A Convergence Project By Journalism Students at Roosevelt University
Heroes. They are people we admire. People who rise to the occasion in times of great trouble and difficulty. Those among us who defy fear and deny self in various acts of heroism when others among us turn to run the other way, sit in silence, or do nothing when life hangs tenuously in the balance, and the circumstances surrounding someone in need or in grave danger engulfs them like a wild blaze. Heroes dash into burning buildings in the hopes of saving lives, with no thought for their own. They put on a police officer’s uniform and badge each day to leave their families and go out into an oft dangerous and uncertain world to try and save someone else’s. They are our nurses. And doctors. Our teachers. They are even mothers and fathers. They are everyday people who stand in the gap between life and death, between hopelessness and hope, between height and depth. And they emerge in our most difficult hour, shine like the glint on polished chrome kissed by the sun.
A group of journalism students at Roosevelt University set out the spring semester of 2023, to cover a story about those among us who by their chosen vocation, or by their activism or social engagement, in some way or another embody the spirit of heroism.
They are not the kind of heroes we have come to imagine. Not the stuff of Marvel movies. Not super men or women. But ordinary people with extraordinary stories. Among them a donut maker and entrepreneur who is making a way for other immigrants as he molds his slice of the American dream.
It is the story of Ukrainian immigrants, some of them having fled to other countries and to America from their war-torn country but purposed and impassioned to continue to support their embattled countrymen back home, and to be a voice for those now scattered, many of them children, who face atrocities and uncertainty.
There are the heroes who comprise the Make-A-Wish Foundation and all those who sought to make a little girl’s day a little brighter and her family’s burdens a little lighter. These heroes include those who tend a local Goodwill store, the dedicated staff at Sarah’s Inn that is a refuge and resource for women who face domestic violence; and also Rise, a non-profit organization for female survivors of trauma and abuse. These are among the stories in this abridged version of our project. It is a story of hope and humanity. A story of ordinary people with extraordinary stories. We call them "Unsung Heroes." —Professor John W. Fountain
Hero - "A person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities."
"An Unsung Hero is a person who has achieved great things or committed acts of bravery or self-sacrifice, yet is not celebrated or recognized."
A MAN, A DONUT SHOP, AND HIS AMERICAN DREAM — Story and Photos By SAUL RODRIGUEZ
IT IS 11 O’CLOCK ON a Saturday morning, a time when lunch might normally be on everyone's minds by now, but not on this day. Today, they are hunting down the best donut in town in a little shop in downtown Elmhurst, Illinois, named Hello Donut.
That’s apparently because Hello Donut isn’t just any old donut shop. It's taking donuts to new places perhaps you’ve never dreamed of. And the shop’s employees seem to love the donuts as much as the customers do.
Hello Donut was opened in 2021 by Mexican-born entrepreneur Rafael Hernandez, a native of Zinaparo, Michoacan.
Hernandez says his family is filled with carpenters and bakers, to no one's surprise. Growing up, he dreamed of being an engineer dealing with electricity or construction. He is actually in the construction business because he is looking to construct the perfect donut.
From Nutella Italian to Mexican Mole, Hernandez is looking at different ways to attract all cultures, including his own. His main goal with Hello Donut is to have people from all over the world come in and find a little something that reminds them of home.
That energy of trying to bring people together is a crucial element of Hello Donut. Friends and associates say that what Hernández puts into the shop is inspirational in itself. That process includes icing the donuts with chocolate and beginning to make them as early as six o’clock in the morning. But his dedication goes beyond the baking.
"I want people to feel welcomed when they come here. I want them to taste a donut and feel pure happiness," says Hernandez. The mural inside the shop has multiple flags and that is just one piece of scenery that when you walk in you see and you understand what Hernandez’s goal is. Hernandez also knows that capturing what different generations are looking for, is a tall task.
"The new generations are tough. "You have to try and understand them and find what they are looking for," said Hernandez. "You have to also show them a bit of the tradition from those who came before them. They might have heard of many things, but I want to show them and teach them so they can make memories of their own."
Hernandez first came to the United States at age 20 with nothing but clothes on his back. During his time here, he has worked a multitude of different jobs. Many of them taught him a lot of what he knows today. He says that while working at different restaurants, he also took classes where he learned the craft of confectionery.
Soon after that, he began to take a course on business with the full support of his family and friends. Years later, he was able to find a partner who helped him open up the first Hello Donut...
“The economic part is one of the main obstacles that I faced when opening the first store. A lot of people and companies do not believe in you and it makes it hard to obtain the capital to get your business off and running,” Hernandez says about the challenges he faced when looking to open his shop.
