The concept of “home” means different things to different people, including those in Chicago’s vibrant immigrant community. We hear from Erwin Lopez Rada, a Venezuelan immigrant now living in Chicago who was forced out of his country by political persecution. “It’s terrible to feel like you don’t belong in your own country,” he said.

For Lola Wang, a queer therapist who immigrated to the U.S. from China in 2014, creating a sense of home for other queer immigrants is her priority. “I kinda wish there was a space I can be both Asian and queer,” she said, “and that’s something I’m trying to build up for myself and for the people around me.”

These stories were produced by Nidhi Shastri and Ryland Pietras as part of the NextGen Radio Project from WBEZ and NPR.