Latino Voices

Latino Voices

Volunteers Help Immigrant Parents Get Their Kids to School With the ‘Walking School Bus’

Volunteers walk children to school on Chicago’s Northwest Side. (Joanna Hernandez / WTTW News) “The moment that the raids started happening and people started getting pulled off the street, you could just see it,” volunteer Alyssa May said. “You could see less students, less families, less vendors. And it really did change. It just became a really quiet place.” Read more >

Latino Voices

In Chicago, Some Businesses Report Pandemic-Era Drop in Sales Amid Immigration Raids

(WTTW News) “I thought after COVID, like, alright, we’re in the clear,” said Adrian Zamudio, owner of Angelo’s Stuffed Pizza in Archer Heights. “We don’t have to think of anything spontaneous or something to survive anymore. A couple years later, here we are again.” Read more >

Black Voices

Black Voices

Residents of South Shore Building Raided by ICE Must Move Out by Friday, Judge Rules

Residents of a South Shore apartment building are being forced to move. (WTTW News) Judge Debra Ann Seaton denied a 60-day extension request saying “it would be inhumane for this court not to relocate people as quickly as possible,” citing gas leaks and plumbing issues. Many residents said they had nowhere to go. 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

While Some Southwest Siders Want Protected Bike Lanes, Others Have Gentrification Concerns

(AlbertPego / iStock) Residents of the 25th Ward, which includes Little Village and Pilsen, are being asked to participate in a survey to rank their main infrastructure priorities. Read more >

Latino Voices

Sueños Music Festival Returning to Grant Park for 4th Year

(Courtesy of Sueños Music Festival) The celebration of Latino culture features musical artists from across Latin America, this time bringing Shakira, Don Omar, Peso Pluma and more to the stage. Read more >

Latino Voices

A Chicago-Area Man Needs a Kidney. His Brother Who Planned to Donate Was Arrested by ICE

(Provided) A Cicero man with kidney failure is fighting for his life, while his brother who planned to donate a kidney is now seeking temporary humanitarian release from ICE custody. Here’s their story. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, March 20, 2025 - Full Show

Joanna Hernandez hosts the March 20, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices." (WTTW News) Chicago Board of Education members kick the can on a budget amendment. And a new lawsuit alleges a pattern of illegal arrests by ICE agents in the Chicago area. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 3, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts the Sept. 3, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices." (WTTW News) Community groups prepare for federal troops in Chicago. And the city’s minimum wage for tipped workers is going up — a look at the impact. Read more >

Black Voices

How Chicago’s Changes to Tipped Minimum Wage Are Impacting Businesses, Workers

(DGLimages / iStock) While Mayor Brandon Johnson and advocates say phasing out the tipped minimum wage helps the city’s lowest-paid workers, critics worry about the higher labor costs facing restaurants. Read more >

Black Voices

New Documentary Explores History, Evolving Legacy of HBCUs

A still from the documentary “Opportunity, Access and Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs." HBCUs, or historically Black colleges and universities, have been around for more than 188 years. They were founded out of necessity when predominantly White institutions barred Black students from attending. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Aug. 27, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts the Aug. 27, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices." (WTTW News) How local officials plan to push back if the National Guard is deployed here. And the head of Chicago Public Schools on a crucial budget vote. 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

Volunteers Help Immigrant Parents Get Their Kids to School With the ‘Walking School Bus’

Volunteers walk children to school on Chicago’s Northwest Side. (Joanna Hernandez / WTTW News) “The moment that the raids started happening and people started getting pulled off the street, you could just see it,” volunteer Alyssa May said. “You could see less students, less families, less vendors. And it really did change. It just became a really quiet place.” Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Oct. 8, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts the Oct. 8, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices." (WTTW News) Texas National Guard troops are in Illinois despite objections from local leaders — what you should know. And advocates push for more equitable public transit reform. Read more >

Latino Voices

In Chicago, Some Businesses Report Pandemic-Era Drop in Sales Amid Immigration Raids

(WTTW News) “I thought after COVID, like, alright, we’re in the clear,” said Adrian Zamudio, owner of Angelo’s Stuffed Pizza in Archer Heights. “We don’t have to think of anything spontaneous or something to survive anymore. A couple years later, here we are again.” 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 >

 

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

Homeland Security Terminates Automatic Work Permit Renewals; Advocates Say Move Could Broaden Deportation Efforts

(memoriesarecaptured / iStock) The Trump administration says this move allows better vetting of those using work permits. However, some are skeptical of that reasoning. Read more >