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
Salvation Army Working to Ramp Up Donations as Need for Services Increases
Charitable giving dropped more than 2% in 2023, according to a Giving USA report. But local organizations are making efforts to reach their donation goals just in time for the new year.
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Local Advocates Work to Protect the Monarch Butterfly Population Amid Steep Decline
Population assessments show monarch populations have declined by 59% from 2023 to 2024. The unique pollinators are an important part of the ecosystem, but also have deep cultural connections.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Dec. 12, 2024 - Full Show
Calls for city officials to step aside and cooperate with federal mass deportations. And a state-of-the-art exhibit makes a dazzling debut at the Shedd Aquarium.
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Chicago Alderpeople React to Claims City Will Be Ground Zero for Mass Deportations
Tom Homan — President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming so-called border czar — said it’s time for Chicago to come to the table when it comes to mass deportations or “get the hell out of the way.”
Read more >Black Voices
5 Years Later, How George Floyd’s Murder Has Impacted Police-Community Relations
Nationwide protests erupted in the summer of 2020, a so-called racial reckoning, shortly after a video of the killing surfaced online. Residents took to the streets demanding systemic change to policing and the prison system.
Read more >Black Voices
Author Luvvie Ajayi Jones Wants Kids to Become ‘Little Troublemakers’
Whether it’s asking for a promotion or confronting the school bully, writer Luvvie Ajayi Jones has become an expert on overcoming fears and speaking up. Jones’ books urge everyone to become what she calls a “Troublemaker,” or someone who pushes for positive change.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, May 14, 2025 - Full Show
Why some Illinois families are being evicted for minor offenses. And a look inside a hair salon... in a school bathroom.
Read more >Black Voices
Meet the Chicago Teen Going Viral for Giving Free Hair Makeovers in the School Bathroom
For many Black people, getting their hair done can be a costly ordeal. But Jessica Thurmond, a student in North Lawndale, is trying to alleviate that. She’s styling her classmates’ hair for free in her school’s bathroom stalls just in time for class.
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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
Jesse Jackson’s Daughter on His Leadership and Handling Adversity: ‘He Was Not Going to Back Away’
“Let us continue with the work.” That was the call to action from the family of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights activist and religious leader who died last week at the age of 84.
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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