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SUMMARY:FLECHO Book Fair
DESCRIPTION:We are excited to announce\, the Guild Complex will participate in FLECHO in Quibdo\, Colombia! \n\n\n\nFrom March 20-24\, members of the Guild Complex along with 4 talented and creative Afro-Latin writers will travel and participate in this four-city traveling book fair which will culminate in Quibdo\, Columbia. Participating writers include Kianny Antigua (New Hampshire)\, Alan Pelaz Lopez (California)\, Tiffanie Clark (Ohio)\, and Luis Tubens (Chicago) along with Mary Hawley\, the long time coordinator for Palabra Pura. Along with these talented writers\, a documentary filmmaker will follow along to capture this experience. \n\n\n\nFLECHO is a program of MOTETE. A cultural arts organization\, based in Colombia\, that promotes the development of critical\, autonomous and creative thinking for the exercise of active citizenships\, through the generation of meetings around culture\, reading\, and the arts. \n\n\n\nThe Guild Complex was invited to be a part of FLECHO by a couple of the program organizers\, Velia Vidal and Christian Vasquez after the Guild Complex collaborated with Vasquez on several Palabra Pura events in 2021 that included folks from the writing community in Colombia. This opportunity was born out of a mutual desire to extend the Guild’s programming mission of serving marginalized communities through the literary arts by showing up for this modest city whose population is made up of mostly Afro-Colombians. The goal being to bring in more writers who looked like the people of Quibdo and to show the diversity of voices brought forth by Palabra Pura. It is a unique opportunity like no other the Guild Complex has done before. This program is done with partial support from the Poetry Foundation. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Artists:\n\n\n\n\n\nAlan Pelaez Lopez\n\n\n\nAlan Pelaez Lopez is a poet\, installation and adornment artist from Oaxaca\, México. Their work attends to the quotidian realities of undocumented migrants in the United States\, the Black condition in Latin America\, and the intimate kinship units that trans and nonbinary people build in the face of violence. Their debut visual poetry collection\, Intergalactic Travels: poems from a fugitive alien (The Operating System\, 2020)\, was a finalist for the 2020 International Latino Book Award. They are also the author of the chapbook to love and mourn in the age of displacement (Nomadic Press\, 2020). While they are an artist\, Alan has also been organizing with undocumented migrants in the United States for over ten years and firmly believes that art is a portal into the future. \n\n\n\n— \n\n\n\nAlan Pelaez Lopez es une poeta\, artista de instalación y de Oaxaca\, México. Su trabajo atiende las realidades cotidianas de les migrantes indocumentades en los EUA\, la condición negra/afro/cimarrona en América Latina y las unidades de parentesco íntimo que las personas trans y no binarias construyen frente a la violencia. Su poemario\, Intergalactic Travels: poems from a fugitive alien (The Operating System\, 2020)\, fue finalista del Premio Internacional del Libro Latino. También escribió el cordel to love and mourn in the age of displacement (Nomadic Press\, 2020). Alan ha trabajado como organizadore comunitarie con inmigrantes indocumentades en los EUA durante más de diez años y cree firmemente que el arte es un portal hacia el futuro. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKianny N. Antigua\n\n\n\nKianny N. Antigua. [Dominican Republic] Fiction writer\, poet\, translator\, and audiobook narrator. Antigua has published over thirty books of children’s literature\, fiction\, and poetry; has won sixteen literary awards and her work have been included in a variety of anthologies\, literary journals\, and textbooks. Some have been translated into English\, French and Italian. Translator of works by Angie Cruz\, Elizabeth Acevedo\, Ruth Behar\, Lilliam Rivera\, Lissette J. Norman & Lorgia García Peña.  \n\n\n\n— \n\n\n\nKianny N. Antigua. [República Dominicana] Es escritora\, traductora y narradora de audiolibros. Ha publicado 35 libros de narrativa y poesía\, para adultes y chiquitines. Ha ganado 16 premios literarios y sus textos aparecen en múltiples antologías\, libros\, revistas y otros medios. Algunos de sus relatos han sido traducidos al inglés\, francés e italiano. Ha traducido textos de Angie Cruz\, Elizabeth Acevedo\, Ruth Behar\, Lilliam Rivera\, Lissette J. Norman & Lorgia García Peña.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLuis Tubens a.k.a Logan Lu\n\n\n\nLuis Tubens\, a.k.a “Logan Lu”\, is a Chicago born\, Puerto Rican spoken word artist and educator. He has toured the U.S.\, Mexico\, and Puerto Rico\, and was featured at Spoken Word Istanbul in Istanbul\, Turkey in 2022. In 2014 and 2018 he represented Chicago at the National Poetry Slam. In 2022 he received the “First Voice Award” from the Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture. As an educator\, he held workshops for the residents of the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and the Chicago Public Schools. He is the author of the poetry collection “Stone Eagle”. Currently\, Luis is playing in the Latin funk band “ESSO Funk”\, organizing “Slam Díaspora” poetry slam and\, touring his latest theatrical production “Raíces to Roots”.   \n\n\n\n— \n\n\n\nLuis Tubens\, también conocido como “Logan Lu”\, es un artista de poesía en voz alta (spoken word) y educador puertorriqueño nacido en Chicago. Ha realizado giras por Estados Unidos\, México y Puerto Rico\, y en 2022 fue poeta invitado en el “Spoken Word Estambul” en Turquía. En 2014 y 2018 representó a Chicago en el “Slam Nacional de Poesía” (National Poetry Slam). En 2022 recibió el “Premio a la Primera Voz” del Centro para la Vida y la Cultura Urbanas de Chicago. Como educador\, imparte talleres para los residentes del Centro de Detención Temporal Juvenil y para las escuelas públicas de Chicago. Es autor del poemario “Stone Eagle”. Actualmente\, Luis se encuentra tocando en la banda “ESSO Funk”\, organizando el slam de poesía “Slam Diáspora” y realizando una gira con su última producción teatral “Raíces to Roots”.   \n\n\n\nwww.LuisTubens.com  \n\n\n\n@loganlupoetry \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMary Hawley\n\n\n\nMary Hawley is a poet\, fiction writer\, and literary translator. She is the author of the poetry collection Double Tongues and co-translator of the bilingual anthology Shards of Light/Astillas de luz. Her poems and short stories have appeared in many magazines and anthologies\, and in 2019 she received an Illinois Arts Council Literary Award in fiction. Her translation of Sergio Altesor Licandro’s Cuadernos de dibujo (1978-1993) was published in 2022\, and she’s now translating a trilogy of novels by the same author. She is also collaborating with the Uruguayan poet Silvia Goldman on a poetry and translation project. She helps coordinate Palabra Pura\, the bilingual literary series of the Guild Literary Complex of Chicago\, and she is a volunteer interpreter for the National Immigrant Justice Center. She lives in Evanston\, Illinois. \n\n\n\n— \n\n\n\nMary Hawley es poeta\, cuentista y traductora. Es autora del poemario Double Tongues y cotraductora de la antología bilingüe Shards of Light/Astillas de luz. Sus poemas y cuentos han aparecido en muchas revistas y antologías\, y en 2019 recibió el Premio Literario del Consejo de Artes de Illinois en ficción. En 2022 se publicó su traducción en inglés de Cuadernos de dibujo (1978-1993) de Sergio Altesor Licandro\, y ahora está traduciendo una trilogía de novelas por el mismo autor. También está colaborando con la poeta uruguaya Silvia Goldman en un proyecto de poesía y traducción. Ayuda a coordinar Palabra Pura\, la serie literaria bilingüe del Guild Literary Complex de Chicago\, y es intérprete voluntaria para el Centro Nacional de Justicia para Inmigrantes. Reside en Evanston\, Illinois.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTiffanie R. Clark\n\n\n\nDr. Tiffanie R. Clark is a writer and researcher. She teaches language and literature courses at Central State University and Ashland University in Ohio. Since graduation from the University of Cincinnati\, Ohio in 2020\, she has published articles about contemporary Central American poets and spirituality in the works of Carmen Conde and Amado Nervo. Currently\, she is translating and researching the poetry of late Central American author\, German Salas. As a mother of three boys\, her poetry and essays focus on motherhood\, women’s experiences\, spirituality\, and nature. \n\n\n\n— \n\n\n\nDra. Tiffanie R. Clark es una escritora e investigadora. Enseña cursos de literatura y lengua en la Universidad de Central State y la Universidad de Ashland en Ohio. Desde su graduación de la Universidad de Cincinnati en 2020\, ha publicado artículos sobre poetas centroamericanos contemporáneos y la espiritualidad en la poesía de Carmen Conde y Amado Nervo. Actualmente\, traduce e investiga la poesía del poeta centroamericano German Salas. Como madre de tres niños\, su poesía y ensayos se centran en la maternidad\, las experiencias de las mujeres\, la espiritualidad y la naturaleza.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/flecho-book-fair/
LOCATION:IL
CATEGORIES:Palabra Pura,Special Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240519T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240519T170000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20240508T214838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240508T214841Z
UID:11337-1716120000-1716138000@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:American Writers Festival
DESCRIPTION:At the American Writers Festival\, there’s more than just book talk. Get ready for fun\, community-driven activities for visitors of all ages. There’s so much to explore\, from book signings to arts & crafts to special photo ops and more! \n\n\n\nThe American Writers Festival\, co-presented by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library\, is an entirely free\, one-day literary event showcasing the breadth and depth of American writing in all genres and styles. The Festival takes place on May 19\, 2024 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm across five stages at the Harold Washington Library Center in downtown Chicago (400 S. State St.).