The Little Donut Shop That Could
Trays for Days, An Endless Supply for Patrons
Hard at Working His American Dream That Also Provides The Stuff of Dreams for His Employees
From Nutella Italian to Mexican Mole, Hernandez's creativity with his donuts speaks for itself
Like Iced Jewels
Bake It And They will Come
A Line To Sweetness
Deliciousness
A LITTLE GIRL, A FAMILY MAKE A WISH; HEROES MAKE IT COME TRUE — story and photo BY ALONZO TYLER
MONDAY, FEB. 14, WAS GAME DAY for the entire team. They only had two days to get everything together. One of the brand associates at Old Navy in Chicago Ridge had begun working on the balloon arch for the entrance way, but couldn’t do it alone. So they enlisted the help of a friend, Dominic Pitts, 27, assistant store manager at Banter Piercing Pagoda. “I love children; I wanted to assist with volunteering because I wanted more charity hours on my resume,” Pitts said.
The star charity in this case was Make-A-Wish, a nationwide charitable foundation that specializes in making the dream of children with debilitating and deadly illnesses come true. The charity has granted more than 16,000 wishes since 1985, according to foundation of officials, and continues its mission of helping children in need, according to the organization’s published literature.
But the real star on this occasion held at Old Navy's store in downtown Chicago was a little girl named Maggie. She is 6, and being cared for by her mom and dad. Maggie is also “non-verbal,” which in her case means that she can listen to others but cannot respond verbally. In addition to being non-verbal, Maggie also suffers bone-marrow failure disorder, according to Make-A-Wish.
On Wednesday, Feb. 15, around 2:30 p.m., with all preparations complete for Maggie's day, her mother, father, and sister walked into the store amid the balloons, stars, and other decorations, all just for Maggie, and made possible by Make-A-Wish joining forces with Old Navy to help an ailing little girl and her family smile. To be her hero, at least for a day, allowing her and her family to shop at the store free of charge. Her grateful family smiled. Maggie slept soundly in a wheelchair
SARAH'S INN IS SHOULDER FOR ABUSED WOMEN TO LEAN ON, BUILD PATH TO BECOMING THEIR OWN HERO — story by ALEXANDRA SAMARGIA
RUNNING FREE WITH SIBLINGS and friends in Argentina, going to carnivals with mugs filled with water, surrounded by a big family with two brothers and six sisters. “It was a beautiful time in my life.” These are Antoliana Caceres’ recollections. She is a 42-year-old woman who believes that the story of her journey to hell and back needs to be told.
During an interview recently, she manages to talk about her family and future with a smile and optimism, despite the abuse she says she once suffered at the hands of her now ex-husband. Sitting in a house that finally feels like home, the mother of two sons, ages 16 and 19, is now making her way in the world as a hairstylist. 19 and 16. By her own account and others', she is a domestic abuse survivor. An overcomer.
Called “strong” and “brave” by those who know her, Caceres is proof and a testament to the power of how organizations like Sarah’s Inn, a domestic violence agency, can help save lives. This is her story and theirs. Indeed Sarah’s Inn focuses on giving support, counseling, advocacy, and a safe space for survivors of domestic violence.
“I attend regular support groups and was provided support through the legal process,” Caceres said, adding that she is grateful for their helping hand. “I was accompanied to court and was given that support through contacting my attorney as well. They have helped me just move forward in life.”
One in four women experience domestic violence, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). One in 15 children are exposed to domestic violence, with 90 percent of these children being eyewitnesses to the violence.
Liz Figueroa-Serrano, who is Caceres’ advocate through Sarah’s Inn,, expressed deep admiration for her. “Antoliana is one of the strongest women I have ever encountered, and I am honored to have worked with them,” Figueroa-Serrano said. “I think she minimizes how much she has accomplished in life throughout this difficult journey that she has lived.”
Caceres’ future goals, she says, are just to be happy and healthy, to help others, never give up, reminding herself that life goes on and that she is capable, and of the lessons she has learned along the journey.
“I would give my younger self the advice of staying strong and allowing things to happen. If I was born again, I would be a different person,” Caceres said.
“She’s come a long way and I am so proud of her, and the things she has accomplished,” Figueroa-Serrano said.
MORE ON SARAH'S INN from reporter ANTHONY PIZANA
Sarah’s Inn, created in 1980 in River Forest and Oak Park to address the lack of services for victims of domestic violence and their families, currently serves the city of Chicago and 22 suburban communities in Cook County, with their main building located in Forest Park. The organization encourages people to become involved as a volunteer, whether it is through working in the crisis line, community outreach, and ultimately education.
Sarah’s Inn also encourages people to participate in their donation drives or fundraisers if they don’t have time to spare. Sarah’s Inn has a 24-hour crisis line available whether someone contacts the organization through calling or texting. The organization’s website lists resources.
To reach Sarah’s Inn: 24-HOUR CRISIS LINE: 708-386-4225 (phone); 708-669-6149 (text)
HEROES OF UKRAINE : THE HEART, SOUL AND HOPE OF A NATION AT WAR — story and photo by Marta Kotsur
Reporter Marta Kotsur (right) is Ukrainian and writes of covering an event here in Chicago to mark the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine
FEBRUARY IS THE SHORTEST MONTH for everyone, but for Ukrainians, it became the longest. On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia began a full-scale attack on Ukraine’s territory and its people. Since then, 8 million people, according to United Nations data, were forced to leave their homes and move. Move towards uncertainty, a new strange future to somewhere they would hardly ever be able to call home.
