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.
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 >Latino Voices
Historic Little Village Fire Station on the Path to Receiving Landmark Status, Becoming Community Hub
If approved by the Chicago City Council, the National Museum of Mexican Art will acquire the building at 2358 S. Whipple St. It would be used by Yollocalli Arts Reach, an initiative of the museum aimed at providing arts and culture programming to teens and young adults.
Read more >Latino Voices
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Composer Tania León Talks Teaching Northwestern Students, Creating Her Own Language
Tania León is an Afro-Cuban Latina composer who has made her mark by following the rhythm of her own beat. León’s pieces carry both her Caribbean influences and the sounds of her travels.
Read more >Latino Voices
Brighton Park Community Members on ‘Winterized Base Camp,’ Thursday’s Demonstrations
Brighton Park community members rallied Thursday against Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to build a “winterized base camp” for migrants on a vacant, privately owned lot in the area.
Read more >Latino Voices
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Oct. 12, 2023 - Full Show
How the mayor’s budget aims to fund migrant care. Student loan payments are resuming – what you should know. And some hip-hop tracks to round out your Hispanic Heritage Month playlist.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Jan. 17, 2024 - Full Show
One on one with the newest leader of the city’s public health department. Supporting Chicago’s unhoused as temperatures continue to plummet. And bringing paradise to everyday life ahead of Chicago Restaurant Week.
Read more >Black Voices
Volunteers, Faith Leaders Working to Help Unhoused Chicagoans Amid Freezing Temperatures
Most of us can avoid Chicago’s frigid temperatures just by staying home. But for those experiencing homelessness, the solution is not that simple. Local organizations work directly with those individuals, hoping to provide relief and find long-term solutions.
Read more >Black Voices
Inside Hyde Park’s 14 Parish Ahead of Chicago Restaurant Week
Chicago Restaurant Week kicks off Friday. But don’t be fooled by the annual event’s name — it’s actually a 17-day celebration of the city’s diverse and delicious culinary scene.
Read more >Black Voices
Meet Chicago’s New Public Health Commissioner, Olusimbo ‘Simbo’ Ige
The city of Chicago has a new public health commissioner filling this high-profile role after the ousting of Dr. Allison Arwady in August. Dr. Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige is the first Black woman to lead the Chicago Department of Public Health on a permanent basis.
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
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
Chicago’s ‘Snap Curfew’ and How the Approved Ordinance Could Affect Teens
The Chicago City Council on Wednesday passed the "snap curfew" ordinance by a vote of 27-22. Mayor Brandon Johnson has pledged to veto it.
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.
Read more >