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
Rogers Park Taco Crawl Showcases Savory and Sweet Eats from 14 Local Restaurants
Tacos are the perfect food to take on a walk — or in this case, a crawl. Fourteen businesses will offer their signature tacos, with a tequila cocktail at the end.
Read more >Latino Voices
Explore the Legacy of 1930s Artist Jesús Torres at Hull-House and Graceland Cemetery
Throughout his career as an artist, Mexican-born Jesús Torres turned his hand to multiple mediums — but before he moved to Chicago in 1924, his hands were employed as a road construction worker.
Read more >Latino Voices
Examining Johnson’s Transition Plan for Chicago’s Latino Communities
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration recently released a transition report, “A Blueprint for Creating a More Just and Vibrant City for All,” the work of his 400-member transition committee.
Read more >Latino Voices
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, July 14, 2023 - Full Show
Details into Johnson’s vision for the city. The latest in the Chicago police sex abuse allegations against migrants. And crawling for tacos in Rogers Park.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 8, 2023 - Full Show
Child care is heading for a cliff as pandemic-era funding dries up. Pull up a seat at the table for Black Restaurant Week. And bringing in the light with a local candle maker.
Read more >Black Voices
79th Street Renaissance Festival Celebrates Auburn Gresham Community, Sept. 9
The 18th annual 79th Street Renaissance Festival returns to Auburn Gresham on Saturday, Sept. 9, with entertainment, food, community resources and a carnival including a 50-foot-tall Ferris wheel.
Read more >Black Voices
With Forbearance Period Over and Forgiveness Gone, What’s Next for Student Loan Debt
The picture for student loan debt has been pretty tumultuous over the last couple of years. Borrowers will soon begin repaying their federal student loans after a forbearance period ends this month.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 1, 2023 - Full Show
Student loan payments are resuming — what’s being done to provide relief. What’s behind the soaring number of opioid overdose deaths. And a sit-down with the new leader of Rainbow PUSH.
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 Tonight: Black Voices, May 14, 2025 - Full Show
Why some Illinois families are being evicted for minor offenses. And a look inside a hair salon... in a school bathroom.
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 >