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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Chef Carlos Gaytán on Demystifying Mexican Cuisine Through Social Media
With slim margins and constantly shifting trends, the restaurant industry can be a tough business. Chef Carlos Gaytán uses thoughtful social media content to both attract more business and educate diners about the flavors of his home country.
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‘Encendidas: Women of the Young Lords’ Exhibit Reveals History of Women in Puerto Rican Civil Rights Organization
Throughout much of Chicago’s history, immigrant communities have made their voices heard socially and politically through the formation of street gangs. During the 1960s in Lincoln Park, a Puerto Rican gang called the Young Lords came together after being pushed out of the barrio due to urban renewal projects.
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El Milagro Workers Reach Settlement in Complaint Involving Labor Organizing
Beginning in 2021, workers at the El Milagro tortilla factories went public with their complaints about working conditions and labor violations, including charges of intimidation, harassment and retaliation.
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Musician Uses Social Media to Highlight Latino Music, Chicago Sights
Peruvian musician Daniel Flores is on a mission to showcase Chicago’s beauty with help from a musical friend: his trumpet.
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60 Years After 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing, Legacy of Four Young Girls Lives on at Carole Robertson Center
Every year, the Carole Robertson Center for Learning holds ceremonies and social justice activities in remembrance of Carole Robertson, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carol McNair — the four little girls killed in a 1963 white supremacist attack on the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala.
Read more >Black Voices
With Federal Funding Ending, Child Care Advocates Warn of Looming Cliff
A report from the Century Foundation shows that without pandemic-era federal funding, thousands of providers would no longer be able to hire and pay staff, meaning rapid shutdowns in families with small children fending for themselves.
Read more >Black Voices
Support Small Businesses During Black Restaurant Weeks, Sept. 10-24
The National Black Restaurant Weeks campaign is returning to Chicago with two full weeks of specials and events at 35 Black-owned eateries.
Read more >Black Voices
Creating Candles and Connections at Above Average Candle Studio
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every facet of our lives and left many people feeling disconnected. At a North Park studio, owner and instructor Ogi Merzier-Emiabata brings people together with candle-making classes.
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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
Author Luvvie Ajayi Jones Wants Kids to Become ‘Little Troublemakers’
Whether it’s asking for a promotion or confronting the school bully, writer Luvvie Ajayi Jones has become an expert on overcoming fears and speaking up. Jones’ books urge everyone to become what she calls a “Troublemaker,” or someone who pushes for positive change.
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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