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.
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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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From Amazon to Starbucks, Illinois Labor Advocates Push for the Right to Organize in New Fields
Chicago union organizing has played a big role in everyday life ranging from Labor Day to the eight-hour workday. But it’s not all history, with workers in a variety of fields trying to unionize and change labor laws in the state.
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Thalia Hall Block Party Brings Local Music Acts to Allport Street
The Thalia Hall Block Party will bring live music and food vendors to Allport Street directly in front of the historic music hall. Organizers are hoping it will become an annual tradition.
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Chicago Band Así Así Releases Debut Indie Rock Album, ‘Mal de Otros’
Chicago band Así Así layers psychedelic, electronic, and surf sounds to create a moody blend of indie rock on their debut album “Mal de Otros,” released Aug. 18.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Aug. 13, 2022 - Full Show
The lone Latino lawmaker in Indiana and his thoughts on political representation. Plus, pharmacy deserts on the city’s west side. And Discount Mall vendors searching for answers.
Read more >Black Voices
Interim Police Oversight Commissioners Begin Work to Restore Trust
This week, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the names of seven interim commissioners who will make up the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, Chicago’s first civilian police oversight board. The group is charged with a tall order: rebuilding public trust in the department.
Read more >Black Voices
Unemployment Rate for Black Chicagoans More than Double Rate for White Residents. Community Organizations Working to Close the Gap.
While the overall unemployment rate for Chicago is nearly 5.8% in August, the rate for Black residents is more than twice that, at 14.3%.
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Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 3, 2022 - Full Show
Why the Black unemployment rate in Chicago is nearly three-times the rate for White Chicagoans. Plus, some of the city’s newest civilian police oversight commissioners and Taylor Bennett’s new tracks.
Read more >Black Voices
‘Black Voices’ Community Conversation: Education Equity As New School Year Starts
On Monday, “Chicago Tonight” co-host and “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” host Brandis Friedman moderated the latest edition of our “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” community conversation series in a discussion focused on education equity and the outlook for the new school year.
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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
New Federal Rule Bans Medical Debt From Credit Reports. Some Industry Groups Are Suing
While advocates argue the change will provide great financial relief to millions struggling with high health care costs, critics contend it could harm financial systems and incentivize delinquency.
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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