Latino Voices
Latino Voices
Spanish Is Fading Across Generations. These Latino Parents Are Working to Keep It Alive
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
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
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
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, Feb. 25, 2023 - Full Show
What issues are driving Latino voters to the polls? One-on-one with labor activist Dolores Huerta. And supporting Los Toros with a new hat by a local fan.
Read more >Latino Voices
Behind the Brim with ‘Los Toros’ Hat Artist Abel Arciniega
For the fifth year running, the Chicago Bulls rolled out their BMO Artist Hat Series: six limited-edition hats featuring local artists’ spins on the team’s iconic logo. Among this year’s hats was a Mexican-tinged design created by artist and Chicago native Abel Arciniega.
Read more >Latino Voices
At 92, Activist Dolores Huerta is Still in the Fight
It’s a simple sentiment, but the phrase “sí se puede” or “yes we can” has powered demands for justice around the world. The woman behind those words is Dolores Huerta, one of the most influential labor activists in America and the leader of the Chicano civil rights movement.
Read more >Latino Voices
Mexico Native ‘Physician Magician’ Has More Than Magic Up His Sleeve
Neonatologist, professor and magician Ricardo Rosenkranz performs as the "Physician Magician" or “El Mago Medico," offering performances in English and Spanish at a Rogers Park theater.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 8, 2023 - Full Show
The city elects its third Black mayor in history. Double standards in women’s basketball. “A Soldier’s Play” takes the stage. And the last word from a woman who sleeps outside to prove her friendship.
Read more >Black Voices
Women’s NCAA Championship Controversy Reignites Conversations About Double Standards for Black Women in Sports
Louisiana State University women’s college basketball star Angel Reese has been in the center of conversations about double standards Black women face in sports, in light of the final moments of LSU’s national championship game against the University of Iowa.
Read more >Black Voices
‘The Last Word’ on What Being a Friend Truly Means
Activist Aleta Clark has hosted “sleep outs” under a Pilsen viaduct to raise funds to support Chicago's homeless communities and open a shelter.
Read more >Black Voices
‘A Soldier’s Play’ Explores Racism, Brotherhood on Military Base
Norm Lewis stars as Capt. Richard Davenport in “A Soldier’s Play” at the CIBC Theatre through April 16. The show depicts a Black soldier’s experience during WWII.
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
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
Trump Administration’s Anti-DEI Efforts Now Aimed at College Campuses, Including in Illinois
UChicago is among nearly 50 institutions under investigation for alleged racial discrimination related to DEI programs. Namely, the college’s partnership with the PhD Project, a nonprofit that aims to increase diversity in the business world.
Read more >Latino Voices
Grassroots Effort Grows Into Queer-Led Community Hub in Gage Park
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
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
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
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 >