard about the. 211 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 2: Cats, and she's often the center of attention. I'm told 212 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 2: I must hear the story behind the name of her cat. Natcho. 213 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:38,439 Speaker 4: Okay, my gran sound gave me a joke. What do 214 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 4: you think cheese that is not yours? Not your cheese, 215 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 4: Not your cheese. 216 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 2: Doctor Rios has been a volunteer doctor at the clinic 217 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 2: for eight years, and so she has a special connection 218 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 2: with many of her patients. Both Antonia and I spent 219 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 2: a lot of time with her and in her exam 220 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 2: room between appointments. Doctor Rios told Antonia a little bit 221 00:13:59,240 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 2: more about herself. 222 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 7: Doctor Rios, like many of her patients, is an immigrant. 223 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 7: She came to the US from Urdu Way in the 224 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 7: late seventies. At the time, there was a military dictatorship 225 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 7: and power and the administration was targeting civilians. They believed 226 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 7: to be part of a guerrilla terrorist group. 227 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 4: But they were also taken to jail because you have 228 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 4: a family who was involved. They would take Koto and 229 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 4: you were afraid. Yes, yes we were. 230 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 5: We were. 231 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 4: That's what we emigrated. 232 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 7: Her family moved to Chicago in nineteen eighty three, and 233 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 7: doctor Rio started her career in private practice. She worked 234 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 7: for three decades and then decided to retire. But if 235 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 7: you can't tell, doctor Rios has a lot of energy, 236 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 7: and so she started to get restless. And one night, 237 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 7: while she was googling at two am, something she told 238 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 7: me she actually does very frequently. She learned about this 239 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 7: clinic Community Health and thought it was exactly the kind 240 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 7: of place that she would like to volunteer at. But 241 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 7: when she first started coming, she didn't exactly feel welcome. 242 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 4: I didn't know anybody. And I saw these professors from 243 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 4: Northwestern rush walking talking given classes, and I said, what 244 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 4: I'm doing here? Because I didn't know anybody, I was 245 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 4: going to quit. I felt bitter, uncomfortably. 246 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 3: But then she got a little encouragement. 247 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 4: Somebody from the front this game and say, oh my god, 248 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 4: doctor Rio. Sold the patient like you so much. They 249 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 4: all want to come back to you. So I said, okay, 250 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 4: so maybe I can do something good here. 251 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 7: Mattilee is retired. She doesn't get paid to see patients. 252 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 7: None of the doctors do. It takes over one thousand 253 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 7: volunteers to keep Community Health running. 254 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 2: The way Community Health runs is that all of the 255 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 2: doctors are volunteers. Some are retired, but many are full 256 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 2: time doctors who spend a few hours a month at 257 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 2: the clinic. And all of the prescriptions provided that Community 258 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 2: Health are free for patients, even really expensive things like insulin. 259 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 2: They even have their own pharmacy. Community Health was founded 260 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 2: in nineteen ninety three by an Italian immigrant, a kidney doctor. 261 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 2: He was concerned with the number of uninsured people in Chicago, 262 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 2: so he opened a storefront clinic that took patients twice 263 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 2: a week. The demand grew so much that in twenty 264 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 2: ten they even opened a second clinic to serve more people. 265 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 2: But then in twenty fourteen, the Affordable Care Act went. 266 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 15: Into effect, and millions of Americans finally had same chance 267 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 15: to buy quality, affordable healthcare and the peace of mind 268 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 15: that comes with it as everybody else. 269 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 2: And many of the clinic's patients were able to get 270 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 2: coverage for the first time. In fact, so many that 271 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 2: Community Health decided to close their second clinic because of 272 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 2: a drop in demand. 