Among those places is Chicago, the second largest Ukrainian community in the United States. According to the statistics on Axios portal, Illinois was home to 54,000 Ukrainians before the invasion. Recent numbers are currently unavailable, but most likely have increased amid the displacement of Ukrainians who have sought refuge worldwide from their war-torn country.
Indeed Friday, on Feb. 24, which marked a year since Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chicagoans gathered near Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ukrainian Village for a peaceful rally sponsored by “Help Heroes of Ukraine,” a charitable organization, to pay respect and show the world that the war is still not over. To lift their voices and stand in solidarity with their countrymen who continue to fight against Russian forces thousands of miles and a world away.
To stand as soldiers of a different kind—without uniform, guns or tanks—on this side of the war but no less fervent in their fight to save their country and to someday return to their beloved homeland. Many are their number.
“Since the first days of war, I was collecting humanitarian aid and helping refugees on Polish border,” said Ivan Kuchyrka, one of the protestors. “We rented buses to drive people to Krakow, Lodz, Warsaw and many other cities to safety. “Even though I’m in Chicago right now, I still help in any way I can,” Kuchyrka added. “My family and I donate to Ukrainian army weekly.”
Despite the cold and snow, hundreds of people holding blue and yellow flags and posters showed up at the rally held on the city’s Near West Side to show their support. Besides the “Help Heroes of Ukraine” team, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and Congressmen Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Chicago) were also among the speakers.
“This thing that I got a year ago when I came here, I have it in my car every single day in my window, so that people passing by know of my resolve, that we stand with Ukraine,” Lightfoot said, holding up a small Ukrainian flag. “And it reminds me that, no matter how tough we think we have it here, we know nothing of the daily sacrifices of the people there, who are hungry, who are cold, who are burying their dead, who are mourning the losses every single day, but nonetheless, will never be broken… God bless you, God bless Ukraine, we must fight on to victory,” Lightfoot added.
UNITING FOR UKRAINE
The United States has been among the strongest supporters of Ukraine. President Joe Biden reminded the whole world about it with his recent visit to Kyiv. According to NBC News, more than 271,000 Ukrainian refugees were admitted through the U.S. borders since Russian invasion. Last year, Biden supported the launch of “Uniting for Ukraine” – a program that allows Ukrainian refugees to come to the U.S. on a parole to live and work in safety. More than 117,000 were admitted via “U4U” (Uniting for Ukraine).
“I came to Chicago in December with my mom and my little brother. Before that, we stayed in Lviv, and we didn’t want to leave because that’s our home, and it was relatively safer than other regions,” said Elmira Zakaliuk, who was working in logistics back in Ukraine. “But when Russia started destroying power plants, and the whole Ukraine was left with almost no electricity, it became impossible to simply live a normal life.
“If we got 3 hours of electricity a day, it was a treasure. That’s when we decided that we should leave for now, and my uncle became our sponsor to come to the US,” Zakaliuk added. “Now that we’re safe, we still remember that we owe our safety back home to our brave soldiers, and of course, always donate to AFU (Armed Forces of Ukraine).”
Uniting for Ukraine became salvation for many people. After the war started, lines to U.S. embassies to apply for a visa were packed months in advance. U4U does not require an interview at the consulate – everything is done electronically: A sponsor creates an application for a person they would like to sponsor, and if application is approved, they are authorized to travel to the U.S. However, a sponsor is not responsible for financing and is not legally obligated to do so. Because of that, many Ukrainians can attest, there can be many unpleasant situations.
“When my wife saw a post on Facebook of a woman asking for help, I was very shocked,” said Yurii Voitovych, a truck driver. “It was a woman from Mariupol, who recently came to the U.S., but her sponsor decided that he doesn’t want to help her anymore, so she had nowhere to go.
“We immediately offered her to stay at our place for as long as she wants. She stayed with us for three months, until she was able to get a job and eventually rent a place,” Voitovych added. “My wife and I were very happy to help her, because it’s important to help our people in such hard times.”
A SPIRIT OF HOPE AND RESISTANCE
Despite the snow falling from Chicago’s skies at the protest in support of Ukraine, the cheering and fire in people’s eyes was not dampened. Even though Ukraine is thousands of miles away from Chicago, not only Ukrainians care deeply about what’s happening there.
“The crisis that is happening right now in Ukraine is beyond inhumane. No people deserve to be going through what Ukrainians deal with,” said Leroy Watson, a social worker. “I came here, first of all, because I believe in Ukraine’s right to sovereignty. Ukrainians deserve to live in safety, just like everyone else in this world does. Putin will be punished for his crimes, and Ukrainians will prosper.
“I stand here today to show my respect to this nation,” Watson added.
Though it was a tough year for Ukraine, its spirit, if the Chicago protest and Ukraine’s continued resistance are any indicator, does not die. It is a spirit that rises in millions of voices throughout the world. Voices of ordinary people who have one thing in common: a purpose to help. As long as those voices hear each other, proponents say. the support will never stop.
