Latino Voices

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 >

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 >

Black Voices

Black Voices

‘Other Washingtons’ Art Installation Aims to Reimagine Who We Choose to Remember

Amanda Williams' new art installation around the George Washington statue in Washington Park features artists, inventors, educators and leaders. (WTTW News) “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

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Walser House, a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2025. (Eric Allix Rogers) 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

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Oct. 3, 2024 - Full Show

What you need to know as early voting kicks off. How parks — or a lack thereof — are affecting Chicago’s Latino communities. And a passion for collecting leads to a business venture. Read more >

Latino Voices

Latino Communities in Chicago Have Less Access to Park Space, Reporting Shows

File photo of a park in Cicero. (WTTW News) Chicago is a city known for its parks and green spaces, but not every resident has the same access to lush greenery or playgrounds. According to data from the Trust for Public Lands, Latino communities have 41% less access to green spaces than the average Chicagoan. Read more >

Latino Voices

Pilsen Antique Shop Delivers Curated Collections, Hidden Gems: ‘People Find It Magical’

If you’re walking down 18th Street, it’s hard to pass the El Anticuario storefront without wondering what’s inside. It’s just about everything. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Sept. 26, 2024 - Full Show

What comes next for migrant care as three shelters are set to close next month. And some Pilsen residents are pushing back on a plan they say would further gentrify the area. Read more >

Black Voices

From the ‘40s to Today, A Look at the History of the Chicago Dance Style Known as Steppin’

Two people steppin' at an event. (Provided) “Chicago is the steppin’ capital of the world.” That’s a phrase coined by local DJ Sam Chatman, also known as the Godfather of Steppin’. And though the dance craze’s popularity has spread far and wide, no one can do it quite like the hometown originators. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Feb. 26, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on Feb. 26, 2025. (WTTW News) City Hall narrowly approves a controversial new borrowing deal. And the history behind the Chicago dance style known as steppin’. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Historian Shermann ‘Dilla’ Thomas Gets New Role at the DuSable Museum

Shermann “Dilla” Thomas appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Feb. 26, 2025. (WTTW News) Shermann “Dilla” Thomas has a new gig at theDuSable Black History Museum as a brand ambassador and social media chief — an opportunity he’s called a “dream job.” It’s just one of his many projects — from giving bus tours to posting on TikTok about the city’s lesser-known history. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Feb. 19, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on Feb. 19, 2025. (WTTW News) What’s in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget plan. An effort to lower Chicago’s default speed limit stalls. And civil rights icon Ida B. Wells is honored on a quarter. 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

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

Director and Actor Robert Townsend Returns to Chicago for Namesake Film Festival

Robert Townsend appears on the Dec. 2, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight." (WTTW News) The event will take place Saturday and Sunday and features a variety of film screenings, discussions, a game night and a master class taught by Townsend himself.  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 >

Black Voices

Take a Look Inside the 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright House a Chicago Nonprofit Is Working to Restore

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Walser House, a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2025. (Eric Allix Rogers) 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’

(WTTW News) 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

(Courtesy of the Chicago History Museum) 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. Read more >