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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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Nov. 7, 2024 - Full Show
City Council members push back on the mayor’s property tax hike proposal. We unpack the swing of Latino support that helped fuel Donald Trump’s reelection. And congressional reaction to the new president-elect.
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US Rep. Delia Ramirez on Trump’s Victory, Latino Voters and the Future of Immigration
Illinois residents are preparing for President-elect Donald Trump to make good on his campaign promises and dramatically reshape what the demographic landscape looks like in a state that is home to more than 400,000 undocumented immigrants.
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Community Groups Push for Pilsen Metal Shredding Facility to Show Emissions Are Being Contained
At issue is the Sims Metal Management company in Pilsen, which was cited by state and federal officials for violating environmental laws. The company agreed to build new equipment to contain emissions from at the site.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Oct. 31, 2024 - Full Show
The head of the Chicago School Board is resigning after backlash over controversial comments. And the election is just days away — where Latino voters stand on the issues.
Read more >Black Voices
Research Shows Racial Disparities in Pregnancy-Related Deaths. What’s Being Done to Address It
New research shows the rate of women dying from pregnancy-related medical conditions has worsened in recent years. And Black women are three times as likely to die of such an illness as White women.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Public Schools Moves Forward With Black Student Success Plan Amid National DEI Backlash
The Black Student Success Plan aims to bring in more Black teachers, reduce suspensions against Black students, promote teaching on Black culture, increase belonging and close opportunity gaps. It provides a five-year roadmap to improve the outcomes of Black students, who make up a third of the district’s population.
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How Chicago’s New Public Housing Museum Took Direction From the Community: ‘It Was Surreal When We Walked In’
Chicago is now home to the National Public Housing Museum, a first of its kind institution created alongside people who’ve lived in public housing.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 9, 2025 - Full Show
A new approach to building affordable housing in Chicago. And efforts to address disparities among Black students at CPS.
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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
‘He Was This Transformational Figure’: Reflecting on the Life and Legacy of the Rev. Jesse Jackson
The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Chicago ties run deep, dating back to the 1960s when he was appointed by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to direct Chicago’s Operation Breadbasket program.
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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