Latino Voices

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 >

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

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

With Coffee and a Shaving Brush, Here’s How Some Chicagoans Are Remembering Their Loved Ones on Dia de los Muertos

(Provided) El Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Day, is a two-day celebration where people come together to remember their late loved ones. It’s a beautiful, colorful tradition with festivities, music and food. Read more >

Latino Voices

As Temperatures Drop, Volunteers and Medical Professionals Work to Prepare Migrants for a Chicago Winter

(WTTW News) Chicago’s temperatures are dropping. This brings a new set of challenges for the more than 2,800 migrants living at police stations — most of whom have never experienced a Chicago winter. Read more >

Latino Voices

Late AIDS Activist Danny Sotomayor’s Legacy Featured in Latest Episode of WTTW Series ‘Chicago Stories’

Danny Sotomayor was an AIDS activist and the first openly gay nationally syndicated political cartoonist. (Lisa Howe-Ebright) The late Chicago AIDS activist Danny Sotomayor didn’t just open doors at City Hall. He was also a political cartoonist and an organizer who used civil disobedience to wage war on city officials marginalizing the LGBTQ+ community. Read more >

Latino Voices

Carrera de los Muertos Takes the Pulse of Pilsen for the 16th Year This Saturday Through a Sold-Out 5K

(Micaela Bernal) It’s going to be a colorful day in Pilsen on Saturday. More than 6,000 people are expected to come together to honor and remember their late loved ones in a sold-out race ahead of Dia de los Muertos, a well-known Mexican holiday dating back to precolonial times. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Jan. 31, 2024 - Full Show

Chicago becomes the largest American city to adopt a cease-fire resolution. Reminding Black men to check their prostate health. And talking self-care with Chicago native Common. Read more >

Black Voices

Common Talks New Book, Criminal Justice Reform, and Self-Care as ‘Political Warfare’

Common talks about his new book “And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self” in an interview that aired on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Jan. 31, 2024. (WTTW News) Rapper, actor and activist Common was in Chicago this week to talk about his latest book, “And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self.” The Chicago native sat down with WTTW News to talk about the book and some of his activism. Read more >

Black Voices

1 in 6 Black Men Will Be Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer in Their Lifetime. Early Detection is Key to Saving Lives

Health advocates are urging Black men to consider prostate cancer screenings as data from the American Cancer Society shows they are more than twice as likely to die from the disease than White men. (FG Trade / E+ / Getty Images) One in six Black men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime, according to the advocacy organization ZERO Prostate Cancer. Research from the American Cancer Society shows Black men are more than twice as likely to die from the disease than their White counterparts. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Jan. 24, 2024 - Full Show

Johnson defends his handling of the migrant crisis. A proposed ordinance could restrict Dollar Stores. And meet the man who’s been at the helm of the Cook County Forest Preserves. 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

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 >

Black Voices

With New Head Coach, Chicago State University Works to Launch Division I Football Program

Chicago State University football coach Bobby Rome II (center) appears at a press event. (Courtesy of Chicago State University) Chicago State University hired its first-ever head football coach, Bobby Rome II. Rome is tasked with building the school’s new Division I football program from the ground up. The university doesn’t have a stadium, equipment or players just yet. Read more >

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

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

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 >