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

As City Prepares to Close 3 Shelters, Advocates See Shifts in Migrants’ Needs

The former industrial building at 2241 S. Halsted St. was converted into the city’s largest shelter. (WTTW News) Shelters in Pilsen and in the West Loop will close Oct. 1, while a shelter in Hyde Park will close Oct. 24. All of the residents will be offered space in one of the 14 shelters the city will continue to operate, officials said. Read more >

Latino Voices

Amid Gentrification Concerns, Pilsen Residents Divided Over Proposed TIF Expansion

File photo of a sign opposing the expansion of a TIF district in Pilsen. (WTTW News) Those in favor of the expansion believe the TIF district could help fix economic and developmental challenges, while those opposed think it may further gentrify the community and push long-standing residents out of the beloved enclave. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Sept. 19, 2024 - Full Show

An extensive study on Chicago’s Mexican population. Is immigrant crime really on the rise? And as Chicagoans celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we hear who inspires you. Read more >

Latino Voices

Study Challenges Immigrant Crime Narrative: ‘There’s a Disconnect Between What the Data Shows and What People Think’

A file photo of the southern border. (CNN) A study published in the National Bureau of Economic Research reveals that immigrants have consistently been incarcerated at lower rates than U.S.-born citizens. However, so-called “migrant crime” has become a major talking point this election cycle. Read more >

Black Voices

Ida B. Wells Among 20 Groundbreaking Women Honored on US Quarters

A photograph of Ida B. Wells. Women’s suffragist, investigative journalist and civil rights leader Ida B. Wells is now immortalized as part of the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters Program. Read more >

Black Voices

Documentary Uses Body Cam Footage to Examine Fatal 2018 Chicago Police Shooting

A still from the "Incident" documentary. (Provided) The movie is about Harith Augustus, a 37-year-old barber who was shot and killed by police in South Shore in July 2018. The shooting sparked immediate public outcry and legal fights for full access to police body camera video. Read more >

Black Voices

Trump Says He Wants the Department of Education Closed ‘Immediately.’ What That Could Mean for Illinois

File photo of a child in a classroom. (WTTW News) Asked by reporters how soon he would like the department closed, President Donald Trump responded: “Oh, I’d like it to be closed immediately. The Department of Education is a big con-job.” Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Feb. 12, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on Feb. 12, 2025. (WTTW News) A split verdict in the landmark corruption trial of Michael Madigan. And what funding cuts could mean for local early childhood programs. 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

For Some People With Criminal Records, Illinois’ Clean Slate Act Could Offer a New Beginning

Advocates went to the Capitol on Oct. 28, 2025. (Courtesy of the Clean Slate Coalition Illinois) More than 2 million people in Illinois are eligible to have their records sealed but haven’t acted on what is currently a cumbersome, lengthy process. 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 >