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/american-writers-festival/
LOCATION:Harold Washington Library\, 400 S. State St.\, Chicago
CATEGORIES:Special Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240908T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240908T170000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20240815T213429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240815T213431Z
UID:11650-1725811200-1725814800@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Printers Row Lit Fest | Annie Allen — Now: A Conversation
DESCRIPTION:As its 75th anniversary approaches\, Nora Brooks Blakely (Brooks Permissions) and Reginald Gibbons (Northwestern University) discuss the modern relevance and contemporary ideas from Gwendolyn Brooks’ Pulitzer Prize-wining book Annie Allen.  \n\n\n\nProgram moderated by Adrian Matejka\, Editor of Poetry magazine.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPrinters Row Lit Fest is a free event on the streets of South Dearborn\, from Ida B. Wells to Polk Street in Chicago\, IL. The literary festival will run from 10am-6pm on Saturday\, 9/7\, and Sunday\, 9/8. Learn more about the festival here. \n\n\n\nLocation: Center Stage
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/printers-row-lit-fest-annie-allen-now-a-conversation/
LOCATION:Printers Row Lit Festival\, Dearborn and Polk Streets\, Chicago\, 60605\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/prlf-2024-poster.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250522T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250522T200000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20250209T205929Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250509T144138Z
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SUMMARY:Power Lines 25th Anniversary Celebration w/ Poetry Foundation
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Tia Chucha Press anthology Power Lines\, a democratic assemblage of Chicago’s slam poets and poets of letters at the dawn of the new millennium. In a blast from the past\, local and notable contributors revisit their original poems from the anthology and offer new poems and insight 25years later. \n\n\n\nFeatured poets include Ana Castillo\, Andrea Change\, Reginald Gibbons\, Illinois Poet Laureate and Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize recipient Angela Jackson\, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tyehimba Jess\, Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize recipient Haki R. Madhubuti\, Simone Muench\, Mark Turcotte\, Cin Salach\, and anthology editors Julie Parson Nesbitt\, Luis Rodriguez\, and Michael Warr. \n\n\n\n“As long as there is a search for a primal link to people\, for solutions to social equations\, and for that way of saying what can not be said in ordinary language\, poetry will remain the people’s means of expression.”—Michael Warr\, Introduction to Power Lines \n\n\n\nThis program is presented in partnership with the Poetry Center and The Guild Literary Complex. It is part of the Poetry Foundation’s spring 2025 season\, Power Lines. \n\n\n\nAdditional Information \n\n\n\n\nAll Poetry Foundation events are completely free of charge and open to the public.\n\n\n\nAdvanced registration is encouraged.\n\n\n\nThe performance space is ADA-compliant and wheelchair-accessible.\n\n\n\nThe program will feature CART captioning and ASL interpretation.\n\n\n\n\nFor more information about accessibility at the Poetry Foundation\, please visit our Accessibility Guide.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/power-lines-25th-anniversary-celebration/
LOCATION:The Poetry Foundation\, 61 W Superior St\, Chicago\, IL\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Power-Lines-25th-Anniversary-Celebration.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250524T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250524T200000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20250509T141857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250509T202439Z
UID:12255-1748109600-1748116800@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Power Lines 25th Anniversary Celebration: Contributors Reading @ Chopin Theatre
DESCRIPTION:« All Events\n \n\n	Power Lines 25th Anniversary Celebration: Contributors Reading @ Chopin Theatre\n			05/24/2025\n	  @\n6:00 PM\n	  –\n8:00 PM\nCDT \nChopin Theatre \n	\n\n	\n	Add to calendar	\n		\n	\n \n\n\n	Google Calendar\n\n\n	iCalendar\n\n\n			\n						 \nJoin the Guild Literary Complex for a special celebration of the Power Lines 25th anniversary! Featuring poetry performances by contributors of the anthology released by Tia Chucha Press\, a decade of poems from Chicago’s Guild Complex. A light reception with food and drink will follow. \nFree registration – secure your spot now! \n*Reader lineup coming soon.* \n\nFree \n					\n									Get Tickets\n					 \nLOCATION:\n\n	Chopin Theatre\n\n	Address:\n\n1543 W. Division\n		\n		Chicago\,\n	IL\n	United States\n\n\n	+ Google Map \n\n	Phone:\n\n					\n						\n	 \n\n	Website:\n \n\n \n\n	Categories:\n		Special Events	 \n\n	Tags:\n		\n	Power Lines \n\n\n\n\n				Power Lines 25th Anniversary Celebration w/ Poetry Foundation	\n\n\n	\n		Cocktails & Conversation
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/power-lines-25th-anniversary-celebration-chopin/
LOCATION:Chopin Theatre\, 1543 West Division Street\, Chicago\, IL\, 60642\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/unnamed.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250606T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250606T210000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20250521T165654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T165808Z
