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, Sept. 10, 2022 - Full Show

Phil Ponce. (WTTW News) Local organizations help newly-arrived immigrants. Plus, how traffic safety contributes to public safety. And the Last Word on embracing the unexpected things in life.  Read more >

Latino Voices

Pilsen Graffiti Artist Receives Showcase in Elmhurst

For the first time, the work of a Pilsen graffiti artist is being showcased inside — at the Elmhurst Art Museum to be exact. Sentrock shares the message behind his graffiti character seen flying around the city. Read more >

Latino Voices

Traffic Deaths Are On Rise This Year. How Does Chicago’s Segregation Impact Safety?

(WTTW News) Estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate that the rates of traffic-related deaths are the highest they’ve been in 20 years. An analysis by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine suggests Latino and Black Americans are disproportionately affected by vehicular fatalities.  Read more >

Latino Voices

Get Your Grito On at Pilsen Fest, Sept. 17 and 18

(Credit: Pilsen Fest) Chicago’s festival season and Hispanic Heritage Month are due to intersect at 18th Street and Blue Island on Sept. 17 and 18 when Pilsen Fest brings Mexican art, music, and of course food to the heart of the historic neighborhood. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Oct. 8, 2022 - Full Show

(WTTW News) Following up on our series, Permanent Punishment, a look at the legal routes to clearing a criminal record. Young Steppenwolf artists remember the tragedy that touched off the Chicago race riots of 1919. And nailing art. Read more >

Black Voices

‘We Walk Lawndale’ Outdoor Exhibit Celebrates Black Culture Oct. 16

(Credit: We Walk Lawndale) The Haitian American Museum of Chicago, in collaboration with the North Lawndale Pop Up Spot and Crossing Borders Music, are hosting an upcoming traveling exhibit kicking off Oct. 16 in North Lawndale. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Oct. 1, 2022 - Full Show

(WTTW News) Queen Elizabeth’s death is sparking questions about the history of the British Empire. Plus, the mother of Hadiya Pendleton on preventing gun violence and raising awareness of kidney disease. Read more >

Black Voices

‘Hypocrisy of Justice’ Symposium to Explore Current Issues of Injustice in Chicago

(WTTW News) On Saturday, Oct. 8, activists, scholars, artists and journalists are convening at the Logan Center for the Arts in moderated discussions centered on the themes of injustice explored in Richard Wright’s 1940 novel “Native Son.” 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

Johnson’s Anti-Violence Effort ‘Just Getting Started,’ 1 Year After It Began, Officials Say

Joseph Mapp, Chicago’s director of reentry, and Deputy Mayor Garien Gatewood appear on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Jan. 22, 2025. (WTTW News) A 33-page evaluation of the first year of the push dubbed the People’s Plan for Community Safety promises to continue working to reduce crime and violence by “addressing the root causes of harm and investing in communities and people.” 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 >