CHICAGO — As Hispanic Heritage Month is underway, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden is continued her tour of Chicago Wednesday morning at Arturo Technical Institute.
The first lady held a roundtable discussion with Governor JB Pritzker and US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
Dr. Biden has been visiting cities across the country to have a charla, or a chat, about issues that are most important to the Latino community.
Dr. Biden said she wanted to hear directly from students who are most impacted by the administration’s policies. She said she felt right at home at the Chicago school Wednesday, as a longtime community college professor.
She visited two classrooms, one horticulture class where students learn how to professionally grow food, and another an electrical technology apprentice program.
Dr. Biden specifically asked how city college is recruiting female students. She was joined by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Pritzker. Then she had a roundtable discussion with Latino leaders from around the city to hear about how they grew up and the pride they have in their biculturalism.
The Biden-Harris administration said it’s celebrating its ongoing commitment to lifting up Latino families and communities. Dr. Biden said many of her students are Latino and that she is committed to making sure they have their voices heard, and they have the resources they need to, for example, pay for college.
“We’ve traveled the country and the bottom line is jobs, jobs, and that’s what these schools are providing at very little cost,” Dr. Biden said.
The students who had an opportunity to meet the first lady Wednesday said they are grateful she came and that she’s listening to them. She is now on her way to Pennsylvania to continue her tour.