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.
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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.
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‘It’s Really Heartbreaking’: Undocumented Parents Share Their Experiences Amid Fears of Mass Deportations
Many undocumented families describe their lives as living in the shadows since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Mixed-status families who have called Chicago home for decades are feeling the impact of Trump’s promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Feb. 20, 2025 - Full Show
Schools are facing a deadline to cut diversity programs or lose funding — how it could change the education landscape. And inside a local organization helping teens tell their stories.
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Mass Deportations a Cause of Concern for Illinois Restaurant Industry
The U.S. restaurant industry relies on the labor of undocumented immigrants. But in the wake of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation orders, some Illinois restaurant owners are raising concerns.
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West Side Filmmaking Program Empowers Teens to Challenge Narratives About Their Communities
Luv City focuses on youth violence prevention on Chicago’s West Side. Students delve into the world of digital media — learning about film production, editing, photography and acting.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Aug. 27, 2025 - Full Show
How local officials plan to push back if the National Guard is deployed here. And the head of Chicago Public Schools on a crucial budget vote.
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Austin Community Hub Creating New Opportunities for West Side Residents
In 2013, Emmet Elementary School was one of 50 schools closed by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools. The Westside Health Authority and Austin Coming Together collaborated to redevelop the vacant building.
Read more >Black Voices
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on the National Guard, Cash Bail and Civil Commitments
President Donald Trump has threatened to send National Guard troops to Chicago to address crime, calling the city “a killing field” despite violent crime being on a downward trend.
Read more >Black Voices
Interim CPS CEO Macquline King on Budget Proposal, Borrowing and City Pensions
CPS officials have laid out a plan that aims to fill a $734 million budget gap. But there’s still debate over whether a loan should be a part of the final plan — and whether the district should take on a $175 million pension payment.
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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
Redistricting War Accelerates Winner-Take-All Political Combat That’s Straining American Democracy
President Donald Trump ignited the conflict over redistricting last year by urging Republicans to redraw congressional maps to reduce the likelihood that his party loses the U.S. House in the November midterm elections.
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.
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