273 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 3: One knowsias, but at least. 274 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 2: One patient Antonia spoke to who felt that getting insurance 275 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 2: actually put him in a worse position. 276 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 7: Vis a Linocent Coseinyez stopped going to Community Health when 277 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 7: he began getting insurance through his work, but now he 278 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 7: wants to return to the clinic. The front desk tries 279 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 7: to explain to him that now that he's insured, he can't. 280 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 7: Jose hands the front desk person a letter, in it 281 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,199 Speaker 7: he formally declines his new health insurance. He tells her 282 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 7: he's decided to stay uninsured in order to be able 283 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 7: to keep going to Community Health. The letter is taken 284 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:32,479 Speaker 7: behind the desk to Vicky Chester, the patient services manager. 285 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 7: Vicky tells me that this circumstance is not that rare. 286 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 14: Oftentimes people will elect to cantle their insurance for the 287 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 14: sake of returning here, which is not something that we 288 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 14: encourage them to do. 289 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 7: What this means is that Jose would lose coverage in 290 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 7: case of an emergency, since Community Health only offers preventive care. 291 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 7: But Kse tells me that it's worth the risk for 292 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:58,679 Speaker 7: him because he feels financially that he isn't getting by 293 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 7: month to month again, He's willing to risk a surprise 294 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 7: visit to the emergency room because his insurance is costing 295 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 7: him so much. 296 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 5: Las Cano's camp. 297 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 7: Under his works insurance, he says, he is now being 298 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 7: charged five thousand dollars to cover the cost of his 299 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 7: lotions to take care of his exzema. When he was 300 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 7: a community health patient, they were free. I want to 301 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 7: go check out where all these free meds are and 302 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 7: so I find myself in the clinics pharmacy. Doctor Rios 303 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 7: is there and she lets me know the lowdown on 304 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 7: one of her patients. 305 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 4: So we are here because we have a patient with 306 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 4: very high cholesterol called familiar hyper cooleisterolemia, and she's in 307 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 4: in medication. She's taking a medication who lowered the colesterole 308 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 4: What I think now she may not be taking the medication. 309 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 4: That's something many times we find that they prescribe a medication, 310 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 4: they get the medication from Fienn, but they don't take. 311 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 4: So she's coming today. I have to really ask if 312 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 4: she's taking and she always say yes, and after I 313 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 4: have to go around with other questions and sometimes they 314 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 4: say no, really doesn't I didn't take her. 315 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 7: Patient Irma arrives and it has led to the exam room. 316 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 7: I followed closely behind. 317 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:26,679 Speaker 4: Is that medicina. 318 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:28,880 Speaker 3: Doctor Rios cuts. 319 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 7: Her gaze away from Irma and towards me with a 320 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 7: sly expression that says, see told yourself, mad. It seems 321 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 7: like Irma is starting to give in to doctor Rios. 322 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 7: She's saying that there are nights that she skipped the 323 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,880 Speaker 7: medicine because she feared that it was keeping her. 324 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 4: Up well, not is. 325 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:13,679 Speaker 5: Mando? 326 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 6: Okay? 327 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 3: So when doctor. 328 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 7: Rios seems genuinely shocked that she was able to get 329 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 7: to admit she wasn't taking her medicine so quickly, and 330 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 7: she tells she's worried about her needing to get up 331 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 7: in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, 332 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 7: that it might be a sign of another problem, and 333 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:32,199 Speaker 7: so she's going to order some. 334 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 3: Tests, per okay. When I sit in an empty exam room. 335 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 13: Your croquet when. 336 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 7: Medico perolas, when I the door so we can talk privately, mises. 337 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 14: Bin. 338 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 7: I learned that there are things in IMA's life that 339 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 7: are not so easily fixed just by taking the pills 340 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 7: for cholesterol that doctor Rios so desperately. 341 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 3: Wants her to take. 342 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 7: Ima opens up about very personal things, and even though 343 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 7: I have her sign a consent form with her full name. 344 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 7: All of the patients we spoke to did. Because of 345 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 7: the nature of her story, we have decided not to 346 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 7: include her last name. When she arrived in the US, 347 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:45,120 Speaker 7: she started to work in housekeeping at a hotel in Evanston, Illinois, 348 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 7: a wealthy suburb north of Chicago, but she stopped after 349 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 7: something happened at her work. 350 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 13: Physic any persona and mana years. 351 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 5: Maybe. 352 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 3: And Ima says that she was frequently raped by her. 353 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 13: Managercopava Centia, Centia forte centia. 354 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 7: Can Ima says that people at her job didn't support her, 355 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 7: and that many of her colleagues were facing similar treatment 356 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 7: but couldn't speak up because they did not want to 357 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 7: lose their jobs. 358 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 14: Yep. 359 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 7: Finally, one day she gathered courage to leave her job 360 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 7: and filed a complaint with the local police. 361 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 13: And I'm with forion. 362 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 4: A persona. 363 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 6: No no, nothing machines. 364 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 7: She struggled to find help until learning about this place 365 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:00,880 Speaker 7: Community Health. 366 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 5: Neste okay no I spress. 367 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,239 Speaker 7: In addition to the doctor, she sees a therapist here 368 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 7: and with her help, she's been able to reframe what 369 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 7: happened to her. 370 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,360 Speaker 2: Garnet gnio. 371 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 13: Espress her calu cha. 372 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,120 Speaker 7: She's been here for only a year. She admits there's 373 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 7: still a lot of work to be done. 374 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:46,919 Speaker 13: Okay, so yes, a moment to schedules Canada, the po 375 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 13: be there, and the Moon says as if his sister. 376 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 10: To super. 377 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 7: People who argue undocumented immigrants shouldn't have access to healthcare 378 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 7: pose their position as one about lack of resources. Undocumented 379 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:13,959 Speaker 7: migrants are invaders coming to take advantage of our system, 380 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 7: to use our benefits and take our jobs. But what 381 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 7: this argument leaves out is the altogether common situation in 382 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 7: which our system takes advantage of them. During our days 383 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 7: at Community Health, we started to see how this one 384 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 7: clinic is trying to treat patients by not just addressing 385 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:39,479 Speaker 7: their physical health, but also taking into consideration the system 386 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 7: in which they live. 387 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,960 Speaker 1: Coming up on Latino USA, we unpack the unique challenges 388 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:56,399 Speaker 1: of caring for the undocumented. Stay with us, not stay by, 389 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: Yes Hey We're back, and producers Sophia Palissa car and 390 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: Antonia Serejido have been observing the inner workings of the 391 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: largest free health clinic in the nation. Community Health is 392 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 1: located in Chicago, and it only serves people without health 393 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:06,199 Speaker 1: insurance Their most common diagnoses are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, 394 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 1: and diabetes, three of the most common health problems in 395 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: the US, and like doctor's offices across the country, this 396 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: clinic treats the physical symptoms of these issues, but it 397 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: also takes into account the very specific needs of their 398 