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
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, April 15, 2023 - Full Show
State lawmakers push for a permanent child tax credit — what it could mean for Illinois families. What you need to know about Parkinson’s disease. And finding a job in the hospitality industry.
Read more >Latino Voices
Illinois Lawmakers Push for Permanent Child Tax Credit
A permanent child tax credit in Illinois would mean up to $700 per child for eligible families. Proponents say the measure would support low-income families and create more revenue.
Read more >Latino Voices
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, April 8, 2023 - Full Show
New alderpeople are ready to take their spot at City Hall. A local student is using art to redefine her self identity. And workers at a classic Chicago spot are looking to unionize.
Read more >Latino Voices
Addison Portillo’s Production Workers Are Calling for a Seat at the Bargaining Table
Portillo’s is celebrating 60 years of Chicago-style hot dogs and its famous Italian beef sandwiches. Meanwhile, workers at the company’s production facility in Addison are leading efforts to form a union with Iron Workers.
Read more >Black Voices
How a Celiac Diagnosis Led This Chicago Chef to Open a Gluten-Free Restaurant
The kitchen at Chesa’s Bistro & Bar is entirely gluten-free, meaning customers with severe allergies can dine without worrying about cross-contamination.
Read more >Black Voices
These Organizations Help Connect Black Veterans to Mental Health Resources
The Department of Veterans Affairs found Black veterans may be more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder than their White counterparts. However, an internal VA report shows Black veterans were more often denied benefits for PTSD.
Read more >Black Voices
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, May 19, 2023 - Full Show
Employment efforts for Black youth. The cost of wrongful convictions. Fighting for water justice. And an art exhibit showcasing gay Black men in Chicago during the 1980s.
Read more >Black Voices
UIC Study Finds Youth Unemployment Spiked During Pandemic
Mayor Brandon Johnson has instructed the city’s budget office to find ways to fund youth unemployment and enrichment programs — and according to a new study by UIC’s Great Cities Institute, those jobs are critically needed.
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
Chief Judge’s Office Takes Over Electronic Monitoring in Cook County Amid Staffing Concerns
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office is ending its decades-old electronic monitoring program, giving the Chief Judge’s Office sole responsibility for managing its cases.
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 >