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.
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.
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As Latino College Enrollment Takes COVID Hit, Educators Say Outreach and Support Are Critical
A report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows a 5.4% drop in the head count of Latino undergraduates in fall of 2020. And for the first time in 20 years, the number of Hispanic-serving institutions of higher education dropped from 569 in 2022 to 559 in 2021.
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Bolivian Summer Festival Returns to Schiller Woods Aug. 7
The nonprofit Renacer Bolivia brings together Bolivianos from all over Chicagoland to celebrate the culture and history of their native country.
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‘Pilsen Warrior’ Mural Soars Above 18th Street
Pilsen’s famously vibrant mural culture inspired artist Mauricio Ramirez to raise his game when it came to this prominently-placed work.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, July 30, 2022- Full Show
How pharmacies can go beyond just prescriptions. Plus, Minnie Miñoso is now a Hall of Famer, hear from one of his kids about the ceremony. And meet a woman using her bike to claim space.
Read more >Black Voices
As New School Year Starts, Programs Look to Provide Chicago Kids Access to Needed Internet Services
As school starts back up, students especially rely on the internet for everything from research to turning in their homework. But for some of those students, reliable internet access is still tough to come by. A few area programs are looking to change that.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Aug. 20, 2022 - Full Show
The state of digital equity as kids head back to school. Plus, local Amazon workers allege a hostile work environment. And a homegrown music festival comes to Garfield Park.
Read more >Black Voices
Purple Block Party Organizers See Upcoming Event as Showcase for Garfield Park
An end of summer celebration is coming soon to the West Side in Garfield Park with the “Purple Block Party” at the Garfield Park Music Circle Center.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Aug. 13, 2022 - Full Show
New research on civic engagement, and how the work in Black communities isn’t always counted. The head of Chicago’s FBI office retires. Bud Billiken expands. And remembering Albert Woodfox.
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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
Illinois Legislature Approves Bill to Prioritize Family Members in Foster Care
The Kindship in Demand Act, or KIND Act, puts an obligation on the Department of Children and Family Services to use a “kin-first approach” when placing children in foster care settings.
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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