UID:12314-1749232800-1749243600@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:SAY THEIR NAMES Community Salon w/ NON:op
DESCRIPTION:Get Tickets\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJoin us on June 6 at Experimental Station in Woodlawn as we remember Black Americans killed by police violence and honor the memory of Ronald Browne\, lead researcher and one of the originators of the SAY THEIR NAMES project. Join us for food and drinks\, a demonstration of the new and database\, live art-making\, and the presentation of the STN commissioned artists who will talk about how their new works will engage with the map. \n\n\n\nJune 6\, 6pm • Experimental Station6100 S Blackstone Ave\, Chicago\, IL 60637 \n\n\n\nExperimental Station is wheelchair accessible.For other accessibility requests contact non [at] nonopera [dot] org
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/say-their-names-community-salon-w-nonop/
LOCATION:Experimental Station\, 6100 S. Blackstone\, Chicago\, IL\, United States
CATEGORIES:Partner Event,Special Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/057a6ec2-f897-4f15-8351-f42975ae07af_resize.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250823T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250823T200000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20250725T224229Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250804T210523Z
UID:12510-1755950400-1755979200@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Fountain Square LitFest
DESCRIPTION:Fountain Square | 1601 Sherman Ave. | Evanston\, IL \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBookends & Beginnings and the Guild Literary Complex present an afternoon of literary celebration on Saturday\, August 23rd\, from 12-8pm. Immerse yourself in author readings\, hands-on writing workshops\, bookmaking\, and live music in downtown Evanston. Whether you’re a seasoned writer\, an avid reader\, or simply looking to be inspired\, this festival centers around a dynamic community space to connect\, create\, and celebrate the written word in all its forms. \n\n\n\nAll events are located at Fountain Square\, unless otherwise noted.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKeynote Speaker:\n\n\n\nAngela Jackson \n\n\n\nOutgoing Illinois Poet Laureate  \n\n\n\n(1:00-1:45pm) \n\n\n\n\n\nREADINGS\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGuild Complex\n\n\n\n(2:00-2:45pm) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHelene Achanzar  \n\n\n\nJeremy Gordon  \n\n\n\nR.A. Villanueva  \n\n\n\nTyriek White \n\n\n\ncurated by Helene Achanzar \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRHINO\n\n\n\n(3:00-3:45pm) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDiya Abbas \n\n\n\nNile Lansana  \n\n\n\nTimothy David Rey  \n\n\n\nMaja Teref & Steven Teref \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSunday Salon\n\n\n\n(5:00-5:45pm) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSimone Muench  \n\n\n\nApril Gibson  \n\n\n\nVincent Francone \n\n\n\nDina Elebogen  \n\n\n\ncurated by Ignatius Valentine Aloysius \n\n\n\n\n\nPlus Youth Poetry Reading (4:00-4:45pm) featuring Young Chicago Authors and Youth Poet Laureate Eila Kittikamron Mora \n\n\n\n& Children’s Reading presented by Mallory Raven-Ellen Backstrom (12:15-12:45pm) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWORKSHOPS\n\n\n\nPoetry: Kenyatta Rogers  \n\n\n\n1:00-2:30pm at Bookends & Beginnings [Register Here] \n\n\n\nGraphic Narrative & Comics: Nate Olison  \n\n\n\n3:00-4:30pm at Bookends & Beginnings [Register Here] \n\n\n\n\n\nLIVE MUSIC\n\n\n\nfrom Esso Funk \n\n\n\n(6:20-7:15pm) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Artists\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMallory Raven-Ellen Backstrom\n\n\n\nMallory Raven-Ellen Backstrom is the founder and creator of Fairy Tales for Sunkissed Women. A poetic worldbuilder\, her passion for storytelling\, diverse representation\, mindfulness\, and mysticism shines through the universes she conjures on the page\, stage\, and canvas. An award-winning playwright\, author\, illustrator\, and teaching artist. Mallory’s play\, Cephianne’s Reflection\, received the prestigious L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award and the Jay Harris Commission from the Williamstown Theatre Festival\, where she is also an Artist in Residence. She’s an alumna of the Playwrights’ Unit at Goodman Theatre\, where her work has been developed in Future Labs and the New Stages Festival. Mallory has received the Chicago Esteemed Artist Award\, the B2B Arts grant\, is a 3Arts Make-A-Wave awardee\, and a Chicago Dramatists Tutterow Fellow. She was the inaugural Sullivan Playwright-in-Residence at the University of Illinois. CineCity Studios\, The Story Theatre\, Sideshow Theatre\, The Athena Project\, The New Coordinates Theatre\, and The Refracted Theatre Company have supported her plays. \n\n\n\n“A craftsman of the English language\,” Windy City Reviews praised her debut novel\, Reasons for Being. Going on to say\, “Mallory’s writing is as clear and beautiful as springtime in a meadow. You inhale the delicate natural musk to make it a part of your very being.” Her anticipated children’s book\, Let’s Catch a Happily Ever After\, is the first in her collection of Fairy Tales for Starkissed Children. Mallory has lectured at the University of California-Davis\, the University of