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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How Trump’s Proposed Tariffs on Mexican Imports Could Impact Businesses, Consumers
Fears are heightening over the potential of a new trade war and its possible impact across the country. President Donald Trump has agreed to a temporary pause on the 25% tariffs he is proposing on goods from Mexico and Canada — the country’s two largest trading partners.
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Chicago Immigrant Advocates Push for Increased Protections as Trump Administration Targets the City
Increased immigration raids have been reported across the country. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, confirmed nearly 1,200 arrests on Sunday. Approximately 100 people have been detained by federal officials in the Chicago area, according to the Chicago Police Department.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Jan. 30, 2025 - Full Show
The impact immigration raids are having on local businesses. And the stability of federal funding going forward for local nonprofits.
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Some Illinois Nonprofits Face Uncertain Future After Trump’s Attempted Federal Funding Freeze
The freeze threatened to hold up trillions of dollars in funding for basic government functions like health care, infrastructure and support for children and veterans.
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Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Aug. 13, 2025 - Full Show
A charging decision is made in the shooting death of Dexter Reed. And Chicago Public Schools’ latest effort to close its budget gap.
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Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Aug. 6, 2025 - Full Show
Democrats push back against Texas redistricting — despite a potential bomb threat. And an economic boost for a Far South Side community.
Read more >Black Voices
Pullman Community Sees $1.5B Economic Boost From Decade of Investment
A $693 million investment into the Pullman neighborhood has generated a $1.5 billion economic impact, according to a newly released study commissioned by the nonprofit real estate developer Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI).
Read more >Black Voices
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Elects First Black Presiding Bishop, a Chicago Native
Bishop Yehiel Curry will start his new role in October. “In many ways, this is an example of the church saying, ‘We see you,’” Curry said.
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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 Book Examines the Tulsa Race Massacre and Legal Battle Over Reparations
It’s been nearly 105 years since the Tulsa Race Massacre claimed the lives of hundreds of Black Tulsans. Over the course of two days in 1921, a mob of White people terrorized and burned down a thriving Black community known colloquially as Black Wall Street.
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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