Latino Voices

Latino Voices

Spanish Is Fading Across Generations. These Latino Parents Are Working to Keep It Alive

(WTTW News) 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

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

Black Voices

Smithsonian Head Lonnie Bunch on Preserving History, Retirement and Trump Administration Threats

FILE - Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch speaks at an event, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo / Allison Robbert, File) 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. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago State University Gears Up for First-Ever Football Game

The Chicago State University football team at practice. (WTTW News) 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 >

Latino Voices

Investigation Finds Significant Privacy Violations in Chicago’s Migrant Shelter System

A Chicago migrant shelter is seen in a file photo. (Courtesy of Borderless Magazine) “I was most shocked by the fact that there didn’t seem to be controls on who could access this very sensitive data — we’re talking medical information, immigration details, people’s contact information,” said Emeline Posner, a reporter with the Investigative Project on Race and Equity. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Nov. 21, 2024 - Full Show

A bombshell decision in the case of Jussie Smollett. What local organizations are doing to prepare for potential mass deportations. And renewed efforts to bring a new green space to Pilsen. Read more >

Latino Voices

How Local Attorneys and Community Advocates Are Preparing for Possible Mass Deportations

A file photo of the southern border. (CNN) President-elect Donald Trump said he’ll carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history — and has even promised to use the military to help that effort. Read more >

Latino Voices

Plan to Transform Abandoned Railway in Pilsen Sparks Gentrification Concerns for Some Residents

The El Paseo Trail in Pilsen on Nov. 21, 2024. (WTTW News) The Chicago Department of Transportation is taking steps toward transforming an abandoned railway into what’s known as El Paseo Trail in Pilsen, reigniting a discussion about the fear of further displacement for the predominantly Mexican American neighborhood. Read more >

Black Voices

Bronzeville Trail Project Moves Forward With Development Plans

A mural in Chicago's Bronzeville community. File photo. (WTTW News) The project aims to turn a disused rail line into a path for walking, biking and gathering. Organizers hope to honor the area’s cultural significance and help improve the community’s health outcomes and opportunities. Read more >

Black Voices

As Illinois’ Budget Deadline Approaches, Local Stakeholders Share Their Priorities

The Illinois State Capitol is pictured in Springfield. (Jerry Nowicki / Capitol News Illinois) Illinois lawmakers are finalizing the state’s budget for the next fiscal year. But it’s not happening without some challenges. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 30, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on April 30, 2025. (WTTW News) Local stakeholders on the governor’s budget proposal and priorities they’d like to see the state make. And a park honoring the legacy of Chicago’s founder. Read more >

Black Voices

New DuSable Park Plans Include Boardwalk, Pavilion Along Chicago Lakefront

(Courtesy of Ross Barney Architects) The life and legacy of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, who is largely referred to as Chicago’s founder, is being honored at a new park just east of where the Haitian-born trader settled near the river. 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

Spanish Is Fading Across Generations. These Latino Parents Are Working to Keep It Alive

(WTTW News) 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

UChicago Trauma Center Reduced Travel Time for Shooting Victims, Saving Lives: Study

(WTTW News) A new study found that after the University of Chicago Level 1 Trauma Center opened, transportation time following firearm injuries dropped by nearly 10 minutes. Importantly, this translated to an estimated 79 lives saved for every 2,000 firearm injuries. Read more >

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 State University Gears Up for First-Ever Football Game

The Chicago State University football team at practice. (WTTW News) 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

The city of Gary, Ind., is pictured in a file photo. (WTTW News) 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

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 >