Illinois\, Devil’s Daughter\, and Illinois Humanities. Her art has been showcased at The Freedom and Movement Gallery and The Breathing Room. Connect with her @fairytalesforsunkissedwomen and www.MalloryBackstrom.com \n\n\n\n\n\n— Guild Complex —\n\n\n\nHelene Achanzar \n\n\n\nHelene Achanzar is a poet and editor whose writing has appeared in The Georgia Review\, Sixth Finch\, Best New Poets\, and elsewhere. Winner of the 2022 New England Review Award for Emerging Writers\, her work has been supported by Bread Loaf\, the T.S. Eliot Foundation\, and the Chicago Architecture Biennial. She is a senior editor for Poetry Northwest\, Midwest Regional Chair for Kundiman\, and Director of Programs at the Chicago Poetry Center. \n\n\n\nJeremy Gordon \n\n\n\nJeremy Gordon is the author of See Friendship\, which was released in March by Harper Perennial. He’s a senior editor on the culture desk at The Atlantic\, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times\, GQ\, Pitchfork\, The Nation\, and The Outline. He lives in Brooklyn.  \n\n\n\nR.A. Villanueva \n\n\n\nR. A. Villanueva is the author of two collections of poetry: A Holy Dread\, winner of the Alice James Award (forthcoming in 2026) and Reliquaria (University of Nebraska Press\, 2014)\, winner of the Prairie Schooner Book Prize. New work has been featured by the Academy of American Poets and National Public Radio—and his writing appears widely in international publications such as Poetry London and The Poetry Review. His honors include commendations from the Forward Prizes\, and fellowships from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts. He lives in Brooklyn\, New York.  \n\n\n\nTyriek White \n\n\n\nTyriek White is a writer\, musician\, and educator from Brooklyn\, NY. He is the author of WE ARE A HAUNTING (Astra House\, 2023)\, winner of The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. The novel was also a finalist for the Gotham Book Prize and the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award for Fiction; and longlisted for the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize. In 2024\, he was named a National Book Foundation ‘5 Under 35’ honoree. He is currently the media director of Lampblack Literary Foundation\, which seeks to provide mutual aid and various resources to Black writers across the diaspora. \n\n\n\n— RHINO —\n\n\n\nNile Lansana\n\n\n\nNile Lansana is an interdisciplinary artist from the South Side of Chicago. An acclaimed writer\, poet\, performer\, and filmmaker\, his work is centered around revealing radical truths and amplifying marginalized voices and narratives through a lens of Black imagination and visionary intention. He is a nominee for the inaugural Chicago Poet Laureate position. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Journalism and English-Creative Writing. He is a nominee for the inaugural Chicago Poet Laureate. He won the 2021 Ronald Wallace Poetry Thesis Prize and 2020 George B Hill Poetry Prize. His work is published in American Gun: A Poem by 100 Chicagoans\, The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop\, & elsewhere. He holds fellowships from the Rebuild Foundation and Obsidian Foundation. He is a proud uncle and the oldest of four Black boys. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTimothy David Rey\n\n\n\nTimothy David Rey is a playwright\, poet\, and performer. His poetic play. .ZIP! was a 2023 semifinalist for the Eugene O Neill National Playwrights Conference. His poetry and creative writing have been exhibited at the Poetry Foundation\, Steppenwolf Theater Lookout Series\, Obsidian: The Literature of the African Diaspora\, RHINO Poetry (forthcoming)\, and Black Horse Review. He is a New City Magazine 2025 Lit 50 (People who really ‘book’ in Chicago.) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMaja and Steven Teref\n\n\n\nSteven and Maja Teref’s translations include Ana Ristović’s Directions for Use\, shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award\, Best Translated Book Award\, and the National Translation Award\, and Novica Tadić’s Assembly. Their translations have appeared in The New Yorker\, Brooklyn Rail\, Columbia Journal\, and elsewhere. The Terefs’ latest book is Milena Marković’s sympathy for the salami\, a translated collection of her shorter poems\, which features two excerpts from Children. Steven is a co-editor with Aleksandar Bošković of Zenithism (1921–1927): A Yugoslav Avant-Garde Anthology. He is the editor for Academic Studies Press’ Companions to Slavic Literature series. Maja teaches at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools where she is also the faculty advisor for the student-run literary translation journal Ouroboros Review. The Teref’s are members of the Third Coast Translators Collective. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDiya Abbas\n\n\n\nDiya Abbas is a first-generation Pakistani poet from the Midwest\, now living in New York. They were named the 2022 George B. Hill Poetry Prize Winner and the Lyman S.V. Judson Awardee in the Creative Arts. Her poems are forthcoming in North American Review\, Poetry Northwest\, and LAKEER Mag\, and have been featured in Hayden’s Ferry Review\, Foglifter\, Adroit\, The Offing\, BAHR Magazine\, Emerge Literary Journal\, RHINO\, and others. She studied Creative Writing and South Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. \n\n\n\n\n\n— Sunday Salon —\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSimone Muench\n\n\n\nSimone Muench is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship and the author of seven full-length books\, including Lampblack & Ash (Sarabande; Kathryn A. Morton Prize)\, Wolf Centos (Sarabande)\, and The Under Hum (Black Lawrence Press\, 2024)\, co-written with Jackie K. White. She serves as faculty advisor for Jet Fuel Review\, a senior poetry editor for Tupelo Quarterly\, and poetry editor for Jackleg Press. She is the founder of the Hungry Brain Sunday Reading Series\, which she co-hosts with Kenyatta Rogers. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nApril Gibson\n\n\n\nApril Gibson is a poet\, writer\, and author of The Span of a Small Forever (Amistad/HarperCollins\, 2024)\, shortlisted for a Chicago Review of Books Award and Chicago Reader’s Best of Chicago. Her work is also published in The Kenyon Review\, Michigan Quarterly Review\, Prairie Schooner and elsewhere. April is an Assistant Professor of English at Malcolm X College. \n\n\n\nWebsite: https://argpoetry.com/  \n\n\n\nInstagram: @poetmamawoman  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVincent Francone\n\n\n\nVincent Francone is the author of Like a Dog\, The Soft Lunacy\, and A Book No One Wants. He edited Open Heart Chicago: an Anthology of Chicago Writing and is Editor-in-Chief of Jabber Literary. His stray poems\, essays\, and stories have popped up online and in print thanks to various journals (New City\, Southword\, Three Percent\, Akashic Books\, to name a few).   \n\n\n\nwww.vincentfrancone.com  \n\n\n\nBluesky: @vincentfrancone.bsky.social‬ \n\n\n\nInstagram: @vincentfrancone  \n\n\n\nFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/vincent.francone.7  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDina Elebogen\n\n\n\nDina Elenbogen is author of the poetry collections\, Shore (Glass Lyre Press) and Apples of the Earth\, (Spuyten Duyvil\, NY) as well as the memoir\, Drawn from Water. She’s received fellowships from the Illinois Arts Council and the Ragdale Foundation. Her work has appeared in anthologies and magazines including What the House Knows (Terrapin Books) City of the Big shoulders\, (University of Iowa Press) The Nature of our Times anthology\, Beyond Lament\, (Northwestern University Press)\, Lit Hub\, Bellevue Literary Review\, Brevity\, Prairie Schooner\, december\, Woven Tale Press\, Cimmaron Review\, Patterson Literary Review\, Connecticut River Review\,  New City Chicago and other venues. She has an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and teaches creative writing at the University of Chicago Writer’s Studio.  \n\n\n\nYou can find her at www.dinaelenbogen.com \n\n\n\n\n\n— Young Chicago Authors —\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEila Kittikamron Mora\n\n\n\nEila Kittikamron Mora is a Thai-Colombian American poet\, performer\, and promiser of the rainbow.  A playwright\, songwriter\, and screenwriter in her free time when she’s not dancing Salsa or acting\, her works draw on love and the body\, identity and language\, and coming-of-age. She is serving as the 2025 Chicago Youth Poet Laureate. She represents young queer people of color that are a little bit crazy\, but nonetheless persistent and unabashed. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIsaiah Allen\n\n\n\nHi! My name is Isaiah Allen but most call me Zay. I am 17 years of age\, I started writing plays\, songs\, poems\, and short films at the age of 15. I’m going into my senior year of High School where I am the captain of the Track team\, Peer leader to the freshman basketball team and I was the lead actor in this previous year’s fall musical. Alongside of those things\, I have created a website which gives facts about all the art I create and other aspects of my life which opens doors and opportunities for myself and people like me. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYarely Lopez\n\n\n\nMy name is Yaya\, and I’m in 10th grade. A fun fact about me is that I love collecting sneakers! \n\n\n\n\n\n— ESSO —\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nESSO Funk? Yes\, the Chicago-based bilingual dance band. Their kaleidoscopic approach to fusing Americana with Latin dance and Tropical groove has propelled them to tour\, performing for multicultural audiences on festival stages across the US\, and into Mexico. The live group keeps the vibration high while engaging all ages with inclusive energy and expansive musical range. Website: http://essofunk.com/ \n\n\n\n\n\n— Workshops —\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKenyatta Rogers \n\n\n\nKenyatta Rogers is a Cave Canem Fellow and has been awarded scholarships from the Breadloaf Writers’ Conference. His work has been previously published in or forthcoming from The Academy of American Poets\,  Poetry Magazine\, Jubilat\, Vinyl\, Bat City Review\, The Volta\, PANK\, MAKE Magazine among others. A Pushcart and Best of the Net nominee\, he is as a co-host of the Sunday Reading Series with Simone Muench and is the Creative Writing Department Head at The Chicago High School for the Arts.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNate Olison \n\n\n\nNate Olison is a Chicago-based educator\, artist and entrepreneur who’s been helping students harness the creative process to transform themselves and their environment for over 15 years. Through his company\, Optimist Comics\, he combines project based learning and visual storytelling to improve access to literacy. He’s a fiction writer\, poet\, and cartoonist. He is currently producing (both writing and drawing) The Fragile World of Mr. Frazzle\, a forthcoming YA graphic novel series about growing up and claiming your destiny against all odds. 