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 1: immigrant and often undocumented patients. Now it's evening time at 399 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 1: the Community Health Clinic in Chicago, and our producer Sophia 400 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: is going to pick up this story from here. 401 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 2: The clinic normally has the quiet feeling of a doctor's office, 402 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 2: in which sound is trapped in the carpet of the 403 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,679 Speaker 2: waiting room and doctors speak in soothing toes. But there 404 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 2: are certain periods of time when the quiet clinic becomes 405 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 2: a classrooms. Okay, good. In the evening, dozens of medical 406 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 2: students come from nearby universities. They see patients and write 407 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 2: up their charts. And she started out and a few 408 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 2: of them hang out in the blood lab. 409 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 16: Some centrafugures are running. We're running a couple of miles 410 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 16: that patients have given us to test their blood. 411 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 2: You say that likes you're like blood like in a 412 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 2: horror movie. 413 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 16: I know, right, I'm count Dracula basically no, yeah. 414 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 2: In the back room is Itze Lopez Tyler mcxanik and 415 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 2: Craig Johnson or us Tyler puts it. 416 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:26,359 Speaker 5: This is the original squad. 417 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:30,959 Speaker 2: On their first rotation at the clinic, they were all 418 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 2: assigned together each other. They primarily are responsible for drawing 419 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 2: patient's blood in order to test for sdis and blood sugar. 420 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:38,920 Speaker 2: So what year are you in med school? 421 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 3: First year? 422 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 2: Well, we're rising in second years. 423 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:44,960 Speaker 16: We're in our summer before the rest of our lives. 424 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:47,400 Speaker 2: All three of them are in the process of considering 425 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 2: their next steps after medical school. And it turns out 426 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 2: Itzel isn't new to community health. 427 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,080 Speaker 16: So I took a gap year in between graduating undergrad 428 00:27:57,119 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 16: and then coming to medical school, and I interpreted here. 429 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:01,639 Speaker 2: It says parents are immigrants. 430 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 16: So as like the cultural and linguistic broker, I was 431 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 16: often in those clinical spaces with them and just realizing 432 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 16: how special and vulnerable those conversations can be, and how 433 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 16: difficult sometimes and how things get missed. 434 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 2: What she saw made her want to be a doctor, 435 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 2: especially a bilingual doctor. 436 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 16: As soon as you speak their language, even if you 437 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 16: don't look like them, they're like, oh my gosh, like 438 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 16: they bring in their kids, and their kids don't have 439 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 16: to interpret anymore, and they don't have to go through 440 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 16: this weird, awkward exchange. So it's important to me, and 441 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 16: I really hope, whether it's here in Chicago or anywhere else, 442 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,200 Speaker 16: that I do serve largely Latino preprilation. 443 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 2: Language is a major issue at the clinic. Their patients 444 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 2: speak thirty four different languages, though more than half of 445 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 2: them prefer to have their exams in Spanish, and while 446 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 2: several doctors speak more than one language, like doctor Rios, 447 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 2: the clinic does have volunteer interpreters. The interpreters can be 448 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 2: found sitting in a row of bright orange chairs at 449 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 2: the center of the clinic, like soccer players on a bench. 450 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 2: They wait to be called into the fray. 451 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 17: Yes, I am grading papers. I'm teaching summer school, and 452 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 17: I grade papers while I wait. 453 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 2: This is Will Hester. He's a Spanish teacher and a 454 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 2: certified medical interpreter. 455 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 17: It's a Spanish one oh one class, so they had 456 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 17: to write letters to an imaginary pen pal. 457 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:18,480 Speaker 2: I asked him how he got into interpreting. 