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.
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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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‘La Gran Tirana’ at Aguijón Theater Sings Love Song to Caribbean Music, Immigrant Experience
Aguijón Theater of Chicago on the Northwest Side kicked off its 21st season with “La Gran Tirana,” exploring the idea of immigrant identity as it follows the journey of Ana Morgana, an immigrant who transcends her own reality by imagining herself to be the Cuban diva La Lupe.
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La Ultima Palabra: Alexandra Collins
Hinsdale Central High School senior Alexandra Collins gives us La Ultima Palabra on the emotion she says stops many of us from creating change in our communities – and how you can stop it from stopping you.
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Local Business Brews Up Revolution by Cutting Out the Coffee Middleman
As the weather starts to turn chillier and the days grayer, many Chicagoans rely on coffee to bring them some daily sunshine. But the people who grow the beans around the world don’t always benefit from the wealth their product creates.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, November 6, 2021 - Full Show
The battle over redrawing ward boundaries. Disruptions in global supply chains. Knowing your health care rights. And cutting out the middleman when getting your morning cup of Joe.
Read more >Black Voices
How the Sky’s Championship Win is Inspiring Chicago Athletes
The city is still celebrating the Chicago Sky’s historic win. After the Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury 80 to 74, it was an exciting and significant victory for the city, fans, and women athletes.
Read more >Black Voices
New Documentary Tells the Story of Chicago’s First Black Mayor
The story of Chicago’s first Black mayor is one of several documentaries hitting the big screen at the Chicago International Film Festival. “Punch 9 for Harold Washington” explores the life and legacy of the historic mayor who, as the city’s first Black mayor, faced racism on a daily basis.
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The Last Word: Naperville Central Girls Basketball Team
The Chicago Sky has won the franchise’s first WNBA title. A key part of that success was Candace Parker. She came back to her hometown and led the Sky to the top. We visited the place where Parker's ascent began: her former high school, Naperville Central.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Historian, Activist Timuel Black Dead at 102
Legendary Chicago historian and activist Timuel Black died Wednesday at the age of 102. We discuss the legacy of Timuel Black with Laura Washington and Shermann “Dilla” Thomas.
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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 Child Care Advocates Say Higher Wages Needed to Overcome Staffing Shortage
Advocates in Illinois are pushing for higher wages and better benefits in an effort to retain child care workers. The effort comes after a center in Bronzeville recently shut its doors, the CEO says, due to a lack of staff.
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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