Latino Voices

Latino Voices

New Short Film Showcases Life, Work of Puerto Rican Activist

The case and crew of the short film “Mataron A Pedro” at a screening in Chicago. (Carmona Rivera / National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture) 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 >

Latino Voices

‘Like Lightning Struck’: Community Marks 60 Years Since the First Division Street Riot, Puerto Rican Rebellion

(Courtesy of the Chicago History Museum) 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. Read more >

Black Voices

Black Voices

Curating Sounds and Tastes: Meet 2 Chicagoans Working to Make the Obama Presidential Center a Success

Visitors enjoy lunch in Tafari’s Kitchen at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago on May 12, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) There are a host of locals who acted as the behind-the-scenes cast to prepare the Obama Presidential Center for its opening ceremony. Read more >

Black Voices

From a Replica Oval Office to Michelle Obama’s Dresses, What’s Inside the Obama Presidential Center

Visitors experience the “Yes We Can” installation at the Obama Presidential Center Museum on March 1, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) WTTW News visited the Obama Presidential Center for a firsthand look at the exhibits, installations and everything in between. Read more >

Latino Voices

Circus Vazquez Returns to Chicago Area With Shows Through June 11

(Courtesy of Circus Vazquez) Five brothers started Circus Vazquez in Mexico City in 1969. The family-run circus has made the Chicago area one of its stops for more than 20 years. Read more >

Latino Voices

‘La Ultima Palabra’ on How Mentorship for Kids Changes Lives

Hector Perez of the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs appears on "Latino Voices" on May 26, 2023. (WTTW News) Kids in mentorship programs might not yet appreciate how their mentors have helped keep them on a successful path. But Hector Perez of the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs says these programs are critical to shaping productive futures. Read more >

Latino Voices

Non-Citizen Veterans Face Deportation for Post-Service Infractions

(WTTW News) Service in the U.S. military can be a speedier route for people hoping to get citizenship, but it’s not a guarantee. Non-citizen veterans are subject to deportation for crimes committed after the military service, and application of those rules can be inconsistent across states. Read more >

Latino Voices

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, May 19, 2023 - Full Show

Univisión’s Alex Hernández guest hosts. Community groups outline their hopes for Mayor Brandon Johnson. Why Latinos are leaving the Catholic Church. And meet a local trash man named driver of the year. Read more >

Black Voices

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, June 30, 2023 - Full Show

(WTTW News) The impact of the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in college admissions. Traffic stops targeting Black drivers. And the Festival of Life kicks off in Washington Park. Read more >

Black Voices

Explore African and Caribbean Culture at International Festival of Life, July 1-4

Festival of Life dancers. (Felicia K. Apprey) Organizers said the four-day festival will be a “grand celebration” to bring community together. The event celebrates African and Caribbean art, cuisine, dance and music. Read more >

Black Voices

What Chicago Brings to the Turntables as Hip-Hop Turns 50

(WTTW News) In 1973, DJ Kool Herc set two copies of James Brown’s “Sex Machine” album on the turntables at a Bronx house party and tried out his innovative technique of cutting and mixing songs at the drum breaks. Fifty years later, hip-hop has become an inextricable part of American music and culture. Read more >

Black Voices

Police Torture Survivor on Chicago Monument Funding: ‘The Memorial Stands for All of Us’

Chicago artists Patricia Nguyen and John Lee’s design, “Breath, Form & Freedom,” has been selected for a public memorial dedicated to those who were allegedly tortured by former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge. (Credit: Patricia Nguyen and John Lee) Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced a $6.8 million grant to build eight new public monuments. Among them is a long-awaited monument to the Black men tortured by officers under the orders of disgraced former Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge. 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

New Short Film Showcases Life, Work of Puerto Rican Activist

The case and crew of the short film “Mataron A Pedro” at a screening in Chicago. (Carmona Rivera / National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture) 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

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 2, 2025 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts "Chicago Tonight: Black Voices" on April 2, 2025. (WTTW News) Chicago Teachers Union delegates vote on a new contract. And changes are coming for Cook County’s electronic monitoring program. Read more >

Latino Voices

‘Like Lightning Struck’: Community Marks 60 Years Since the First Division Street Riot, Puerto Rican Rebellion

(Courtesy of the Chicago History Museum) 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. Read more >

Black Voices

From a Replica Oval Office to Michelle Obama’s Dresses, What’s Inside the Obama Presidential Center

Visitors experience the “Yes We Can” installation at the Obama Presidential Center Museum on March 1, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) WTTW News visited the Obama Presidential Center for a firsthand look at the exhibits, installations and everything in between. Read more >

 

Black Voices

South Side Residents Voice Gentrification Concerns Ahead of Obama Presidential Center Opening

The Women’s Garden at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago on Thursday, May 14, 2026. (The Obama Foundation) Despite years of organizing and city ordinances being put in place, rising housing costs and investor activity continue to threaten gentrification in neighborhoods surrounding the Obama Presidential Center. Read more >

Latino Voices

As Mexico City Prepares to Host World Cup, Residents Say Construction Is Taking a Toll

(Medill School of Journalism) Residents said the rapid construction is destroying local infrastructure, severing the very pipelines that communities depend on for daily life. For many, the disruptions have come with little warning and even less explanation. Read more >