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.
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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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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.”
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Dec. 5, 2024 - Full Show
Concerns over plans to clear out Humboldt Park’s homeless encampment. And an investigation finds significant privacy violations in Chicago’s migrant shelter system.
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Grano Offers Modern Take on Mexican Bakery in Back of the Yards
Brothers Andy and Fredy Granados opened Grano Panadería and Café in Back of the Yards. The shop combines traditional Mexican flavors with their first-generation Chicago roots.
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Advocates Urge City Not to Clear Out Humboldt Park Homeless Encampment
Last month, Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th Ward) announced the proposal to remove all tents from the area before the holidays as part of the Humboldt Park Encampment Housing Initiative. The city plans to start removal Friday morning, but advocates want officials to reconsider and explore other options.
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.
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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.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, May 7, 2025 - Full Show
The City Council approves the centerpiece of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s affordable housing plan. And voting begins for the next pope — what to know about the conclave.
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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 Author Has Spent Decades Detailing Underground Railroad History: ‘You’re Never Unqualified to Be Courageous’
At 92 years old, Glennette Tilley Turner is still telling the stories that shaped her life. The author has spent decades researching and preserving the stories of Harriet Tubman and the freedom seekers.
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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