458 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 17: I was looking for someplace to volunteer, and my husband said, 459 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:22,719 Speaker 17: you need to go to this clinic and you need 460 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 17: to serve And I said, oh, I can't do it. 461 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 17: I don't know the word for elbow, you know. And 462 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 17: my husband said, go get a book, learn the word. 463 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 17: That's what I did. 464 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 2: Will approaches interpreting a specific way, like he's not just 465 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 2: trying to convey the meaning of words. He's trying to 466 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 2: create a more equitable world. 467 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 17: My job is to allow our Spanish speaking patients to 468 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 17: have the same access to the US healthcare system as 469 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 17: do patients who speak English, and to put them on 470 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 17: an equal footing, because what's important in that moment is 471 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 17: the connection between the physician and the patient. The interpreter 472 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 17: is an important part, but we should be an important 473 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 17: part in the background. 474 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 2: In other words, his mission is to convey a patient's 475 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 2: words and emotions as accurately as possible, and Antonio got 476 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 2: to see him put these very principles in action. 477 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 7: I'm sitting in on an exam with a patient named 478 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 7: He's trying to explain to his doctor, Nausea Babel, that 479 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 7: he's getting blisters under his teeth. He opens his mouth wide. 480 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 7: Doctor Babel is proficient in Spanish and can understand that 481 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 7: there's something wrong with teeth. But you can't figure out 482 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 7: exactly what he's trying to say. So she steps outside 483 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 7: momentarily to bring Will in. 484 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 11: So put this explica, Can I can I precession memo? 485 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 11: Will so interpretectunic director. 486 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 4: You know. 487 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 7: Will begins translating for and he does it like he's 488 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 7: an actor embodying a new role. He talks in the 489 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 7: first person. 490 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 17: So I was going to ask if I could get 491 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 17: some better because they're having some blisters to come up 492 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 17: under the teeth. 493 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 2: Okay, okay, with this information, I'm going to take it 494 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 2: back to the clinic coordinator. 495 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 5: Determinar ne. 496 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 11: Or I can't wait a few days. I feel fine. 497 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 11: It's that I couldn't eat. 498 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 7: It feels like Will is the human version of clipping 499 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,000 Speaker 7: that digital paper clip that used to show up on 500 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 7: word documents. Will is very helpful, okay, seems very at 501 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 7: home at the doctors. 502 00:31:54,240 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 5: No mean Cristian Okay, nada, No reporter. 503 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 7: We're not using's last name because of his status. As 504 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 7: you can tell, he's a pretty easy going guy, but 505 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 7: he's had to face a lot of challenges For as 506 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 7: long as he's been in the US. He's had diabetes 507 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 7: and he's had to manage it. Along with other health problems, 508 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 7: mostly due to his work. Ya so is this Russiao 509 00:32:48,680 --> 00:33:00,120 Speaker 7: Pintihannas were special compression socks that go up to his 510 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 7: knees to help the circulation because he stands for so 511 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 7: long during his job. He also puts on creams and 512 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 7: lotions at night to help deal with the pain, but 513 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 7: he says his circumstance doesn't compare to what his family 514 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,040 Speaker 7: in Mexico has dealt with recently. 515 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 9: Young Gradius, he says this is why he brought. 516 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 7: His family to the US. His nephews were only nineteen 517 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 7: and twenty when they got involved with cigadios or hitman, 518 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 7: and he feared his children would find a similar. 519 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 5: End your fails, Ya Cal s. 520 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,600 Speaker 7: His fear was heightened because he already lost his son 521 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 7: in Mexico, not to the drug war, but because of 522 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 7: a freak accident. 