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, Oct. 22, 2022 - Full Show

Phil Ponce. (WTTW News) Health professionals push flu and COVID vaccines — what you need to know. Calls for more Latino political representation. And exploring mental health through dance. Read more >

Latino Voices

Advocates Push for More Latino Representation in Politics

Despite a growth in population size, the Latino community is underrepresented in politics, with less than 2% of Latinos in elected positions nationwide.  Read more >

Latino Voices

Health Care Officials Expect Rough Winter for Respiratory Illness

(WTTW News) Winter is on the way, and with it come respiratory illnesses like cold, flu, and COVID-19. And nationwide, hospitals are seeing an alarming rise in cases of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. Read more >

Latino Voices

Owners of La Michoacána Shop Sharing Mexico’s Ice Cream Culture With Chicagoans

Paletas at Paleteria Las Delicias de la Michoacána. (WTTW News) The history of La Michoacána goes back decades to a small town named Tocumbo in Michoacán. The brand name has given people like the Garcias opportunities to open their own independent businesses. Read more >

Black Voices

Community Activists Question How Relaunched Chicago Police Gang Database Will Impact Black Chicagoans

(WTTW News) Chicago Police Department officials are looking to bring back a system that would track Chicagoans they believe to be members of gangs. But it’s not without controversy and pushback.  Read more >

Black Voices

Celebrating the Culture, Conversation and Comedy of Black Twitter As Social Media Company Faces Uncertainty

(WTTW News) From the moment Elon Musk took the reins at social media platform Twitter, chaos has seemed to envelop the site. But even on Nov. 17, when the farewell tweets were flying and users feared the site would implode, Black Twitter was still Black Twittering. Read more >

Black Voices

Cook County Guaranteed Income Pilot Prepares Participants for First Payments

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle speaks to participants of the Cook County Promise guaranteed income pilot on Nov. 16, 2022. (WTTW News) At an enrollment event this week, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle welcomed some of the more than 3,000 participants in the Cook County Promise guaranteed income pilot. The participants, who were selected by lottery, are set to receive their first monthly payment of $500 on Dec. 15. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Musician and Artist Joining Together to Inspire Next Generation

(WTTW News) Musician Nico Segal and contemporary artist Nikko Washington are engaging young artists in a creative partnership with nonprofit Play Together. The collaboration is encouraging students to create either artwork or music based on prompts.  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

Keke Palmer on Embracing Natural Beauty, Celebrating Black Female Friendship in ‘One of Them Days’

Keke Palmer appears on "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on Feb. 5, 2025. (WTTW News) The Chicago-area native recently returned to the city to celebrate natural hair and Black Heritage Month at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. She’s on a high after starring alongside SZA in the country’s No. 1 comedy flick “One of Them Days.” 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 >