Sidetrack OUTspoken featured storytellers for March 7

Chicago's monthly evening of LGBTQ storytelling – known as OUTspoken - returns Tuesday, March 7 with an exciting line-up of featured storytellers.

"The key is, we all have full, rich lives," curator David Fink told GoPride.com. "Talking about significant moments connects us. Although we may outwardly have little in common, as humans we all have a lot in common. Personal, true stories help remind us of these commonalities.”

Six storytellers will take their turn with the microphone as Sidetrack transforms its Main and Cherry Bars into a story-telling hall with chairs for seating.

OUTspoken takes place the first Tuesday of every month at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted, and is hosted by Kim Hunt and Sidetrack owner Art Johnston.

There is no charge to attend, but audience members must be 21 with ID. Proof of vaccination and masks are also required.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and stories begin at 7 p.m.

Meet the March storytellers:

Kim Hunt has called Chicago home for over 30 years. She is a lifelong learner who believes deeply in the power of stories, advocacy, science fiction and a great pair of sneakers. During the day she leads an initiative under AIDS Foundation Chicago called Pride Action Tank, a think tank focused on co-creating new futures with LGBTQ+ people and other historically marginalized communities. In addition to her wife and three children, one of the great joys of her life is being one of the founding co-hosts of OUTspoken LGBTQ Storytelling.

Max Pizer Lippitz is the assistant chef of a Latvian gastroppub; the 3rd placer in the South-Southeastern Conference of the 2017 International Croquet Championship; the junior senator of Oklahoma; a father of 3 beautiful children and one funny one; the solver of Cramer’s paradox (one of the most complicated mathematical problems); the 26th most accomplished in 30 under 30; a prophet; a background actor in The Lion King 2; a horse, a cow AND giraffe whisperer; and Angela Merkel’s GBF. Just kidding but he IS a senior at University of Chicago studying econ and stats, a hot sauce lover, a pianist, an airport detainee, and a nephew.

Jennifer Curtain is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, a Mom, an Entrepreneur and a Queer woman who has been in the Western Suburbs for the last 23 years. Jennifer’s passion is working with LGBTQIA adolescents, families and couples, particularly those who have transgender identities. She owns Evolution Counseling, a private practice in Naperville that serves LGBTQIA folks of all ages and identities, as well as queer couples, relationship systems and families. Jennifer has sat on the Board of Youth Outlook, a local non-for-profit serving LGBT youth for the past 24 years. In her spare time, Jennifer loves watching just about anything on streaming media, playing with her dogs Frank and Al (both girls) and spending time with friends and family.

Jaime Rodriguez has called Chicago home for 15 years, but is a Southern boy at heart. He is a graduate of Roosevelt University and currently works in tech for a platform that promotes healthcare & benefits utilization. In his free time, you can catch him traveling, running along the lake, trying our new restaurants & cocktails bars, indulging in some form of live entertainment or with an iced coffee in his hand, no matter the time of year.

Shane Hendrix is a Chicago actor, singer and storyteller who is originally from Chattanooga, TN. After a decades long absence from performing, he has recently been seen onstage for Tellin’ Tales Theatre, and has made several appearances in Story Jam shows. This is his first appearance LIVE for OutSpoken (having appeared once via zoom).

Ken Schultz is a comedian, writer, Cub fan, and proud Chicagoan. He is a contributing writer for Outsports and last fall, he helped break the story of retired pitcher TJ House becoming the third player to come out publicly in Major League Baseball history. As a performer, Ken has opened for comedy luminaries like Gary Gulman and Jimmy Pardo but his proudest achievement might be doing stand-up for 30 minutes in front of a south side bar packed with bikers and surviving.