The 2025 Raíces Report amplifies Latino voices, guiding policies on equity, justice, and community development for a stronger Illinois.
2025 Raíces Report: Advancing Equity, Justice, and Community Development
Research Archive
GCI maintains an archive of all published research. Publicly available documents are hosted online here.
For other GCI research, please send a request to gcities@uic.edu or contact the office.
Assessing Philanthropic Support for Latines in the Chicago Area
The report reveals disparities in funding for Latine organizations in Cook County, urging equitable and intersectional philanthropic approaches.
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Fuerza Mexicana: The Past, Present, and Power of Mexicans in Chicagoland
This report highlights the overlooked unique contributions and circumstances of Mexicans in Chicago and Cook County.
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Chicago Latino Neighborhoods Report Preview
The report details demographic shifts, income disparities, and gentrification impacting Chicago's Latino neighborhoods, highlighting economic and transportation challenges.
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Uneven Recovery and Sustained Inequality after the COVID-19 Recession
This data brief analyzes jobless and out-of-school rates in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and the U.S. by age, race/ethnicity, and sex.
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Research Brief: The Benefits of Health Coverage for Immigrants in Illinois
This research brief will provide context/value added to Illinois by extending targeted medical coverage to low-income undocumented adults.
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U.S. Policy Toward Latin America Fueling Historic Numbers of Asylum Seekers.
This report outlines evidence that U.S. economic warfare against Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua is a significant cause of the latest migration surge.
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New Great Cities Institute Report – “Chicago’s 2023 Mayoral Race: A Progressive Victory Amidst Shocking Low Turnout by Black and Latino Voters.”
Brandon Johnson’s election this past April as Chicago’s new mayor has been hailed across the country as an electrifying victory by progressive Democrats. But a detailed analysis of vote tallies and turnout conducted by Juan González and Matthew Wilson of the Great Cities Institute finds “a startling gap in voter turnout continues to persist along racial and ethnic lines” in Chicago.
Read the Full Report Here.
Report – “Latinos in the Suburbs: Challenges & Opportunities”
This report provides a multi-faceted analysis of Latinos living in the Chicago suburbs. More than 50% of the Illinois Latino population lives in the municipalities and counties surrounding Chicago. The report examines their general opportunities and hardships, how they fare, and the gaps in opportunities and hardships compared to their non-Latino counterparts.
Read the Full Report Here.
From Waste to Water: A Framework for Sustainable Freshwater Supply in Northeastern Illinois
Executive Summary: The present moment entails a new set of challenges to water management: A formidable challenge to water management is the growing imbalance between flooding and water scarcity. Because water recycling requires technical innovation and public health inquiry, as well as policy and urban planning considerations, we convened an interdisciplinary team to establish the research and development groundwork for water recycling.