Latino Voices

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 >

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 >

Black Voices

Black Voices

‘Other Washingtons’ Art Installation Aims to Reimagine Who We Choose to Remember

Amanda Williams' new art installation around the George Washington statue in Washington Park features artists, inventors, educators and leaders. (WTTW News) “Other Washingtons” is an art intervention located around the George Washington statue at 51st Street and Martin Luther King Drive that features artists, inventors, educators and other inspirational leaders, all with the last name Washington. Read more >

Black Voices

Take a Look Inside the 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright House a Chicago Nonprofit Is Working to Restore

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Walser House, a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2025. (Eric Allix Rogers) In the Austin community on Chicago’s West Side sits the J.J. Walser House, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1903. A local organization is working to preserve the landmark and transform it into a community asset for generations to come. Read more >

Latino Voices

She Can Do It: La Ultima Palabra on Women in Skilled Trades

Like Rosie the Riveter, ironworker Jennifer Ortiz wants women to know they can do it.  (WTTW News) Like Rosie the Riveter, ironworker Jennifer Ortiz wants women to know they can do it. Here, she gives La Ultima Palabra on how the spark that ignited her career in the trades can work for other women, too. Read more >

Latino Voices

‘Latino Voices’ Community Conversation: Afro-Latino History

Minnie Miñoso. (WTTW News) From pioneer professional baseball players Roberto Clemente and the White Sox’s Minnie Miñoso to “Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz, Afro-Latinos have made a significant impact on American history. Our latest community conversation dives into Afro-Latino history in Chicago, while touching on the nuances of multi-racial identities. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, February 26, 2022 - Full Show

(WTTW News) Can industry and safe environmental practices coexist in Chicago? Free college tuition for local students. And we bring you a taste of Polish treats with Colombian flavors. Read more >

Latino Voices

Where Industry, Environment and Community Meet: Rethinking Chicago’s Manufacturing Future

(stevepb / Pixabay) In the wake of the decision to reject a permit for a metal shredding and recycling operation on the city’s Southeast Side, environmental justice advocates say now is the time for the city and industrial leaders to work together and find ways to meet the needs of both the community and corporations. Read more >

Black Voices

Eligibility Criteria, Application Timeline Expected This Month for Chicago’s Guaranteed Basic Income Program

(WTTW News) The city of Chicago approved the plan in its 2022 budget three months ago, promising $500 a month to 5,000 low-income households for one year. It would be the nation’s largest test of a guaranteed basic income program.  Read more >

Black Voices

As Pandemic Takes Toll on Students’ Mental Health, School Counselors Call For More Support

(WTTW News) School counselors are often a primary resource for mental wellness and guidance, but few can be found in America’s schools. According to the latest data from the American School Counselor Association, there was one counselor for every 424 students during the 2019-20 school year.  Read more >

Black Voices

New Film Tells Story of Life Before Slavery Through Instagram Stories

(Stelo Stories) “Equiano.Stories” is a new film that can only be viewed on Instagram. It brings to life the story of Olaudah Equiano, who was enslaved at 11 years old in 1756. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Children’s Choir Reconnects with Black History: ‘We’ve Gone Beyond Cultural Appropriation to Cultural Appreciation’

(WTTW News) The virtual concert will feature a number of African songs that explore the history of African American culture in the U.S. They’re taking concert goers on a sankofa journey, a word from Ghana which means to return or retrieve what was lost. 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

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 Tonight: Black Voices, Oct. 16, 2024 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts the Oct. 16, 2024, episode of “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices.” (WTTW News) The battle over Chicago Public Schools — CEO Pedro Martinez joins us to respond to critics. And a City Council meeting sees alderpeople fired up over CPS and ShotSpotter. 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 >

Black Voices

Take a Look Inside the 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright House a Chicago Nonprofit Is Working to Restore

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Walser House, a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2025. (Eric Allix Rogers) In the Austin community on Chicago’s West Side sits the J.J. Walser House, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1903. A local organization is working to preserve the landmark and transform it into a community asset for generations to come. Read more >

 

Black Voices

Free Boxing Club Empowers West Side Youth: ‘They Feel the Confidence’

(WTTW News) Roy Flowers started his boxing club in 2021 in the hopes of creating healthy, supportive spaces for the youth in his community. “I just wanted to be the mentor that I wish I had.” Read more >

Latino Voices

‘Like Lightning Struck’: Community Marks 60 Years Since the First Division Street Riot, Puerto Rican Rebellion

(Courtesy of the Chicago History Museum) While events for the community are planned for the entire weekend to celebrate Puerto Rican pride and culture, this year also honors the history of Chicago’s Boricua community — marking the 60-year anniversary of the first Division Street riot. Read more >