Mon. October 5, 2026
CHICAGO, ILL. -
By Michael Oboza, Special to GoPride.com
During Latine Heritage Month, the intersectional collective Living Queer Monthly gathered at the Center on Halsted for an evening that served as a love letter to LGBTQ lives. The event featured local food, vendors, and talent, and was sponsored by the Destinos 9th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, an initiative of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance.
Esteban Schemberg, production manager, and Jorge Valdivia, executive director of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance, helped anchor the gathering.
Valdivia addressed the crowd of ticket holders, balancing celebration with the realities of the current sociopolitical climate.
"Tonight, we celebrate all things queer," Valdivia said. "But there's something serious happening. Many of us are aware of the impact of the illegal Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids without due process continue to cause."
Valdivia pointed to a report from the University of Illinois Chicago Great Cities Institute, titled "Hunkering Down: The Hidden Economic Cost of Federal Immigration Enforcement in Cook County, IL," which estimated that the effects of Operation Midway Blitz cost Cook County $1.26 billion in business revenue.
"I know that has a correlation with Latine performing arts. Because they're coming after people who look like us. And that is a reality," Valdivia said, before offering a challenge to the audience to keep showing up for those who cannot and to continue supporting Spanish-speaking theater.
The evening featured catering from Cookies & Conversations and Lipstick in the Kitchen. Local vendors included Esenia Soap, Eco Boutique By Alejandra, Soul Y Tierra, and You are Beloved Jewelry.
Notable attendees included La Mas Mejor, Gwen La Roka, Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame inductee Bonsai Bermudez, and Alma Izquierdo.
The lineup of talent featured Martha Cartagena, Licinio Garcia, Kerosene, Erika with a K, and The Braided Janes.
The Braided Janes performed several songs, including "Dreamers," a track commissioned by the Mexican consulate for the 7th annual Dreamers forum in 2025. The group closed their set with an encore performance of "Por Una Mujer" from their album "Renacer," which was recorded in Minca, Colombia.
Living Queer Monthly was formed in January 2025 as a direct response to the North American election and the economic climate affecting international LGBTQ communities. The initiative was organized by Emilio Williams, a bilingual playwright, essayist, author, and educator, alongside Erika with a K, a bilingual Latine LGBTQ spoken-word artist and poet.
"LQM is a space for unedited expression of self in queer community," said co-organizer Latines. "We do not consider LQM a show. It is not a performance. We simply show up as who we are, share our art, and sometimes a stream of consciousness."
Latines also credited the collaborative team behind the scenes, including co-curators Billy Huff, who secured sponsored food, Jacob McCloud, who provided behind-the-scenes support, and stage manager Stacie McCloud.
"Every production is a team effort," Latines noted. "This is my quinceañera year, meaning I am celebrating 15 years of being out of the closet. I cannot think of a more profound statement as a Latine LGBTQ disabled person than producing a collaborative production that celebrates in radical love our right to exist in creativity, magic, and community with integrity and dignity."
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