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
‘Immensely Invisible’ Details Investigation Into Sexual Assault Claims Inside ICE Detention Facilities
PBS NewsHour producer Zeba Warsi has been investigating sexual assault claims in ICE facilities since 2021. She teamed up with Latino USA and Futuro Investigates to tell the stories of three migrant women.
Read more >Latino Voices
Breaking Down Bail: What Its Abolishment Means for Illinois and the Potential Impact
Illinois is set to become the first state in the nation to entirely eliminate cash bail. This is after the Illinois Supreme Court upheld a contentious portion of the criminal justice reform law known as the SAFE-T Act.
Read more >Latino Voices
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, July 28, 2023 - Full Show
What the elimination of cash bail will look like. Sexual abuse allegations in immigration facilities. And capturing Cuba in a new photo exhibit.
Read more >Latino Voices
Chicago-Based Photographer Documents ‘Enduring Ties’ With Cuba in Show at New Photojournalism Center
Alex Garcia’s pictures allow the humanity of his subjects to shine, free of preconceived notions. The show has celebratory moments as big as a fireworks show and as small as the back of a car. And it doesn’t shy away from the harsh conditions many Cubans face.
Read more >Black Voices
How Major Taylor Trail Helps South Siders Get on the Road to Wellness
For members of the Major Taylor Cycling Club, riding along the Major Taylor Trail is a big part of staying healthy in mind and body.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 29, 2023 - Full Show
Two major health issues in the Black community: treating prostate cancer and preventing suicide. The city’s new top cop on accountability. And taking the Major Taylor Trail to wellness.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Author Wants Black Women to ‘Stop Waiting for Perfect’ – and Thrive
Perfectionism might sound like a good thing, but in practice, it can perform more like procrastination – and waiting for perfect scenarios can prevent us from getting the credit and success we deserve.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 22, 2023 - Full Show
Chicago gets closer to having a new top cop. Helping communities find healthy food options. And how to stop waiting for perfect with the author of this week’s book club pick.
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
Semicolon Books Owner Reflects on Business Struggles After 2020 Surge
When Danielle Moore started Semicolon Books in West Town in 2019, business was slow — until the social justice movement after George Floyd’s murder in May 2020 launched her store into the spotlight as Black businesses and books gained national attention.
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 >