Latino Voices

Thursdays at 5:30 and 10 pm

Latino Voices

Under Threat of ICE Strikes, El Grito Canceled and Communities Prepare for Mexican Independence Day Celebrations

A community group in Pilsen is handing out whistles so residents can alert each other about ICE raids. (WTTW News) Immigration and Customs Enforcement strike teams are likely to begin operations around Chicago in the coming days, and local officials expect agents to target large gatherings like Sunday’s parade in Little Village and Saturday’s 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade in Pilsen. Read more >

Latino Voices

Venezuela’s Ruling Party Maintains Control Amid Election Boycotts. What That Means Going Forward

A file photo of an election site in Venezuela. (WTTW News via CNN) Latin America is in the midst of a crucial election year in countries including Venezuela, whose ruling party claimed another win last month amid opposition boycotts. Advocates say last month’s results could further roil the country’s political landscape. Read more >

Black Voices

Wednesdays at 5:30 and 10 pm

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 3, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts the Sept. 3, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices." (WTTW News) Community groups prepare for federal troops in Chicago. And the city’s minimum wage for tipped workers is going up — a look at the impact. Read more >

Black Voices

How Chicago’s Changes to Tipped Minimum Wage Are Impacting Businesses, Workers

(DGLimages / iStock) While Mayor Brandon Johnson and advocates say phasing out the tipped minimum wage helps the city’s lowest-paid workers, critics worry about the higher labor costs facing restaurants. Read more >

Latino Voices

Pilsen Church ‘Not Going to Be Sitting Ducks,’ Moves Spanish Services Online Amid Deportation Fears

Lincoln United Methodist Church in Pilsen is shown in a file photo. (WTTW News) As Inauguration Day approaches, President-elect Donald Trump’s declaration to launch the “largest deportation operation in American history” is spreading fear across immigrant communities around the country. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Jan. 2, 2025 - Full Show

How Illinois is tackling pay disparities. Tips for staying consistent with New Year’s resolutions. And the Chicago Astronomer breaks down what the stars are up to in 2025. Read more >

Latino Voices

When It Comes to Keeping a Resolution, the Why Matters. Tips for Staying Consistent in 2025

(Tina Zupancic / iStock) For many, a new year often means new beginnings. But keeping up with resolutions is not always easy. Read more >

Latino Voices

Lunar Eclipse, Moon Occultation and a Parade of Planets: What’s Coming to Chicago Skies in 2025

A total lunar eclipse, seen from Joshua Tree National Park in 2015. (Brad Sutton / National Park Service) In Chicago, the skyline can light up the night — but look a little higher and the stars will put on a show, too. Read more >

Black Voices

New DuSable Park Plans Include Boardwalk, Pavilion Along Chicago Lakefront

(Courtesy of Ross Barney Architects) The life and legacy of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, who is largely referred to as Chicago’s founder, is being honored at a new park just east of where the Haitian-born trader settled near the river. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 23, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on April 23, 2025. (WTTW News) Emotional testimony at the sentencing hearing of the Highland Park parade shooter. And a long-stalled push for reparations in Chicago is moving forward. Read more >

Black Voices

Jamila Woods Teams With Black Chamber Music Collective to Create ‘Sound Healing Experience’

Left: Jamila Woods (Provided). Right: D-Composed (Seed Lynn) Singer, poet and South Side native Jamila Woods has been using music as a tool for self-healing for most of her life. She first found the power of an artistic community in her grandmother’s church choir and now finds a similar solace through connections with fans and musicians alike. Read more >

Black Voices

CTU President Stacy Davis Gates On ‘Historic’ Contract Ratification, Future of Chicago Public Schools

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates appears on "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on April 16, 2025. (WTTW News) After nearly a year of bargaining, the Chicago Teachers Union is one step closer to finalizing a deal with Chicago Public Schools. The contract now needs approval from the Chicago Board of Education. Read more >

Support for CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES is provided by The Chicago Community Trust.

Additional support is provided by Lloyd A. Fry Foundation and Julian Grace Foundation.

Support for CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES is provided by The Chicago Community Trust.

Additional support is provided by Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Julian Grace Foundation, and Gertrude Dyane and James H. Wooten, Jr..


Join WTTW News every weekend for analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts and life, entrepreneurship and innovation, and equity and justice across the sectors of our society and in the Black and Latino communities in Chicago. Make the VOICES series your definitive source for real conversation and a platform for different voices and perspectives.

Latino Voices

Thursdays at 5:30 and 10 pm

Black Voices

Wednesdays at 5:30 and 10 pm

Latino Voices

Under Threat of ICE Strikes, El Grito Canceled and Communities Prepare for Mexican Independence Day Celebrations

A community group in Pilsen is handing out whistles so residents can alert each other about ICE raids. (WTTW News) Immigration and Customs Enforcement strike teams are likely to begin operations around Chicago in the coming days, and local officials expect agents to target large gatherings like Sunday’s parade in Little Village and Saturday’s 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade in Pilsen. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Program Put 30,000 Young People to Work This Summer

The Chicago skyline is pictured in a file photo. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) The city’s One Summer Chicago program put 30,000 young people to work this year, providing jobs in transportation, health care, business and more. Read more >

Latino Voices

Venezuela’s Ruling Party Maintains Control Amid Election Boycotts. What That Means Going Forward

A file photo of an election site in Venezuela. (WTTW News via CNN) Latin America is in the midst of a crucial election year in countries including Venezuela, whose ruling party claimed another win last month amid opposition boycotts. Advocates say last month’s results could further roil the country’s political landscape. Read more >

Black Voices

How Chicago’s Changes to Tipped Minimum Wage Are Impacting Businesses, Workers

(DGLimages / iStock) While Mayor Brandon Johnson and advocates say phasing out the tipped minimum wage helps the city’s lowest-paid workers, critics worry about the higher labor costs facing restaurants. Read more >

 

Black Voices

New Documentary Explores History, Evolving Legacy of HBCUs

A still from the documentary “Opportunity, Access and Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs." HBCUs, or historically Black colleges and universities, have been around for more than 188 years. They were founded out of necessity when predominantly White institutions barred Black students from attending. Read more >

Latino Voices

Local Illustrator Explores Growing Up in an Immigrant Household in New Children’s Book

An image from “Tíos and Primos” by Jacqueline Alcántara. (Courtesy of Penguin Random House) Writer and illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara draws from her own childhood to help kids navigate their diverse identities in her new book called “Tíos and Primos” — Spanish for “aunts, uncles and cousins.” Read more >

Support for CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES is provided by The Chicago Community Trust.

Additional support is provided by Lloyd A. Fry Foundation and Julian Grace Foundation.

Support for CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES is provided by The Chicago Community Trust.

Additional support is provided by Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Julian Grace Foundation, and Gertrude Dyane and James H. Wooten, Jr..