Amar Taylor is a 23-year-young creative writer and poet from Chicago. Amar likes to use his poetry to release great energy. Amar discovered passion for his writing when he was denied an opportunity simply because of who he was. Ever since, it has become a great outlet that speaks to many dark and traumatic experiences being brown, being gay and being a man. "It is not easy being vulnerable. I think in order to heal together someone has to speak about these experiences that effect our everyday lives. It's interesting to find out how much you have in common with people often considered as different," he says. Amar loves helping people and giving them what he was not given: genuine love and encouragement. You can follow him on Instagram at @thecolorful_cloth.

Please join Amar and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

Nestor "the Boss" Gomez was born in Guatemala and came to Chicago undocumented in the mid 80's. He told his first story at a Moth Story Slam to get over the stuttering that plagued his childhood, and since then he has won close to 40 Moth Slams and several Grand Slams. His stories have been featured at several national radio shows such as The Moth Radio Hour and Snap Judgment. Nestor also created, hosts, produces and curates his own storytelling show 80 Minutes Around the World, which features the stories of immigrants, their descendants, and allies with ongoing presentations in Chicago, New York and Detroit. To learn more about Nestor visit his website.

Please join Nestor and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

Elizabeth Tamny has lived in Chicago since Eugene Sawyer was mayor, which is a long time, but she is not from here. Since then she has done equal time in publishing, museums, and alt-weeklies, the trifecta of underpaid ladyjobs. She cares terribly about buildings and letter shapes. There is more info in the general way online, including cookie creations.

Please join Elizabeth and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

Levi Todd is a queer poet and lifelong Chicagoan. They serve as Poetry Editor for Tinderbox Poetry Journal and as a relationship health educator with youth. Levi's work is published or forthcoming in Pinwheel, Cotton Xenomorph, Glass Poetry, and elsewhere. They want to know if you have any theories on when Carly Rae Jepsen will finally release her new album.

Please join Levi and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

The 125th episode of Tuesday Funk happened to fall on Mardi Gras, and cohost Andrew Huff took that as inspiration for a couple of his topical haiku for the month.

Mardi Gras today!
Laissez les bon temps rouller!
Lent starts tomorrow.

What would you give up?
Me, a 40-day diet.
Reward is less me.

Que séra séra
Whatever will be, will be.
Record player skipped.

Now, I exhaled. Now.
Not tomorrow, not next week.
Now means this instant.

Spring into action with your favorite eclectic monthly reading series! Tuesday Funk returns to the upstairs bar at Hopleaf on Tuesday, April 2 with readings by Nestor Gomez, Elizabeth Tamny, Amar Taylor, Stuti Sharma and Levi Todd.

Admission to Tuesday Funk is free, but you must be 21 to attend. Doors open at 7pm sharp (don't be slow if you want a seat!) and the show will start at 7:30pm. Please RSVP on Facebook, and don't forget to like and follow us so you get our announcements right in your stream.

You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Hope to see you April 2!

Well, March predictably came in like a lion, but Tuesday Funk fans withstood the miserable weather and came out for a great show on March 5, 2019. Lindsay Eanet warmed the upstairs lounge at Hopleaf up with an essay that brought together astrology, "American Ninja Warrior" and The Hunger Games, then Lori Barrett (filling in for the ill Tracy Harford-Porter) shared a story about getting used to living in a foreign country -- and the noises one's neighbors make. Next, Robbie Q. Telfer read poems that were at once funny and poignant.

We took a break to refill our drinks, after which cohost Andrew Huff shared a couple of topical haiku and introduced Faisal Mohyuddin, who read several poems of his own. Last but not least, Kelly Swails told a story about nearly falling off a cliff and being saved by a cool-headed friend.

Tuesday Funk returns on April 2, when we'll feature readings by Kenji Kuramitsu, Elizabeth Tamny, Stuti Sharma, Amar Taylor and Levi Todd. Hope to see you there!

March into March with Chicago's finest! Tonight we've got Robbie Q. Telfer, Tracy Harford-Porter, Kelly Swails, Lindsay Eanet, and Faisal Mohyuddin!

Our readings take place at Hopleaf Bar, 5148 N. Clark St. in Chicago. We get started promptly at 7:30 pm in the upstairs lounge. Arrive early if you want a seat -- but no earlier than 7:00 pm. Our readings are free, but only those 21 and over will be admitted. No food can be brought in from the restaurant. See you there!

Tracy Harford-Porter was born in Brooklyn, NY and now resides in the Chicago suburbs. She has worked for Essence Communications as a photo editor, the Harlem Children's Zone as the managing editor of Harlem Overheard, StoryCorps as a facilitator coordinator, and Goldman Sachs as a long-term administrative temp/secret ethnographer. Tracy is a 2008 graduate of Clarion West and proud alum of Columbia University School of General Studies, majoring in anthropology. She is currently reworking a NaNoWriMo project into a novel and a screenplay because she is a masochist.

Please join Tracy and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

Kelly Swails is a writer, editor, and all-around geek. Her work has appeared in several anthologies as well as Shondaland.com. Currently, she's the Co-Director of the Writer's Symposium at Gen Con, a con-within-a-con for science fiction and fantasy writers. You can stalk her on twitter at @kellyswails or her website at, you guessed it, kellyswails.com.

Please join Kelly and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.