Latino Voices

Latino Voices

Spanish Is Fading Across Generations. These Latino Parents Are Working to Keep It Alive

(WTTW News) Nationally, the share of Latinos who speak Spanish at home declined from 78% in 2000 to 68% in 2024, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. The decline has been particularly pronounced among U.S.-born Latinos, as English becomes increasingly dominant across generations. Read more >

Latino Voices

Grassroots Effort Grows Into Queer-Led Community Hub in Gage Park

Antonio Santos and Katia Martinez founded the Gage Park Latinx Council. (WTTW News) In a neighborhood where nearly 90% of residents identify as Latino and many families are rooted in Catholic traditions, the queer-led Gage Park Latinx Council has grown into a hub for families. Read more >

Black Voices

Black Voices

Smithsonian Head Lonnie Bunch on Preserving History, Retirement and Trump Administration Threats

FILE - Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch speaks at an event, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo / Allison Robbert, File) Lonnie Bunch was named secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 2019. He began his career at the Smithsonian at the National Air and Space Museum in 1978 and took on a new role in 2005 to lead the development of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago State University Gears Up for First-Ever Football Game

The Chicago State University football team at practice. (WTTW News) For Chicago State University, the first game will be about more than football. The university is hoping the new program can help build a new sports identity on Chicago’s South Side. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, March 18, 2023 - Full Show

(WTTW News) More paid leave is coming to Illinois workers. Why the state leads the country in student debt relief applications. And a hot take on the seriousness of Latin cuisine. Read more >

Latino Voices

Latino Entertainment Under the Sea at Shedd Aquarium’s Ritmo del Mar, March 25

Ritmo del Mar at the Shedd Aquarium is an adults-only evening that combines Latino music and culture with the aquatic life and cityscapes of the Shedd. (Shedd Aquarium) If you like a little salsa with your fish, Ritmo del Mar at the Shedd Aquarium might be the event for you. The adults-only evening will combine Latino music and cuisine with the aquatic life and cityscapes of the Shedd. Read more >

Latino Voices

Illinois Tops Nation in Applications for Student Loan Debt Relief

(WTTW News) Millions applied for student loan forgiveness before President Joe Biden’s plan was put on hold amid legal challenges. The forgiveness plan’s fate is now in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court, which just heard arguments on the case. Read more >

Latino Voices

A Shortage of Albuterol is About to Get Worse, Especially in Hospitals

Hospitals are closely watching an ongoing shortage of albuterol, which is used to treat people with breathing problems. (Adobe Stock) Liquid albuterol has been in short supply since last summer. Now, the news of a manufacturing plant shutdown worries some doctors who work with patients with breathing problems such as asthma. Read more >

Black Voices

Resilient Communities Participants on How Program Helped Get Them on Track

Deonte Baker was recovering from a violent attack when he was selected for the Resilient Communities program. “I was able to rebuild my life and feel good about it,” he said. (WTTW News) Last summer, the 5,000 Chicagoans selected to participate in the city’s guaranteed income pilot program began receiving $500 per month. The Resilient Communities program was designed to help income-qualified Chicagoans stabilize their financial circumstances. Read more >

Black Voices

Poetry Beyond the Page With Avery Young, Chicago’s First Poet Laureate

Poet avery young appears on “Black Voices” on April 29, 2023. (WTTW News) In a city known for its poets and poetry, being named Chicago’s first poet laureate is high praise and a tall order. But teacher, producer, composer, performer and poet avery young, who styles his name in all lowercase, said he can’t wait to get started serving as the city’s poetry ambassador. Read more >

Black Voices

Small Business Owner Gives ‘The Last Word’ on Second Chance Employment

Small business owner Gia Davis gives “the last word” on why she says hiring returning citizens just makes good business sense. (WTTW News) About 26,000 people leave Illinois prisons each year, and many of them report having trouble finding employment once they’re home. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 22, 2023 - Full Show

(WTTW News) Higher education in crisis after four minority-serving Illinois universities face faculty strikes. The influence of the American Library Association. And housing residents returning from prison. Read more >

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

Black Voices

Latino Voices

Spanish Is Fading Across Generations. These Latino Parents Are Working to Keep It Alive

(WTTW News) Nationally, the share of Latinos who speak Spanish at home declined from 78% in 2000 to 68% in 2024, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. The decline has been particularly pronounced among U.S.-born Latinos, as English becomes increasingly dominant across generations. Read more >

Black Voices

Some Consumers Are Boycotting Large Corporations Over DEI Rollbacks. Here’s What to Know

A file photo of a woman shopping. (Jovanmandic / iStock) The first of the boycotts happened last month, with more scheduled in the coming weeks. The effort includes boycotts of various companies and retailers during different time periods. Read more >

Latino Voices

Grassroots Effort Grows Into Queer-Led Community Hub in Gage Park

Antonio Santos and Katia Martinez founded the Gage Park Latinx Council. (WTTW News) In a neighborhood where nearly 90% of residents identify as Latino and many families are rooted in Catholic traditions, the queer-led Gage Park Latinx Council has grown into a hub for families. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago State University Gears Up for First-Ever Football Game

The Chicago State University football team at practice. (WTTW News) For Chicago State University, the first game will be about more than football. The university is hoping the new program can help build a new sports identity on Chicago’s South Side. Read more >

 

Black Voices

Storm Recovery Continues in Gary, as Thousands Still Without Power

The city of Gary, Ind., is pictured in a file photo. (WTTW News) Tuesday will mark two weeks since a derecho swept through Illinois and northwest Indiana, with winds damaging homes, uprooting trees and knocking out power for hundreds of thousands. Read more >

Latino Voices

New Short Film Showcases Life, Work of Puerto Rican Activist

The case and crew of the short film “Mataron A Pedro” at a screening in Chicago. (Carmona Rivera / National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture) Members of Chicago’s Puerto Rican community recently took park in a special screening of a new short film based on the life of Pedro Albizu Campos.  Read more >