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.
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How a Nonprofit is Helping People Purchase Homes, Cultivate Community in North Chicago
ReNew Communities is on a mission to build 300 homes in North Chicago. The suburb has long struggled with low homeownership rates; the nonprofit says 33% of residents in the city own a home.
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Thousands of Illinois Students at Risk of Losing Access to After-School Programs
Advocates say as many as 40,000 youths statewide could lose access to tutoring services, recreation and other extracurricular activities this summer unless Illinois lawmakers approve an infusion of funds to keep them going.
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Mental Health Care Access is Key for Shooting Survivors’ Healing, Gun Violence Prevention
Mental health struggles can play a big role in a gun violence survivor’s recovery, but navigating that journey isn’t the same for everyone. Finding the right care can be difficult, and often involves unpacking complex trauma.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, May 2, 2024 - Full Show
In the latest in our “A Safer City” series, we explore the many challenges facing survivors of gun violence and what resources are available on their journeys toward healing.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 25, 2024 - Full Show
What data says about crime versus the public’s perception. And a jury awards a wrongfully convicted man $50 million. He shares his story.
Read more >Black Voices
Violent Crime is Declining Nationwide, But Many Americans Say They Don’t Feel Safe
Even though statistics show improvement, a 2023 Gallup poll revealed that three-quarters of Americans believe crime has worsened across the country, including in their hometowns.
Read more >Black Voices
It’s Been a Year Since Illinois Eliminated Cash Bail. Prosecutors, Researchers Examine the Impact
Illinois became the first state to eliminate cash bail exactly one year ago Wednesday. Supporters said the law is intended to address equity issues, while opponents feared a spike in crime. New research paints a preliminary picture.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 18, 2024 - Full Show
Alderpeople sound off on ShotSpotter just days before it’s set to turn off. And Illinois eliminated cash bail a year ago — a look at how it’s working.
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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
Minority-Serving Colleges in the Chicago Area Push Back Against Federal Funding Cuts
The U.S. Department of Education is cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to universities serving predominantly students of color — known as minority-serving institutions.
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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