Latino Voices
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 >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 >Black Voices
Black Voices
‘Other Washingtons’ Art Installation Aims to Reimagine Who We Choose to Remember
“Other Washingtons” is an art intervention located around the George Washington statue at 51st Street and Martin Luther King Drive that features artists, inventors, educators and other inspirational leaders, all with the last name Washington.
Read more >Black Voices
Take a Look Inside the 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright House a Chicago Nonprofit Is Working to Restore
In the Austin community on Chicago’s West Side sits the J.J. Walser House, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1903. A local organization is working to preserve the landmark and transform it into a community asset for generations to come.
Read more >Latino Voices
Chicago City Council Members on the $51M Migrant Aid Plan
A plan to provide $51 million in migrant care passed by a comfortable margin at this week’s Chicago City Council meeting. But the lead-up to that vote was met with upheaval and racist remarks from audience members.
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Fiestas Patronales Puertorriqueñas Returns to Humboldt Park, June 8-11
The celebration kicks off with a Community Day on June 8 and continues through the weekend with a parade, carnival, musical and dance performances, arts, workshops, and of course, plenty of good food.
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Author Cynthia Pelayo Blends Horror and History in ‘The Shoemaker’s Magician’
In “The Shoemaker’s Magician,” Cynthia Pelayo blends film history and Chicago history into a genre-crossing journey into the occult. The story opens with the discovery of a gruesome murder in a downtown theater.
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NEIU’s Jose Rico Says State Higher Ed Budget Boost Will Help Fend Off Tuition Increase
The Illinois state budget passed this week included increased funding for higher education. That was welcome news to Northeastern Illinois University, which has seen some financial and institutional turbulence in recent years.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Cop, Nonprofit Leader Gives ‘The Last Word’ on Showing Up for the City’s Youth
Kenneth Griffin said as a young man growing up in Englewood, he didn’t have many positive interactions with the police. That’s part of the reason the trained chef became a Chicago police officer — to create connections between young people and police in his community.
Read more >Black Voices
Study Finds Illinois Worst State in Nation for Racial Financial Equality
In recent decades, Illinois has lost a significant portion of its Black population. While a variety of issues have been cited as reasons for Black families to leave the state, a recent study suggests financial equity could also be a consideration.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, July 14, 2023 - Full Show
What’s behind the racial wealth gap and ways to address it. Efforts to combat PTSD in young girls. And a local police officer on showing up for the city’s youth.
Read more >Black Voices
Young Performer Tryouts for T.I.P. Fest Scheduled for July 15, Aug. 25
The Chicago Park District is asking the city’s youth performers to try out for its 8th annual T.I.P. (Teens in the Park) Fest, where singers, rappers, dancers and poets ages 14 to 24 can showcase their talents.
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Latino Voices
Black Voices
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 Tonight: Black Voices, April 16, 2025 - Full Show
An effort to ban Jan. 6 participants from city jobs. What’s behind disparities in pregnancy-related deaths. And Stacy Davis Gates on the new CTU contract.
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 >Black Voices
Take a Look Inside the 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright House a Chicago Nonprofit Is Working to Restore
In the Austin community on Chicago’s West Side sits the J.J. Walser House, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1903. A local organization is working to preserve the landmark and transform it into a community asset for generations to come.
Read more >
Black Voices
Free Boxing Club Empowers West Side Youth: ‘They Feel the Confidence’
Roy Flowers started his boxing club in 2021 in the hopes of creating healthy, supportive spaces for the youth in his community. “I just wanted to be the mentor that I wish I had.”
Read more >Latino Voices
‘Like Lightning Struck’: Community Marks 60 Years Since the First Division Street Riot, Puerto Rican Rebellion
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.
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