Latino Voices

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 >

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 >

Black Voices

Black Voices

Curating Sounds and Tastes: Meet 2 Chicagoans Working to Make the Obama Presidential Center a Success

Visitors enjoy lunch in Tafari’s Kitchen at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago on May 12, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) There are a host of locals who acted as the behind-the-scenes cast to prepare the Obama Presidential Center for its opening ceremony. Read more >

Black Voices

From a Replica Oval Office to Michelle Obama’s Dresses, What’s Inside the Obama Presidential Center

Visitors experience the “Yes We Can” installation at the Obama Presidential Center Museum on March 1, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) WTTW News visited the Obama Presidential Center for a firsthand look at the exhibits, installations and everything in between. Read more >

Latino Voices

New US Race, Ethnicity Standards Proposed for First Time Since 1997

Census form. (WTTW News) The federal government’s standards haven’t been changed since 1997, two decades after they were created as part of an effort to collect consistent race and ethnicity data across federal agencies when handling censuses, federal surveys and application forms for government benefits. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Feb. 4, 2023 - Full Show

Michael Puente. (WTTW News) Proposed changes to the race and ethnicity boxes on government forms. Welcoming refugees in a new sponsorship program. And giving wellness some Latino flavor. Read more >

Latino Voices

Welcome Corps Program Allows Private Citizens to Sponsor Refugees to US

Refugees. (WTTW News) Refugees to America often find themselves starting from scratch, but a new program is offering everyday Americans a way to give refugees a softer landing. Read more >

Latino Voices

Latina Entrepreneurs Help People Find Ways to Wellness

Juice Vibe Bar in Berwyn. (WTTW News) Fitness instructor NK Gutierrez and juice bar owner Anabelle Martinez are helping people meet their wellness goals. Read more >

Black Voices

‘Chi Boy’ Examines Chicago’s Place in Black American History

“Chi Boy: Native Sons and Chicago Reckonings" by Keenan Norris. For young Black boys and men, Chicago can be a cradle and a crucible, a place where they can encounter both endless inspiration and endless despair. In “Chi Boy: Native Sons and Chicago Reckonings,” author Keenan Norris draws connections between the experiences of literary giants and those of his own father. Read more >

Black Voices

Oscars (Still) So White? 2023 Academy Awards Continue to Lack Representation

A still from “The Woman King.” (Sony Pictures) The 2023 Academy Awards will see historic Asian representation, but the Oscars are still coming under fire over issues of representation, even eight years after the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite led to a reckoning within the Academy. Read more >

Black Voices

Get to Know ‘Good Father Gus’ at Evenings with Tolton Events

Augustus Tolton was the first recognized African American Roman Catholic priest. (Provided) The first recognized African American Roman Catholic priest is on the road to sainthood. Augustus Tolton’s journey from enslaved child to priest is the subject of a series of events happening at the Tolton Heritage Center in Bronzeville. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, March 4, 2023 - Full Show

(WTTW News) New research shows that childbirth is still much deadlier for Black women — even those with the highest incomes. A new podcast retells a Bridgeport hate crime. And the Green Book for Black motorists during the Jim Crow era. 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

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 Tonight: Black Voices, Feb. 19, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on Feb. 19, 2025. (WTTW News) What’s in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget plan. An effort to lower Chicago’s default speed limit stalls. And civil rights icon Ida B. Wells is honored on a quarter. 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 >

Black Voices

From a Replica Oval Office to Michelle Obama’s Dresses, What’s Inside the Obama Presidential Center

Visitors experience the “Yes We Can” installation at the Obama Presidential Center Museum on March 1, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) WTTW News visited the Obama Presidential Center for a firsthand look at the exhibits, installations and everything in between. Read more >

 

Black Voices

South Side Residents Voice Gentrification Concerns Ahead of Obama Presidential Center Opening

The Women’s Garden at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago on Thursday, May 14, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) Despite years of organizing and city ordinances being put in place, rising housing costs and investor activity continue to threaten gentrification in neighborhoods surrounding the Obama Presidential Center. Read more >

Latino Voices

‘Like Lightning Struck’: Community Marks 60 Years Since the First Division Street Riot, Puerto Rican Rebellion

(Courtesy of the Chicago History Museum) While events for the community are planned for the entire weekend to celebrate Puerto Rican pride and culture, this year also honors the history of Chicago’s Boricua community — marking the 60-year anniversary of the first Division Street riot. Read more >