Latino Voices
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 >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.
Read more >Black Voices
Black Voices
‘Other Washingtons’ Art Installation Aims to Reimagine Who We Choose to Remember
“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
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
Mexico’s Rituals, Festivals, Music Inspire New Performance from Ballet Folklórico
The Mexico City-based ensemble, Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández, is bringing together audience-favorite dances that traverse the history and culture of Mexico with performances at the Auditorium Theater on Feb. 12 and 13.
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5 Afro-Latino Music Artists You Should Know
While Afro-Latino musicians have not always been given their due, music journalist Sandra Treviño thinks that the tide is turning. Treviño gave us a few recommendations for Afro-Latino artists you may want to add to your next playlist.
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Local Groups Offer Hope and Housing to Chicagoans in Crisis
The recent cold and snowy weather is nothing new in Chicago. But for those experiencing homelessness, the weather adds another layer of difficulty to an already punishing situation.
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Rogers Park Shop Hopes for Smashing Success with Custom Piñatas
A Rogers Park woman left a corporate career behind to strike out on her own offering custom pinatas. She’s hoping her handmade creations will be a big hit as people return to gathering in person for parties.
Read more >Black Voices
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Event Highlights Chicago Freedom Movement
The nation marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday. Dr. King led the Chicago freedom movement to fight for open and affordable housing. United Way of Metro Chicago will hold a Zoom webinar where local Tik-Tok star and urban historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas will share some facts about the movement.
Read more >Black Voices
‘Energy Never Dies’ Reflects on Chicago’s Black History, Culture
The book “Energy Never Dies: Afro-Optimism and Creativity in Chicago” takes readers through different points in time in Chicago’s Black history and reflects on how those moments influence the creativity and achievements of entrepreneurs and artists today.
Read more >Black Voices
Illinois Celebrates First Holiday Dedicated to Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali
Monday marks not only Martin Luther King Day but in Illinois, it will also recognize the first Muhammad Ali Day. To celebrate, the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition will host a virtual event honoring the boxing legend, featuring speakers including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Ali’s daughter Maryum Ali.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, January 8, 2022 - Full Show
Parents react to this week’s shutdown of Chicago Public Schools. The story of civil rights legend Mamie Till Mobley gets told on the small screen. Plus, a downtown office building partners with a Black-owned art gallery.
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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
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
Author Digs Deep Into ‘Hidden History’ of Black Civil Rights in ‘Before the Movement’
African Americans were fighting for their rights through common law long before what many people know conventionally as the Civil Rights Movement. That’s the conclusion award-winning scholar and author Dylan Penningroth came to in his book “Before the Movement: The Hidden History of Black Civil Rights.”
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.
Read more >Black Voices
Take a Look Inside the 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright House a Chicago Nonprofit Is Working to Restore
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’
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
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.
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