Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Explore our collection of stories.

LGBTQ Pride Month

WTTW Community Conversations

On-Demand (Watch Now)

Latino Voices: A WTTW News Community Conversation

Joanna Hernandez moderated this virtual conversation which focused on local investments in summer youth programs across the city, while also focusing on communities demanding more resources and investment to help combat violence in their area.
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Black Voices: A WTTW News Community Conversation

Brandis Friedman led an online conversation focused on why Emmett Till’s story is still relevant today, and how family members and other community leaders are working to keep his memory alive.
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WTTW & PBS Programming — Coverage and Context

This is [Not] Who We Are

"The happiest place in America is Boulder, Colorado" -- said no Black person ever.

Can Fan Culture Change Society?

Off Book explores the diverse world of modern Fan Culture.

Guns & Women; Problems with Diversity Policies; Forgiveness

Why more women own guns now. Are diversity policies a ruse? And, the power of forgiveness.

Lidia Celebrates America: Flavors That Define Us

Lidia Bastianich shares stories of immigrants shaping what it means to be an American.

Blurring the Color Line

How do Chinese grocers in the Jim Crow South complicate America’s binary paradigm of race?

The Coronation Concert

Showcasing the United Kingdom's diverse cultural heritage in music, theatre and dance.

Richard Dreyfuss

Richard Dreyfuss discusses his initiative to restore civics education in public schools.

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, May 5, 2023 - Full Show

Brandis Friedman hosts the May 5, 2023, episode of "Black Voices."

Chemical Dependency: A Holistic Approach To Treatment

The brain biology behind relapse; the role of social and economic factors on mental health

WTTW & PBS Programming — For Kids & Families

Elmo talking with Wes and Elijah in park

When Elmo notices that some of the leaves in the park match his red fur and some match his friend Wes's brown skin, he wonders how skin gets its color. Wes's dad Elijah explains it's from melanin—something everyone has in their bodies that gives us our skin, eye, and hair color. These things make us who we are, and many people call this race. But like the leaves on a tree, the colors are most beautiful when they are standing together!

Arthur

Arthur, Buster And Mrs. McGrady share their thoughts on racism.

Father and daughter talking to each other

PBS KIDS Talk About Race & Racism

Hosted by inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, this half-hour program features authentic conversations between real children and their parents and includes content from DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, ARTHUR, and XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM. The show looks at race and racial justice-related topics in an age-appropriate way and offers viewers ideas to build on as they continue these important conversations at home.

The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special

Follow Elmo, Abby, Tamir and Gabrielle as they prepare for a virtual community singalong as they stand up against racism by expressing love, kindness, and respect. Tamir and Gabrielle belong to an affinity group called the Power of We, led by Chris Jackson.

Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism special

Coming Together: A Sesame Street Standing up to Racism Town Hall

Part 1 Part 2

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms takes questions about how to combat racism and shares a message with kids about how they can help make a change. Sesame’s Dr. Jeanette Betancourt shares tips on how grown-ups can talk to kids about these tough topics.

Key Projects

FIRSTHAND: Living in Poverty

Poverty seen through the eyes of Chicagoans with firsthand experience.

FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence

Gun violence seen through the eyes of Chicagoans with firsthand experience.

Nurse Falguni Dave on street at night with protective mask on

FIRSTHAND: Coronavirus

Explore the personal, firsthand perspectives of people whose lives have been upended by the coronavirus in Chicago.

Ten Documentaries and Ten Books on Race in America

With America again in the midst of a public reckoning on race and racism, WTTW's head of community engagement, Tim Russell, was asked by a friend for recommendations on what to read and watch about race in America. Here are his lists.

WFMT Staff Playlist: 28 Songs by Black Classical Composers

In the first of our WFMT Staff Spotlight series, we share a playlist from Tim Russell, the Vice President of Community Engagement at WFMT and WTTW.

Rev. William Barber II calls for justice for Lennon Lacy at a December 2014 rally

WTTW Programming Addressing Race and Racism

WTTW will broadcast and make available to stream a series of films and new specials focused on race in America following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, and the ensuing protests that erupted across the country.

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices

An addition to the WTTW flagship news series CHICAGO TONIGHT, BLACK VOICES presents trusted analysis and in-depth conversation about issues that matter to the Black community in Chicago hosted by CHICAGO TONIGHT co-anchor Brandis Friedman. With news and features on a wide range of topics including arts and life, entrepreneurship and innovation, and equity and justice.

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices

An addition to the WTTW flagship news series CHICAGO TONIGHT, LATINO VOICES presents trusted analysis and in-depth conversation about issues that matter to the Latino community in Chicago hosted by WTTW News Director Hugo Balta. With news and features on a wide range of topics including arts and life, entrepreneurship and innovation, and equity and justice.

Peace & Justice

This WTTW News Special, hosted by CHICAGO TONIGHT co-anchor Brandis Friedman, covers systemic racism in policing, the trauma of growing up black in America, and where we go from here in creating equity. Immediately following the television special, WTTW hosted a conversation with Chicago community and thought leaders including Sylvia Ewing, Director of Strategic Communications, Marketing, and Outreach at Elevate Energy; Xavier Ramey, CEO of Justice Informed; L. Anton Seals, Jr., Executive Director of Grow Greater Englewood; and Tanya Woods, Executive Director of the Westside Justice Center who discussed policing in Chicago, economic inequality, and the role individuals and institutions play in addressing peace and justice.

WTTW Mission, Purpose, Values

WTTW Mission

WTTW is committed to producing and presenting trusted, best-in-class content fueled by a distinctly Chicago sensibility. We engage our audiences by entertaining, inspiring, educating, and reflecting a diversity of perspectives.

WTTW Purpose

We enrich lives, engage communities, and inspire exploration.

WTTW Values

Curiosity
We are driven by an appetite to learn and know more – inside the organization, the greater Chicago area, and throughout the wider world – and we use what we learn to inspire our audiences to explore.

Commitment
We are committed to building an innovative, creative, and collaborative culture that enriches, engages, and inspires our audiences.

Trust
We operate ethically, transparently, and with integrity.

Respect
We treat people fairly, value one another, and foster a safe environment that encourages collaboration, communication, and consideration.

Excellence
We strive to be a best-in-class content company by setting the highest standards of quality in all that we do.

Diversity & Equity
We celebrate differences, embrace inclusivity, and strive for equity. The stories we tell, as well as the people in front of and behind the camera and microphone, reflect the myriad faces and voices of our region.

Fun
We believe in an enjoyable, positive, and team-oriented workplace. We’re committed to hard work that produces great content, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously.