As Americans enter the primary election season, Latino voters will be crucial in deciding the outcome of the 2024 election.
Stories by Acacia Hernandez
Chicago Food Pantries Report Stark Increase in Food Insecurity Amid Inflation, Decreased Federal Assistance
With inflation on the rise, and federal pandemic assistance expiring, food pantries and distributors say food insecurity across the city is spiking.
Venezuelan Asylum Seeker Designs Logo to Help Raise Funds for Group Aiding Migrants
For the many volunteers helping migrants living at Chicago police stations, raising funds is essential. One group teamed up with a Venezuelan migrant to design the logo on merchandise being sold to raise money for food, clothes and medicine for asylum seekers.
As Migrants Continue to Arrive in Chicago, Officials Call for Collaboration Across Levels of Government
This week marks one year since the first bus of asylum seekers was sent to Chicago from the southern border. More than 13,500 migrants have arrived in the city to date.
‘Safety Isn’t Just Physical’: CPS, Community Leaders on Back-to-School Safety in ‘A Safer City’ Conversation
With the second week of classes already under way, WTTW News reporter Joanna Hernandez moderated a live virtual conversation on back-to-school safety for children and youth in Chicago as part of the WTTW News: A Safer City initiative.
Why Hospitals Are Being Increasingly Targeted by Cyberattacks
Hacking is a growing concern for hospitals and health institutions. Cyberattacks on hospitals and health systems more than doubled from 2016 to 2021, according to a JAMA report.
Future Health Care Workers Aim to Build Trust Following Historically Racist Medical Experiments
Black and Latino students in health care career paths recently shared their findings on past experiments during a summer internship program at Rush University Medical Center.
Chicago Police Stop-and-Frisk Practices Could Gain Court Oversight, But Activists Say Deal Isn’t Enough
The city of Chicago and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office negotiated an agreement to shift oversight of CPD’s stop-and-frisk practices into a consent decree governing the department.
New Illinois Law That Allows Certain Non-Citizens to Join Law Enforcement Becomes a Flash Point
A new state law will soon allow non-citizens who are both legally eligible to work in the U.S. and authorized to possess firearms under federal law to become police officers and deputy sheriffs.
Chicago-Area Groups Work to Support, Aid Domestic Violence Survivors Amid Surge
An increase in domestic violence reports has not only highlighted the need for better legal protection and laws for survivors, but also the need for creating an improved network of care in cases of abuse. Dozens of organizations in Chicago are working to address those needs.
Parading and Peace: Celebrating 94 Years of the Bud Billiken Parade
Chicago’s historic Bud Billiken parade is the largest African American parade in the U.S., drawing in nearly 300,000 people and spanning almost 3 miles.
Local Officials, Organizers Working to Address Humboldt Park’s Growing Homeless Encampment
According to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, more than 65,000 Chicagoans are currently unhoused.
40 to 50 Migrants Arrive to Chicago by Bus Daily, Officials Say
Hundreds of migrant men, women and children continue to sleep on police station floors, despite efforts to move them into shelters.
A ‘Voices’ Community Conversation: Tackling Public Safety in Chicago
Chicago leaders joined “Chicago Tonight” co-host Brandis Friedman in a discussion focused on how residents, policymakers and community groups are working to address the deeply rooted issue of gun violence.
‘Immensely Invisible’ Details Investigation Into Sexual Assault Claims Inside ICE Detention Facilities
PBS NewsHour producer Zeba Warsi has been investigating sexual assault claims in ICE facilities since 2021. She teamed up with Latino USA and Futuro Investigates to tell the stories of three migrant women.
Breaking Down Bail: What Its Abolishment Means for Illinois and the Potential Impact
Illinois is set to become the first state in the nation to entirely eliminate cash bail. This is after the Illinois Supreme Court upheld a contentious portion of the criminal justice reform law known as the SAFE-T Act.
Pilsen’s Historic Fiesta del Sol Festival Celebrates 51 Years
It’s going to be a weekend full of vendors, artists and local food at the Fiesta Del Sol festival in Pilsen. This year, organizers are celebrating 51 years of a festival that spans an eight-block space along Cermak Road.
Addressing the Growing Imbalance Between Water Scarcity and Flooding in Northeastern Illinois
It might come as a surprise given our proximity to Lake Michigan, but some of Chicago’s neighbors could soon be facing a water shortage. According to a new report, flooding and scarcity can “wildly alternate in the same place or transpire in proximity to each other.”
Almost 2 Years Ago, Illinois Declared Gun Violence a Public Health Crisis. How Is That $250M Being Spent?
The program pushes $250 million in funds to the state’s hardest hit communities. Designed to interrupt and prevent gun violence, it’s a three-year investment that started at the end of 2021.
As Chicago NASCAR Weekend Nears, Residents and Workers Weigh In
It’s almost go time for NASCAR in Chicago. The 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course will run on Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue and South Columbus Drive. People are feeling all sorts of emotions — from excitement to curiosity to concern.
UChicago Alumnus Making NASCAR Xfinity Series Debut in City He Used to Call Home
Andre Castro is making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut this Saturday in Chicago. He’s used to street racing and skyline views, but stock cars will be a new one for him.
Chicago Officials Look Toward More Sustainable Model in Aiding Thousands of Asylum Seekers
More than 10,000 asylum seekers have arrived since last August — many sleeping on police station floors after congregate shelters reached capacity, spurring community organizations and churches to step in and help. Chicago is now aiming to create a model to operate as a truly “welcoming city.”
How Student ‘Peace Warriors’ Are Countering Violence on Chicago’s West Side
A group of students is countering violence on Chicago’s West Side by planting a peace garden and creating peace corners in classrooms in honor of Juneteenth. But this isn’t something out of the ordinary for them. They’re known as Peace Warriors — born out of North Lawndale College Prep almost 15 years ago.
10 Years After Historic School Closures, Englewood Residents Work to Transform Empty Buildings Into Community Hubs
Englewood had six elementary schools close in 2013 — the most in any neighborhood that year. But in the years since that upheaval, residents have found ways to help the community.
For Some Environmental Activists, the Fight Against Southside Recycling In Their Community Is Deeply Personal
Chicago Department of Public Health officials determined last year the operation posed an “unacceptable risk” to the health of nearby residents, following Environmental Protection Agency investigations and activism from local residents who said their neighborhood could not withstand the pollution they believe the new Southside Recycling facility will bring.
Edgewater Residents Call for Answers as City Eyes Broadway Armory as Possible Migrant Center
Broadway Armory Park is one of Chicago Park District’s largest indoor and active recreational facilities. Residents are worried this would mean youth and senior programs getting canceled or postponed and said it would be a loss for the neighborhood ahead of summer.
