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

CTU Calls for Federal Funding for More Bilingual Teachers, Services for Migrant Students

(WTTW News) More than 5,000 English learners have enrolled in Chicago Public Schools over the course of the year, many of whom are the children of migrant families. The influx is shining a spotlight on the shortage of bilingual instructors and services at schools. Read more >

Latino Voices

La Josie Serving Up Modern Mexican Fare for Chicago Restaurant Week

La Josie in the West Loop serves modern Mexican cuisine. (Emily Soto / WTTW News) Chicago Restaurant Week is dishing out examples of the city’s diverse and delicious culinary scene. The 17-day celebration invites diners to get out and try new eateries, with specialized menus at more than 400 restaurants across the city. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Jan. 18, 2024 - Full Show

New information on how the city says it addressed health concerns at a Pilsen migrant shelter. Jimmy Soto comes home after serving Illinois’ longest wrongful conviction sentence. And the opportunities and challenges of buying your first home. Read more >

Latino Voices

When is the Right Time to Buy a Home? Navigating the Path to Homeownership

(WTTW News) With rising home prices, living costs and more, saving for that next step can be intimidating. It’s causing many young adults to delay their purchase. The average age of first-time homebuyers has reached 36, according to the National Association of Realtors. Read more >

Black Voices

North Lawndale Residents Push Back Against Proposed Logistics Hub Amid Environmental, Traffic Concerns

Residents are pushing back against a proposed logistics and distribution hub in North Lawndale. (WTTW News) Developers are pumping the brakes on plans for a controversial logistics and distribution hub in North Lawndale. The project would tear down two buildings preservationists said are historically significant to make way for the nearly 250,000-square-foot facility. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, May 22, 2024 - Full Show

Chicago City Council backs a plan to keep ShotSpotter. And Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s new plan for gun and drug charges tied to traffic stops. Read more >

Black Voices

Kim Foxx Floats Changes to How Her Office Prosecutes Crime, Drug Cases Tied to Traffic Stops

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on May 22, 2024. (WTTW News) Under a new proposal from Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, prosecutors would not file drug, gun and theft charges stemming from an initial traffic stop where there was no other probable cause to make the stop. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, May 15, 2024 - Full Show

Takeaways from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first year in office. Three Chicago journalists win Pulitzer Prizes. And after 25 years in prison, one man says he’s still fighting to prove his innocence. 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

Illinois’ SNAP Education Program to End Amid Federal Funding Cuts. How That Could Impact Local Communities

(Photography By Tonelson / iStock) More than 1 million Illinois residents have benefitted from an educational program that teaches SNAP recipients about nutrition. 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 >