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, July 23, 2022 - Full Show

(WTTW News) Scammers are targeting Highland Park’s Latino residents, what to lookout for. Plus, how to stay safe while working in extreme heat. And resources you might not expect from your local library. Read more >

Latino Voices

Water, Rest, Shade, What to Know About Workers’ Rights in Dangerous Heat

(WTTW News) As we head toward summer’s peak and temperatures routinely reach the 90s and above, people who work outdoors are at increased risk of overheating. And it’s not only people like farmworkers and construction workers who are at risk.  Read more >

Latino Voices

Scammers Target Latino Residents in Wake of Highland Park Mass Shooting

(WTTW News) As Highland Park and surrounding communities continue to grieve over the mass shooting on July 4th, some Latino residents are being targeted for scam calls. Residents say that scammers are calling them pretending to be from the Mexican consulate or offering legal assistance. Read more >

Latino Voices

Beyond Books: How Suburban Libraries Are Serving Latino Patrons

(Courtesy Northlake Public Library) Between 2000 to 2016, six of Chicago’s suburbs flipped from majority white suburbs to majority Latino.That's a reflection of a broader trend of immigrants bypassing the historical “port of entry” neighborhoods in the city and settling directly in the suburbs. And as the demographics of these communities have evolved, their institutions have had to find new ways to serve and engage residents. Read more >

Black Voices

As New Illinois Cannabis Dispensary Licenses Are Issued, Focus Turns to Industry Equity

(WTTW News) According to the state, of the business selected for the cannabis licenses, 41% are majority Black owned, 7% are majority White owned, 4% are majority Latino owned and 38% did not disclose the owner’s race. Read more >

Black Voices

Imani Green Health Advocates Bring Community and Conservation Health Together

(WTTW News) A career development initiative has taken root on Chicago’s South Side for young people who want to improve the health of their community. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, July 30, 2022- Full Show

A grassroots movement fighting homelessness in Chicago. A public art initiative aims to inspire climate action. And kids exploring opportunities in the performing arts.  Read more >

Black Voices

Campaign Calls for Dedicated Funding to Address Homelessness in Chicago

(WTTW News) A new proposal would increase the city’s real estate transfer tax, a one-time tax paid when a property is sold, by nearly 2% on properties over $1 million. An advocacy organization says the move would impact about 4% of properties sold and would generate $163 million to fund permanent affordable housing with services.         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

Advocate Health Care Announces $1B Investment to Expand South Side Services, Replace Trinity Hospital

(Rendering courtesy of Advocate Health Care) Chicago’s South Side residents have a 30-year life expectancy gap compared to their North Side counterparts. Advocate Health Care is working to address that disparity with a new $1 billion investment plan that includes replacing Advocate Trinity Hospital with a new facility. 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 >