Latino Voices

Latino Voices

Spanish Is Fading Across Generations. These Latino Parents Are Working to Keep It Alive

(WTTW News) 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

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

Black Voices

Smithsonian Head Lonnie Bunch on Preserving History, Retirement and Trump Administration Threats

FILE - Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch speaks at an event, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo / Allison Robbert, File) 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

The Chicago State University football team at practice. (WTTW News) 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

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

As Black Women Across US Mobilize for Kamala Harris, Chicagoans Share Hopes for Historic Campaign

File photo of Vice President Kamala Harris. (WTTW News) Organizers and voters have already started rallying behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign for president. More than 40,000 Black women joined a Zoom call — with another 50,000 streaming on other platforms — this past Sunday to express their support. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Fed Money Museum Debuts Exhibit on Black Baseball History

An exhibit now on display at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Money Museum honors players in the Negro Leagues. (WTTW News) In 2020, the United States Mint created a commemorative coin collection to honor the Negro National League on the centennial anniversary of its founding. An exhibit of those coins opened at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Money Museum this month.  Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, July 10, 2024 - Full Show

Illinois’ reparations commission is set to begin public hearings — a look at what to expect. And a new book explores alternative ways to confront the issue of mass incarceration. Read more >

Black Voices

Illinois Reparations Commission to Host Public Hearings, Starting in Chicago

(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) The African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission is tasked with researching and reporting on possible reparatory actions for Black residents who are descendants of slavery. Leaders said the public’s input will be used in developing proposals for policymakers. 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

(WTTW News) 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

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 >

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

Chicago State University Gears Up for First-Ever Football Game

The Chicago State University football team at practice. (WTTW News) 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

The city of Gary, Ind., is pictured in a file photo. (WTTW News) 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

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 >