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

‘Other Washingtons’ Art Installation Aims to Reimagine Who We Choose to Remember

Amanda Williams' new art installation around the George Washington statue in Washington Park features artists, inventors, educators and leaders. (WTTW News) “Other Washingtons” is an art intervention located around the George Washington statue at 51st Street and Martin Luther King Drive that features artists, inventors, educators and other inspirational leaders, all with the last name Washington. Read more >

Black Voices

Take a Look Inside the 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright House a Chicago Nonprofit Is Working to Restore

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Walser House, a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2025. (Eric Allix Rogers) In the Austin community on Chicago’s West Side sits the J.J. Walser House, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1903. A local organization is working to preserve the landmark and transform it into a community asset for generations to come. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Feb. 20, 2025 - Full Show

Joanna Hernandez hosts the Feb. 20, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices." (WTTW News) 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. Read more >

Latino Voices

Mass Deportations a Cause of Concern for Illinois Restaurant Industry

(WTTW News) 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. Read more >

Latino Voices

West Side Filmmaking Program Empowers Teens to Challenge Narratives About Their Communities

Students at Luv City. (WTTW News) 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 >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Feb. 13, 2025 - Full Show

Joanna Hernandez hosts "Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices" on Feb. 13, 2025. (WTTW News) A push to require proof of citizenship when you register to vote. And love it or hate it — we explore the history of dibs. Read more >

Black Voices

Interim CPS CEO Macquline King on Budget Proposal, Borrowing and City Pensions

Interim CPS CEO Macquline King appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Aug. 27, 2025. (WTTW News) 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. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Aug. 20, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts the Aug. 20, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices." (WTTW News) The head of the Chicago Teachers Union on the district’s budget deficit and more. And prison lockdowns are on the rise — we explore the reasons. Read more >

Black Voices

Illinois’ SNAP Education Program to End Amid Federal Funding Cuts. How That Could Impact Local Communities

(Photography By Tonelson / iStock) More than 1 million Illinois residents have benefitted from an educational program that teaches SNAP recipients about nutrition. Read more >

Black Voices

CTU President Rejects Pritzker’s Assertion No More Money to Be Found in Springfield for Schools

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Aug. 20, 2025. (WTTW News) CPS is facing a $734 million shortfall with a deadline to pass a balanced budget coming next Friday, but the options facing CPS board members and the interim CEO appear to be narrowing. 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

Jahmal Cole on His Plan to Live in All 77 Chicago Community Areas: ‘I Want to Build Real Connections’

Jahmal Cole appears on “Chicago Tonight” on April 20, 2026. (WTTW News) Not many Chicagoans can say they’ve lived in each of the city’s 77 community areas. But Jahmal Cole, CEO and founder of the nonprofit My Block, My Hood, My City, is looking to do just that. 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

Take a Look Inside the 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright House a Chicago Nonprofit Is Working to Restore

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Walser House, a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2025. (Eric Allix Rogers) In the Austin community on Chicago’s West Side sits the J.J. Walser House, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1903. A local organization is working to preserve the landmark and transform it into a community asset for generations to come. Read more >

 

Black Voices

Free Boxing Club Empowers West Side Youth: ‘They Feel the Confidence’

(WTTW News) Roy Flowers started his boxing club in 2021 in the hopes of creating healthy, supportive spaces for the youth in his community. “I just wanted to be the mentor that I wish I had.” 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 >