Lily Be is a poor brown Be from Humboldt Park Chicago. She has almost died six times in her life, and knows that she is still alive to serve people and communities that could benefit from hearing her stories and...  read

Stuart M. Ross is the author of the novel Jenny in Corona, which came out last year from Tortoise Books. About the novel Rebecca Makkai said: "Jenny in Corona is by turns hilarious and devastating and profound. Stuart Ross has...  read

Mikki Kendall is a writer, diversity consultant, and occasional feminist who talks a lot about intersectionality, policing, gender, sexual assault, and other current events. Her nonfiction can be found at Time.com, the Guardian, Washington Post, Ebony, Essence, Salon, XoJane, Bustle,...  read

Edward McClelland is the author most recently of Folktales and Legends of the Middle West. A past Tuesday Funk reader and Gapers Block contributor, he has also written for The New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Chicago Reader,...  read

James Gordon is a Champion Storyteller, having won the Moth Grand Slam twice and the Story Slam 19 times, as well as a critically acclaimed actor who is a recurring character on two series on Amazon (The G and New...  read

Devorah Heitner writes memoir essays that you can find in places like Longreads and the Washington Post and books like Black Power TV. Please join Devorah and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in the upstairs bar...  read

Stuti Sharma is an immigrant artist, stand up comic, clumsy poet, and educator based in Chicago. She's a poet in residence with the Chicago Poetry Center. She is a Leo sun, Virgo moon and only trust restaurants where the cooks...  read

Tom Haley is the recipient of 2019's Best American Writers Over 40 But Under 44 Living in North Central Albany Park, which is not a real award. He has worked as a writing teacher, copywriter, and book critic, and is...  read

Lindsay Porter has told stories with Loose Chicks, Upright Citizens Brigade, Miss Spoken, Tellin' Tales, TenX, True Story and Story Sessions. She teaches storytelling in schools, hospitals, and jails. She recently started doing stand up comedy, and has performed with...  read

Jessi D hails from the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, which is just as bad as it sounds. She packed her car with her belongings and cat and made the drive to Chicago in the miserably humid summer of 2011 and...  read