523 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 5: There's a science, tell you, Natina the away no One. 524 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 7: During exam, doctor Babel asked if he'd be interested in 525 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 7: seeing other specialists, including a mental health counselor. 526 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:33,160 Speaker 9: K is a black cone persona. 527 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:40,240 Speaker 5: The problem is similar and prefacing see okay okay. 528 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 7: The counselor's room is three doors down from where Elutio 529 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 7: and I are sitting. The room has a surreal quality. 530 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,440 Speaker 7: When a patient is inside the councilor's room, no one 531 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:58,840 Speaker 7: can hear what they're saying because for privacy. There's a 532 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:04,719 Speaker 7: white noise machine sitting just outside. But if you were 533 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,880 Speaker 7: able to see inside, you would see something very unusual. 534 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 7: Even though there are no windows, there are dozens of 535 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 7: living plants, mostly bamboo. The counselor whose office it is 536 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:18,160 Speaker 7: jokes that the plants live off of love. It is 537 00:35:18,239 --> 00:35:20,960 Speaker 7: in this room that Edim of the housekeeper we heard 538 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 7: from earlier, once shared her story and started to find 539 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 7: a personal sense of justice. It's where might tell his 540 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:32,680 Speaker 7: story one day. It's a room where living beings, plants 541 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:36,279 Speaker 7: without sunlight, people without status can grow. 542 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:48,840 Speaker 1: Coming up the last patient we hear from that community Health. 543 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 4: Stay with us. 544 00:35:55,480 --> 00:36:55,120 Speaker 3: Yes we're back. 545 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:59,839 Speaker 1: And for the last few days, producers Sophia Prisa car 546 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 1: and Antonia Serejido have gotten to watch how community health works, 547 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:07,640 Speaker 1: from how they deal with patients who are more comfortable 548 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:11,680 Speaker 1: in a different language to patients with mental health issues. 549 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:16,520 Speaker 1: But despite the clinic's breadth of services, they've learned that 550 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:20,320 Speaker 1: many of the providers actually wish that clinic didn't exist 551 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 1: at all, Sofia Palisaka takes it from here. 552 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:34,560 Speaker 2: In total, we spent three days at Community Health, and 553 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 2: over the course of that time, we talked to a 554 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 2: lot of patients who are happy with their care, and 555 00:37:38,760 --> 00:37:40,720 Speaker 2: many of them have been coming to this same clinic 556 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:44,760 Speaker 2: for years, decades. Even Community Health treats over eight thousand 557 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:47,080 Speaker 2: people a year, and the reason why they can do 558 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:50,240 Speaker 2: that is because they're privately funded. That means they're supported 559 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:53,320 Speaker 2: by individuals, but also by huge networks like the University 560 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:57,280 Speaker 2: of Chicago Medical School and giin pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer. 561 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:00,640 Speaker 2: It takes an army to make it run. They have 562 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:02,359 Speaker 2: over one thousand volunteers. 563 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:04,520 Speaker 10: I think Community Health does a very nice job of 564 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:08,240 Speaker 10: using all the different types of providers in a really 565 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:11,280 Speaker 10: innovative way, and I think that that type of innovation 566 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 10: needs to be part of our national conversation about health policy. 567 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:19,000 Speaker 2: This is Margaret Bavis, a nurse practitioner at Community Health 568 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:22,239 Speaker 2: and an assistant professor at Rush University, and while she's 569 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:24,640 Speaker 2: very proud of the work the clinic does, she tells 570 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:27,919 Speaker 2: me that she and other providers sometimes feel conflicted about 571 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:28,359 Speaker 2: their work. 572 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 10: The founder of Community Health, doctor Gerrillo, when he was 573 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:37,320 Speaker 10: here last year for the twenty fifth anniversary, and he 574 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:40,839 Speaker 10: has since passed away, but he in his speech at 575 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:43,800 Speaker 10: our celebration, made a statement about how he wished we 576 00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:48,320 Speaker 10: didn't need to exist. And I always think about that 577 00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:49,640 Speaker 10: and kind of take that to heart. 578 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:55,720 Speaker 2: And she echoed a thought we had heard from several 579 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:59,080 Speaker 2: of the doctors here that community health is just a 580 00:38:59,160 --> 00:38:59,960 Speaker 2: stop gap. 581 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:00,719 Speaker 11: To that end. 582 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:04,080 Speaker 10: Can we replicate this everywhere and should we have to? 583 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:08,760 Speaker 10: I mean, can we get the discussion to include everybody, 584 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:10,320 Speaker 10: regardless of status. 585 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 2: Doctor Bavis believes health care should be a human right, 586 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:18,759 Speaker 2: but she points out to me that even if you 587 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 2: don't believe that, there's a public health argument to be made, 588 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:24,600 Speaker 2: when diseases spread, they don't discriminate. 589 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 10: If we don't give everybody the opportunity for measles vaccination, 590 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:33,399 Speaker 10: then we're putting ourselves at risk. If we don't give 591 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 10: everybody an opportunity to have access to health care, we're 592 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:38,719 Speaker 10: putting everybody at risk around us. 593 00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:46,879 Speaker 2: But undocumented communities aren't just dealing with infectious diseases. There's 594 00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:50,880 Speaker 2: an inherent stress in trying to navigate our country's immigration system. 595 00:39:56,239 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 2: The final patient we're going to meet is Maria. My godness, 596 00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:05,600 Speaker 2: Doctor Emily Handel swivels around her computer screen to show 597 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:07,000 Speaker 2: Maria her blood tests. 598 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:10,080 Speaker 12: Dierecis for Movianna. 599 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:16,280 Speaker 2: Maria has a vibe of someone who grew up getting 600 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 2: gold stars for perfect attendance polester. 601 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:25,719 Speaker 12: And total for ciento viniquatro normal est menosquelo cientos perfecto. 602 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:28,880 Speaker 2: And she takes that optimistic energy into an interview with me. 603 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:30,200 Speaker 2: How long have you been coming here? 604 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:36,200 Speaker 6: Wow? I'm be here since nineteen ninety six. 605 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:39,239 Speaker 2: Maria has been living in Chicago for twenty eight years, 606 00:40:39,600 --> 00:40:42,839 Speaker 2: though she's originally from Mexico City, but she didn't get 607 00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:46,120 Speaker 2: her legal residency until a few years ago. Having her 608 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:48,400 Speaker 2: papers now should mean that she can sign up for 609 00:40:48,480 --> 00:40:48,879 Speaker 2: health care. 610 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:53,279 Speaker 12: I could apply for that, but for a while, I can. 611 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:54,080 Speaker 5: I can. 612 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:56,880 Speaker 12: I have to weigh five years and I only have 613 00:40:57,040 --> 00:40:57,760 Speaker 12: a three years. 614 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:01,200 Speaker 2: Maria wants to apply for Medicaid, and as a permanent resident, 615 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:03,600 Speaker 2: she can do that, but instead of doing that, she 616 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:05,920 Speaker 2: wants to wait five years until she can become a 617 00:41:06,040 --> 00:41:09,160 Speaker 2: naturalized citizen first, before she tries to get health care. 618 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:11,840 Speaker 2: She switches to Spanish to better explain her concern. 619 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:12,719 Speaker 11: Podria is. 620 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:23,640 Speaker 12: No aorda this scene the kuala kuipida, Are you da 621 00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:32,279 Speaker 12: public tanto medici for the stamps? Eotro keadimento the medicina. 622 00:41:32,480 --> 00:41:36,879 Speaker 12: It is tarta publica in no Podria's kalivikar para las 623 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:37,520 Speaker 12: yoda dani. 624 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:40,439 Speaker 2: What she's talking about here are changes that the Trump 625 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:43,840 Speaker 2: administration has proposed to make it more difficult for migrants 626 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:46,680 Speaker 2: to seek green cards. The idea was that if migrants 627 00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:49,799 Speaker 2: applied for benefits like medicaid or food stamps, they could 628 00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:53,360 Speaker 2: be seen as a public charge, meaning dependent on the government, 629 00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:57,320 Speaker 2: and therefore ineligible for residency. The rule was supposed to 630 00:41:57,360 --> 00:41:59,800 Speaker 2: go into effect in October of this year, but it 631 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 2: struck down by several federal judges. And actually the rule 632 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:06,279 Speaker 2: wouldn't apply to people like Maria because she's already a 633 00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:09,440 Speaker 2: permanent resident. But there has been so much confusion around 634 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:12,600 Speaker 2: this new rule that many immigrants have dropped their housing, food, 635 00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:14,960 Speaker 2: or medical benefits out of fear with. 636 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:17,880 Speaker 12: The Obama gonna be an imer for us. 637 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:20,960 Speaker 2: Maria has considered getting covered through the Affordable Care Act 638 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:24,160 Speaker 2: instead of Medicaid, but she tells me she can't afford it. 639 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:27,239 Speaker 12: It was so expensive and say, okay, I paid the 640 00:42:27,280 --> 00:42:34,640 Speaker 12: insurance or I pay my rent. The migration situation for 641 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:37,600 Speaker 12: our communities gray completely. 642 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 5: Grace you, Mual. 643 00:42:57,960 --> 00:43:04,440 Speaker 2: And Samchanci there, and that anxiety is what many of 644 00:43:04,520 --> 00:43:07,120 Speaker 2: the patients we talk to face in their everyday lives. 645 00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:11,120 Speaker 2: From the beginning of our time here, we wanted to 646 00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:14,200 Speaker 2: know what it would look like if undocumented people weren't 647 00:43:14,320 --> 00:43:17,560 Speaker 2: excluded from our healthcare system, and we observed what a 648 00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:21,240 Speaker 2: difference it makes to have interpreters who care, free medicine 649 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:24,200 Speaker 2: and access to mental health treatment. But this is just 650 00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:27,040 Speaker 2: one clinic, and even though it's the biggest free clinic, 651 00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:29,879 Speaker 2: it serves less than one hundred people a day. There 652 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:36,720 Speaker 2: are eleven million undocumented immigrants across the United States. Maria says, 653 00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:39,800 Speaker 2: the way people think about immigrants in this country is 654 00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:40,399 Speaker 2: all wrong. 655 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:44,160 Speaker 4: Solo qui. 656 00:43:47,440 --> 00:43:52,800 Speaker 12: Lojemos la semos pert in America too. It is zino 657 00:43:53,960 --> 00:43:59,600 Speaker 12: so Manila. Yes, Loki Mattafurustrella's personas. 658 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:03,360 Speaker 2: He says, in America were worth nothing and that's what 659 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:04,920 Speaker 2: kills and frustrates people. 660 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:07,239 Speaker 5: He is almost inferos. 661 00:44:13,960 --> 00:44:16,520 Speaker 7: At six pm, the clinic closes down for the day, 662 00:44:20,120 --> 00:44:22,719 Speaker 7: even though we won't be around to chase patients down 663 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:27,320 Speaker 7: the corridors with our microphones. Tomorrow, Community Health will reopen 664 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:29,680 Speaker 7: the doors and start the cycle again. 665 00:44:31,160 --> 00:44:49,800 Speaker 1: Looks legit all right, our thanks to the many patients, 666 00:44:49,840 --> 00:44:52,799 Speaker 1: staff and volunteers at Community Health who spoke with us, 667 00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:56,200 Speaker 1: especially those who allowed us into very intimate moments in 668 00:44:56,280 --> 00:45:21,320 Speaker 1: their lives. This story was produced by Antonio Serejido and 669 00:45:21,400 --> 00:45:26,200 Speaker 1: Sophia Palissa car and edited by Fernando Camarina. Additional reporting 670 00:45:26,320 --> 00:45:30,880 Speaker 1: contributed by Maggie Freeley. The Latino USA team includes Andrea 671 00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:36,440 Speaker 1: Lopez Crusado, Marta Martinez, Mike Sargent, Daisy Contredras, Victoria Estrada, 672 00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:41,680 Speaker 1: Renaldo Leanos Junior, Patricia Sulvaran, and Elizabeth Lenthal Torres. Our 673 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:45,680 Speaker 1: editorial director is Fernando Santos. Our director of Engineering is 674 00:45:45,719 --> 00:45:48,880 Speaker 1: Stephanie Lebau. Our senior engineer is Julia Caruso. Our associate 675 00:45:48,960 --> 00:45:52,280 Speaker 1: engineers are Gabriel Lebez and j J. Carubin. Our marketing 676 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:55,360 Speaker 1: manager is Luis Luna. Our theme music was composed by 677 00:45:55,440 --> 00:45:58,600 Speaker 1: Zanga Rubinos. I'm your host and executive producer Maria Jojosa. 678 00:45:59,000 --> 00:46:01,319 Speaker 1: Join us at our next episode. You can also find 679 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:04,360 Speaker 1: us on your social media, and I say not. 680 00:46:04,480 --> 00:46:06,160 Speaker 5: The rush. 681 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:12,480 Speaker 18: Funding for Latino USA is coverage of a culture of 682 00:46:12,600 --> 00:46:15,160 Speaker 18: Health is made possible in part by a grant from 683 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:19,160 Speaker 18: the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the John D. And Catherine T. 684 00:46:19,360 --> 00:46:25,279 Speaker 18: MacArthur Foundation, and the Ford Foundation, working with visionaries on 685 00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:27,719 Speaker 18: the front lines of social change worldwide. 686 00:46:32,680 --> 00:46:34,520 Speaker 3: You're also a member of a book club. 687 00:46:35,360 --> 00:46:38,080 Speaker 4: It's no book club. We call it anti book club. 688 00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:41,200 Speaker 4: I was in a book club and this a group 689 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:46,760 Speaker 4: of old ladies. What a little, a little grampy old ladies, 690 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:51,200 Speaker 4: I say, And the books were more like weapons. So 691 00:46:51,719 --> 00:46:57,640 Speaker 4: I say that's enough. I left the group and the well, 692 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:00,680 Speaker 4: this will be the anti book club. And we get 693 00:47:00,719 --> 00:47:04,919 Speaker 4: together once a month. We make dinner, and we watch 694 00:47:04,960 --> 00:47:09,399 Speaker 4: a movie. And the most important is to treat each 695 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:10,960 Speaker 4: other really nice.