OUTspoken LGBTQ Stories

OUTspoken LGBTQ Stories A monthly storytelling event at Sidetrack Chicago celebrating handcrafted LGBTQ+ stories. Sidetrack opens at 3pm Tuesday. OUTspoken doors at 6pm, Stories 7pm.

Join us the first Tuesday of each month for OUTspoken, Chicago's LGBTQ+ Storytelling. No Cover.

Thank you to our September storytellers for the 6 beautiful stories shared tonight at OUTspoken LGBTQ Stories. 🌈🎙️ Save ...
09/02/2026

Thank you to our September storytellers for the 6 beautiful stories shared tonight at OUTspoken LGBTQ Stories. 🌈🎙️ Save the date: Tuesday, October 6, is the next OUTspoken at Sidetrack.

Don't miss OUTspoken LGBTQ+ Storytelling at Sidetrack Chicago Tuesday, September 1 with our storytellers: Xiomara Padams...
08/24/2026

Don't miss OUTspoken LGBTQ+ Storytelling at Sidetrack Chicago Tuesday, September 1 with our storytellers: Xiomara Padamsee, Jonathan Van De Loo, Sandee Kastrul (top row L to R) Mack Dihle, Hunter R. Adams & Jackie Kaplan-Perkins (bottom row L to R)

Sidetrack opens at 3pm weekdays. Doors to Main/Cherry/North/Back Bars open at 6pm for OUTspoken seating, with stories from 7-9pm, Tuesday, September 1.

Everyone has a story. Learn, Laugh, Love. Chicago's OUTspoken LGBTQ+ Storytelling happens the first Tuesday of every month at Sidetrack. No cover, 21+

September OUTspoken storyteller Xiomara Padamsee is the Founder and CEO of Pa'lante LLC, a talent consulting firm where ...
08/21/2026

September OUTspoken storyteller Xiomara Padamsee is the Founder and CEO of Pa'lante LLC, a talent consulting firm where she supports senior leaders to leverage their power and influence toward justice. She has almost 30 years of experience working with non-profits and foundations on organizational development, executive coaching, facilitation, training, and workplace culture transformations.

Xiomara is a Looking Out Foundation Board Member and a Pahara-Aspen Fellow. She holds a BS from Cornell University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Xiomara lives in Bowmanville, Chicago with her wife and 14-year-old daughter.

Hear Xiomara's story Tuesday, September 1, at Sidetrack. Seating from 6pm, stories 7-9pm.

September OUTspoken storyteller Sandee Kastrul is a social entrepreneur, an artist and an educator. She is the co-founde...
08/21/2026

September OUTspoken storyteller Sandee Kastrul is a social entrepreneur, an artist and an educator. She is the co-founder of University of Matter, Umatter, a social justice design school. She is also the Co-Founder of i.c.stars. Founded in 1999, i.c.stars prepares future leaders to develop skills in business, leadership and technology.

Sandee is an engaging and inspiring storyteller who draws on the connections between creativity, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. As the founder of a non-profit and social enterprise, she discusses the powerful result of optimism and raising the standards for our communities.

She has worked in education for over three decades. Her educational career includes focused work on cross-curricular integration strategies, program design, diversity training, and leadership Development. Sandee is a proud board member of Chicago Innovation, Minorites in Cyber Security, and KOIOS,technology leaders group.

Hear Sandee's story Tuesday, September 1, at Sidetrack. Seating from 6pm stories 7-9pm.

September OUTspoken storyteller Jonathan Van De Loo is a Domestic Violence Victim Witness Specialist working for the Coo...
08/21/2026

September OUTspoken storyteller Jonathan Van De Loo is a Domestic Violence Victim Witness Specialist working for the Cook County State's Attorney. He grew up outside of Albany, New York before moving to Chicago after college. Outside of storytelling, he is also a playwright, a music lover, and has an extra special talent: making alcohol disappear into his stomach. Hear Jonathan's story Tuesday, September 1, at Sidetrack. Seating from 6pm, stories 7-9pm.

September OUTspoken storyteller Mack Dihle is a butch le***an who drives a giant motorcycle, plays lead trumpet in a q**...
08/21/2026

September OUTspoken storyteller Mack Dihle is a butch le***an who drives a giant motorcycle, plays lead trumpet in a q***r Latin band, and plays in an all-female band called “Sapphic Serenade” at the monthly cabaret show at Sidetrack. Hear Mack’s first story at OutSpoken Tuesday, September 1, at Sidetrack. Seating from 6pm, stories 7-9pm.

September OUTspoken storyteller Jackie Kaplan-Perkins, the daughter of immigrants, grew up on Chicago's North Side in th...
08/21/2026

September OUTspoken storyteller Jackie Kaplan-Perkins, the daughter of immigrants, grew up on Chicago's North Side in the late 70s and early 80s, watching the Cubs lose, blasting Styx, and reading socialist Cuban newspapers with her Papi. This self-described "funny-faced kid from Rogers Park" is still a little humbled to be called a leader in her community, having spent the last three decades working alongside her heroes to raise money and raise hell for justice and equity.

She still lives on the North Side, for the past three decades with her wife, Ann. Together they raised their son, David, in that home, hosted more Shabbat dinners than either of them can count, and where many nights still end the same way: a mezcal nightcap, surrounded by their small menagerie of pets. Hear Jackie's story Tuesday, September 1, at Sidetrack. Seating from 6pm, stories 7-9pm.

September OUTspoken storyteller Hunter R. Adams is a trans filmmaker and writer from Eureka Springs, Arkansas. His bigge...
08/21/2026

September OUTspoken storyteller Hunter R. Adams is a trans filmmaker and writer from Eureka Springs, Arkansas. His biggest passion is telling stories about neurodivergence, q***rness, and wealth inequality. Hunter is loving the abundance of q***r community in Chicago. When he’s not on set, he works as a ballroom and social dance instructor. Hear Hunter's story Tuesday, September 1, at Sidetrack. Seating from 6pm, stories 7-9pm.

Thank you to our August storytellers for the 6 beautiful stories shared tonight at our 12th Anniversary of OUTspoken LGB...
08/05/2026

Thank you to our August storytellers for the 6 beautiful stories shared tonight at our 12th Anniversary of OUTspoken LGBTQ Storytelling. 🌈🎙️ Save the date: Tuesday, September 1, is the next OUTspoken at Sidetrack.

Don't miss OUTspoken LGBTQ+ Storytelling at Sidetrack Chicago Tuesday, August 4, with our storytellers: (top row L to R)...
07/28/2026

Don't miss OUTspoken LGBTQ+ Storytelling at Sidetrack Chicago Tuesday, August 4, with our storytellers: (top row L to R) Anna DeShawn, David Fink, Aisha Davis (bottom row L to R) Nancy Mullen, Channyn Lynne Parker & Bridie Damisch.

Sidetrack opens at 3pm weekdays. Doors to Main/Cherry/North/Back Bars open at 6pm for OUTspoken seating, with stories from 7-9pm, Tuesday, July 7.

Everyone has a story. Learn, Laugh, Love. Chicago's OUTspoken LGBTQ+ Storytelling happens the first Tuesday of every month at Sidetrack. No cover, 21+

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3349 N Halsted Street
Chicago, IL
60657

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(773) 477-9189

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