Latino Voices

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 >

Latino Voices

As Mexico City Prepares to Host World Cup, Residents Say Construction Is Taking a Toll

(Medill School of Journalism) Residents said the rapid construction is destroying local infrastructure, severing the very pipelines that communities depend on for daily life. For many, the disruptions have come with little warning and even less explanation. Read more >

Black Voices

Black Voices

From a Replica Oval Office to Michelle Obama’s Dresses, What’s Inside the Obama Presidential Center

Visitors experience the “Yes We Can” installation at the Obama Presidential Center Museum on March 1, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) WTTW News visited the Obama Presidential Center for a firsthand look at the exhibits, installations and everything in between. Read more >

Black Voices

South Side Residents Voice Gentrification Concerns Ahead of Obama Presidential Center Opening

The Women’s Garden at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago on Thursday, May 14, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) Despite years of organizing and city ordinances being put in place, rising housing costs and investor activity continue to threaten gentrification in neighborhoods surrounding the Obama Presidential Center. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Dance Studio Celebrates Self-Love, Builds Community Through Inclusive Classes

People dance during a class at DivaDance Chicago. (WTTW News) During the day, Lexi Longsworth is a speech pathologist. By night, she runs DivaDance Chicago, a dance studio focused on building confidence and community. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, March 14, 2024 - Full Show

Migrants in limbo as a shelter stay limit approaches. A community business hub is coming to Little Village. And get your shades ready for the upcoming solar eclipse. Read more >

Latino Voices

Little Village, Humboldt Park Among 10 State-Designated Cultural Districts Eligible for $3M in Funding

(WTTW News) The program was launched in 2023 with an aim to uplift and preserve cultural communities throughout Illinois. The districts are eligible to apply for some of the $3 million in available funding to help stimulate economic development in those areas. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, March 7, 2024 - Full Show

Should guns be allowed where you vote? A look at a potential new gun ban. And what a move to end the grocery tax could mean for you. Read more >

Black Voices

New Book Explores Ways to Reduce Mass Incarceration: ‘We Understand the Destruction and the Consequences’

File photo from inside Stateville Correctional Center. (WTTW News) Black people in Illinois are incarcerated at a rate seven and a half times higher than their White counterparts, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. And the national incarceration rate of Black people is six times the rate of White people. Read more >

Black Voices

Bronzeville Renaissance Mural Depicts Community’s Innovative Past and a Hopeful Future

The Bronzeville Renaissance Mural shines a spotlight on the historic Chicago neighborhood. (WTTW News) The mural was created by two Chicago artists — Rahmaan “Statik” Barnes and Shawn Michael Warren — with help from high school students. It helps conceal a ComEd battery storage facility that is part of the Bronzeville Community Microgrid. Read more >

Black Voices

Haitian Chicagoans Shine Light on the Country as Large Portions of Capital City Remain Under Gang Control

(Provided) Today, 80% of Port-au-Prince remains under gang control, ravaged by the ongoing violence, according to interim Prime Minister Garry Conille. Read more >

Black Voices

South Suburban Mayors Try to Push Back on Property Tax Bill Spikes in Their Communities

File photo of homes in Harvey, Illinois. (WTTW News) In 15 towns, of which all but two are home to a majority of Black residents, the increase to property tax bills was 30%. But some local leaders are pledging not to raise municipal taxes in order to ease the impact on community members. 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

‘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 >

Black Voices

CTU President Rejects Pritzker’s Assertion No More Money to Be Found in Springfield for Schools

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Aug. 20, 2025. (WTTW News) CPS is facing a $734 million shortfall with a deadline to pass a balanced budget coming next Friday, but the options facing CPS board members and the interim CEO appear to be narrowing. Read more >

Latino Voices

As Mexico City Prepares to Host World Cup, Residents Say Construction Is Taking a Toll

(Medill School of Journalism) Residents said the rapid construction is destroying local infrastructure, severing the very pipelines that communities depend on for daily life. For many, the disruptions have come with little warning and even less explanation. Read more >

Black Voices

South Side Residents Voice Gentrification Concerns Ahead of Obama Presidential Center Opening

The Women’s Garden at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago on Thursday, May 14, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) Despite years of organizing and city ordinances being put in place, rising housing costs and investor activity continue to threaten gentrification in neighborhoods surrounding the Obama Presidential Center. Read more >

 

Black Voices

New Columbia College President on Her Vision for the School’s Future

Shantay Bolton appears on “Chicago Tonight” on June 2, 2026. (WTTW News) Shantay Bolton was appointed the 11th president and CEO of Columbia College Chicago at what she calls a “pivotal moment” for the school. Bolton, who is the first woman of color to lead the minority-serving institution, inherits a campus that has seen enrollment steadily decline over the last decade. Read more >

Latino Voices

From Dancehall to Reggaeton, Exhibit Explores the Power of Music as Protest

Matthew McCarthy and Maxine Walters, “The Most High–a serious t’ing,” 2026. Installation view, “Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón,” MCA Chicago, April 14-Sept. 20, 2026. (Michael Tropea / MCA Chicago) The Museum of Contemporary Art is showcasing a new exhibition tracing the visual, political and spiritual origins of popular Caribbean music. Art installations are designed to immerse visitors in sound and movement. Read more >