"We Came Here To Work"

What does it mean to serve a country that doesn’t always serve you back?

In this episode of The Missing Exhibition: Building Aquí, we trace the life of Frank Corona — a Vietnam War veteran and the first Latino firefighter hired by the Chicago Fire Department — whose story embodies both sacrifice and endurance. Corona agreed to put his life on the line overseas and at home, navigating racism from fellow soldiers and firefighters while remaining steadfast in his commitment to public service.

“We Came Here To Work” also widens the lens, examining the long history of “pendulum policies” that welcome labor from Latine countries in moments of economic need, only to criminalize and expel those same workers when political winds shift. Through the connections between U.S. foreign policy across the Americas and migration driven by the search for work, the episode situates Corona’s story within a much larger system.

At once a declaration of purpose, a shield against bigotry, and a demand for dignity, “we came here to work” emerges as a phrase layered with pride, pain, and unresolved tension — and a reminder of how deeply Latine labor has shaped Chicago and the nation itself.