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.
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 >Latino Voices
As Temperatures Climb, Advocates Say People Working in Hot Warehouses or Laboring Outdoors Need More Protections
Advocates say a lack of regulation is leading to life-threatening conditions, but are working to educate workers about their rights.
Read more >Latino Voices
Openlands Spanish TreeKeepers Program Returns This Summer to Help Restore Chicago’s Natural Environments
Chicago’s tree canopy is in decline and ranks far below the national average, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which also indicates a disparity in trees on the city’s South and West sides. The local conservation organization Openlands has been working to reverse these trends.
Read more >Latino Voices
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, June 13, 2024 - Full Show
Mexico elected its first-ever woman president — how some Chicagoans helped make that possible. And a new photo exhibit captures a past life in Pilsen.
Read more >Latino Voices
‘I’m Really Proud’: Chicagoans Reflect on Historic Election of Mexico’s First Female President
Claudia Sheinbaum made history earlier this month by becoming the first woman and first Jewish person elected president in Mexico. Her net is so wide-reaching that it drove thousands of Mexican nationals living outside of their home country to stand in line for hours waiting for their opportunity to cast a vote.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Republicans and Democrats on What Happened in the Presidential Election
The decisive defeat leaves Democrats to pick up the pieces and figure out a path forward for their party after notching across the board defeats in the expected swing states. Both Republicans and Democrats in Chicago on Wednesday analyzed the results of the election and what it might say about the future of the country.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Nov. 6, 2024 - Full Show
Kamala Harris concedes the race for president. We have local reaction to Donald Trump’s victory, plus two area congressmen on what his reelection means for Capitol Hill and Illinois.
Read more >Black Voices
Illinois Congressmen on What Trump’s Victory, Red Wave Could Mean for the State
Former President Donald Trump ran a campaign with messages on mass deportation, higher tariffs and anti-transgender rhetoric that drew in swaths of voters from the coveted swing states needed to secure the win.
Read more >Black Voices
New ‘Chicago Stories’ Documentary Celebrates 40 Years of House Music
“House Music: A Cultural Revolution” is celebrating the innovative and catchy dance music that still inspires prominent artists today.
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
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
Service Cuts on the Table as Chicago Confronts $1.15B Budget Shortfall, Alderpeople Say
A budget forecast for 2026 projects a $1.15 billion deficit for the city, driven by the end of one-time federal pandemic aid and continued uncertainty over pension payments for Chicago Public Schools employees.
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.
Read more >