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.
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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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Founder of the National Museum of Mexican Art Set to Retire: ‘The Arts Should Belong to Everybody’
Carlos Tortolero, founder of the National Museum of Mexican Art, is retiring after more than four decades with the museum and Pilsen community hub.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Dec. 21, 2023 - Full Show
Former Ald. Ed Burke found guilty in landmark corruption trial. Discussing what needs to happen amid health concerns at migrant shelters. And efforts to combat crimes against street vendors.
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Deputy Mayor on Chicago’s New Plan for Public Safety Aiming to Take Holistic Approach to Crime
While views on how to address public safety are divided, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced his new plan Thursday, which he says will address the root causes of crime.
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Chicago-Area Christmas Concert to Feature Music From Across Latin America
The newly designed program is expanding from the Mexican region to include music from Peru, Spain, Guatemala and many others — calling it “A Latin American Christmas” with music that was heard from the 15th to the 18th centuries.
Read more >Black Voices
Community Calls for Change, Accountability After Video Released in Fatal Police Shooting of Dexter Reed
The footage of Chicago police officers firing 96 shots at Dexter Reed following a traffic stop has caused outrage with the city’s Black community and led to demands for change — and accountability — for the police officers involved.
Read more >Black Voices
Beyoncé’s New Country Album Highlights How the Genre Has Long Been Shaped by Black Culture
Black artists and culture have shaped the country genre for generations, pulling from the melodies of Black hymns and incorporating African instruments like the banjo.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 3, 2024 - Full Show
Anti-violence programs could be seeing more federal dollars. Exploring country music’s roots in Black culture. And the ex-chair of the state Prisoner Review Board speaks out after a tragic death.
Read more >Black Voices
Former Chair of Prisoner Review Board Pushes Back Against Pritzker’s Criticism Following Killing of 11-Year-Old Boy
“It’s one thing to say that I think the judgment was in error,” Donald Shelton said in an exclusive interview with WTTW News. “It’s another thing to say that there was a lack of concern for a victim of domestic violence.”
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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
Pullman Community Sees $1.5B Economic Boost From Decade of Investment
A $693 million investment into the Pullman neighborhood has generated a $1.5 billion economic impact, according to a newly released study commissioned by the nonprofit real estate developer Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI).
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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