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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Treat Mom to Mariachi on Mother’s Day with Mariachi Herencia de Mexico
Latin Grammy Award-nominated Mariachi Herencia de Mexico will be performing a Mother’s Day concert at Thalia Hall on May 14.
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South Shore Residents Push Back on City’s Plan to Convert Former High School Into Migrant Respite Center
Dozens of residents from the area and neighboring communities attended the capacity event. According to the city, the plan is to use the first floor of the former high school, giving 500 asylum seekers a space to stay temporarily as local efforts continue to find shelter for them.
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Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, April 29, 2023 - Full Show
Eleven men wrongfully convicted of murder seek justice. Woodlawn residents step up to help their new neighbors. And celebrating Cinco de Mayo with two festivals.
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Mexico Fest and Latino Spirits Festival to Kick Off Cinco de Mayo Weekend
Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, and there’s plenty to do in Chicago to celebrate Latino culture.
Read more >Black Voices
From Health Care to Educational Opportunity, Annual Report Details Persistent Problems Plaguing Black Chicagoans
The Chicago Urban League released its 2023 “State of Black Chicago” report, which measures outcomes in health, education, income,and housing for Black Chicagoans as compared to other racial groups.
Read more >Black Voices
Illinois Commission Aims to Research Reparations, Educate Public About the Issue
The state of Illinois’ reparations commission, known as the African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission, is hard at work on a daunting mission.
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Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, June 9, 2023 - Full Show
A report on the state of Black Chicago. An Illinois commission considers reparations. A West Side charter school closes its doors. An Ethiopian food for a cause.
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Chef at Demera Restaurant Showcases Ethiopian Cuisine While Cooking for a Cause
On the bustling corner of Lawrence Avenue and Broadway in the Uptown neighborhood, Demera Restaurant has been introducing Chicagoans to Ethiopian cuisine since 2007.
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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
How Chicago’s New Public Housing Museum Took Direction From the Community: ‘It Was Surreal When We Walked In’
Chicago is now home to the National Public Housing Museum, a first of its kind institution created alongside people who’ve lived in public housing.
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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