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/fountain-square-litfest/
LOCATION:IL
CATEGORIES:Special Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250930T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250930T200000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20250919T144533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250919T144534Z
UID:12677-1759257000-1759262400@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Women's Writers Showcase
DESCRIPTION:The Guild Complex and Haymarket Books feature six new books by six amazing\, local self- identifying female authors\, centering fiction\, poetry and short stories about the magic of water\, ancestral legacy\, grief\, longing and memory. A lineup not to be missed! Tickets here.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFeaturing: Virginia Bell was chosen for New City Magazine’s Lit 50: Who Really Books in Chicago for 2025 and Bell’s latest poetry collection is Lifting Child from the Ground\, Turning Around (Glass Lyre Press 2025). She is Co-Editor of the forthcoming anthology The Overturning (Erratics Books\, an imprint of Hypertext\, 2025)\, and Co-Editor of RHINO Poetry. Bell’s previous work includes From the Belly (Sibling Rivalry Press 2012)\, NELLE Magazine’s Nonfiction Prize in 2020 for the personal essay\, “Chicken\,” and Honorable Mention in the 2019 RiverSedge Poetry Prize\, judged by José Antonio Rodríguez. Bell has a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and teaches at Loyola University Chicago and DePaul University. \n\n\n\nEiren Caffall is an author and musician based in Chicago. Her writing on loss and nature\, oceans and extinction has appeared in Orion\, The Writer’s Digest\, Guernica\, The Los Angeles Review of Books\, Literary Hub\, Al Jazeera\, The Rumpus\, and the anthology Elementals: Volume IV: Fire (The Center for Humans and Nature\, 2024). She has received a 2023 Whiting Award in Creative Nonfiction\, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship\, and residencies at the Banff Centre\, Millay Colony\, MacDowell Colony (waitlisted)\, Hedgebrook\, and Ragdale. She is the author of the memoir The Mourner’s Bestiary (Row House Publishing\, 2024) and the novel All the Water in the World (St. Martin’s Press\, 2025). \n\n\n\nMarcy Rae Henry is a multidisciplinary Xicana artist from the Borderlands who studied Buddhism\, meditation and massage in India and Nepal in between academic degrees. She is the author of death is a mariachi\, winner of the May Sarton NH Poetry Prize\, (Bauhan Press)\, when to go to the Taj Mahal (Bottlecap Press)\, the body is where it all begins (Querencia Press)\, dream life of night owls\, winner of the Open Country Chapbook Contest\, (Open Country Press)\, and We Are Primary Colors (DoubleCross Press). Her work has received a Chicago Community Arts Assistance Grant\, an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship\, a Pushcart nomination\, first prize in Suburbia’s Novel Excerpt Contest and Kaveh Akbar recently chose her fiction collection\, Southwest Stories: Martinis and the Magnetic Poles\, as a finalist for the George Garrett Fiction Prize. MRae is a professor of English\, literature and creative writing at Wilbur Wright College Chicago\, a Hispanic Serving Institution. She is an associate editor for RHINO and a digital minimalist with no social media accounts. \n\n\n\nI.S. Jones is the author of Bloodmercy\, chosen by Nicole Sealey as the winner of the 2025 APR / Honickman First Book Prize and the chapbook Spells of My Name\, selected by Newfound in 2021 for their Emerging Writers Series. Currently\, she is a Senior Editor for Poetry Northwest\, where she runs her column\, The Legacy Suite\, a three-part interview documenting the journey of writers publishing their debut poetry collections. Her works have appeared in Granta\, LA Review of Books\, Guernica\, Prairie Schooner\, The Rumpus\, and elsewhere. While she has lived in many places across the U.S.\, she gratefully calls Chicago home. \n\n\n\nMaud Lavin is the 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Feminist Award for scholarship from the College Art Association of America. Lavin is a key pioneer in the field of feminist art history and visual studies. She is the author of numerous books including the first English-language book on Berlin Dada artist Hannah Hoch\, Cut with the Kitchen Knife: The Weimar Photomontages of Hannah Hoch\, and most recently\, Boys’ Love\, Cosplay\, and Androgynous Idols: Queer Fan Cultures in Mainland China\, Hong Kong\, and Taiwan\, co-edited with Ling Yang and Jamie Zhao. \n\n\n\nSahar Mustafah’s debut novel The Beauty of Your Face was named a 2020 Notable Book and Editor’s Choice by New York Times Book Review and one of Marie Claire Magazine’s 2020 Best Fiction by Women. Her award-winning short stories have been recently featured in Prairie Schooner\, The Massachusetts Review\, and Redline: Chicago Horror Stories. Her second novel\, The Slightest Green\, is forthcoming this November from Interlink Books. Mustafah writes and teaches outside of Chicago.***We ask that all attendees wear masks in the event space during the program for the health and well-being of the speaker and other guests. We will also have a reception following the event with light refreshments.***
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/womens-writers-showcase/
LOCATION:Haymarket House\, 800 W. Buena Ave.\, Chicago\, Illinois
CATEGORIES:Special Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251101T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251101T190000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20260327T072052Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T072052Z
UID:15018-1762018200-1762023600@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories
DESCRIPTION:Join us on Halloween weekend for a presentation of the new anthology by From Beyond Press\, Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories. Contributors Jotham Austin II\, Bendi Barrett\, Tina Jenkins Bell\, Priya Chand\, Aleco Julius\, Sahar Mustafah\, and K.A. Roy join the Guild Literary Complex for a reading and signing at Experimental Station. \n\nAbout the Anthology\nThe Second City is second to none when it comes to terror.\nFrom H.H. Holmes\, America’s first serial killer\, to the Jane Byrne Interchange at rush hour\, there’s an ill wind blowing through the Windy City. In this new anthology\, twenty stories by twenty authors from the Chicago area take you on a bloodcurdling tour of the best city in the world. Featuring new stories by Jotham Austin II\, Bendi Barrett\, Tina Jenkins Bell\, Priya Chand\, TJ Cimfel\, R.L. Gehringer\, Christopher Hawkins\, Sandra Jackson-Opoku\, Aleco Julius\, Nick Medina\, Jen Mierisch\, Sahar Mustafah\, Cynthia Pelayo\, K.A. Roy\, K. Saab\, C.J. Subko\, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.\, and Lauren Emily Whalen. \n10% of sales will be donated to Brave Space Alliance\, a south side Chicago center that provides services\, programs\, and an affirming space where trans and LGBQ+ people are centered.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/red-line-chicago-horror-stories/
LOCATION:Experimental Station\, 6100 S. Blackstone (take Dorchester to 61st street then head east; free street and lot parking)\, Chicago\, IL\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260207T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260207T210000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20260327T070959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T071331Z
UID:15000-1770487200-1770498000@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:MOJO&MUSE: A Performance Speakeasy
DESCRIPTION:Get ready to experience a night of magic and creativity at MOJO&MUSE – where art comes to life! A special speakeasy of art and community. \nJoin us for an exciting night of community and art in the beautiful space of Watershed Art & Ecology. The MOJO&MUSE speakeasy will present an evening of special performances of dance\, video\, poetry\, music\, and more! Live entertainment and light refreshments will be provided. \n\nFEATURED ARTISTS\n\nMarisela-Raymi Dalila Tapia (left) is a Peruvian-American dance theater artist with a rich background in exploring the intersections of art\, language\, culture\, and identity. With 15 years of experience in studying\, performing\, and teaching dance\, Marisela has left her artistic mark in cities like Chicago\, New York\, New México\, Perú\, Spain\, and Italy.\nHer artistic journey began at Columbia College Chicago\, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts in 2014. Marisela later obtained a master’s degree in Linguistics Applied to Spanish as a Foreign Language from the University of Nebrija in Madrid\, Spain. With over four years of teaching experience in both English and Spanish\, Marisela has served as a North American Language Cultural ambassador and has taught language classes online.\nIn the realm of dance\, Marisela has received training from master flamenco artists in Spain and has showcased her talents in various international performances. Notable achievements include winning first place at the Flamenco certamen through the Carlota Santana dance company at Lincoln Center in 2015 and headlining and directing performances in top Chicago venues. Her collaborations with renowned organizations\, such as Clinard Dance Theater in Chicago\, have led to performances at prestigious venues like the Logan Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Chicago.\nMarisela’s dance repertoire extends beyond flamenco\, encompassing ballet\, modern dance\, salsa\, and traditional Latin and Peruvian folkloric dances. She maintains a strong connection with her cultural heritage\, evident in her participation in traditional Peruvian folklore performances. \nKao Ra Zen (right) is a Chicago-based rapper\, spoken word poet\, multimedia performance artist\, video director\, recording engineer\, curator\, photographer\, and educator. Kao has performed and/or curated at venues such as the Museum of Contemporary Art\, Symphony Center\, DANK-Haus\, Elastic Arts\, Constellation\, Alhambra Palace\, Oliva Gallery\, and Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago; in addition to performances and screenings in New York; Berlin\, Germany; and turku\, Finland. Kao earned his Associate in Fine Arts degree from Harold Washington College and then earned his BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.\nMuch of Kao’s written\, musical\, and performance work addresses historical and contemporary societal concerns\, existential matters\, and promotes self expression\, fostering community\, and challenging oppressive systems and intolerant perspectives. \n  \n\n  \n \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nMark Nagy (left) and Neil Jendon (right) have been working in the electroacoustic medium as a duo since 2017. Collectively known as Legendary Ninja Monk\, they have been exploring and recording the graphic score Treatise by Cornelius Cardew. This epic graphic score is 193 pages long. This extensive structural investigation has fostered in depth explorations of timbral densities\, temporal manipulations\, as well as the investigations of regenerative textures. Legendary Ninja Monk music ranges from introspective musings to capricious romps. \n  \n\nChristophe Preissing is a sound composer\, intermedia artist\, improvisor\, producer\, and creative instigator whose work engages the contradictions of liminality\, memory and decay\, perception and projection\, and preservation and loss. He uses archives\, mapping\, and taxonomies to produce clouds of meaning to engage participants. His work—both intentional and indeterminate—relies on paradox and ambiguity\, found and built objects\, individual and embodied memory\, and the happy accident. cpreissing.bandcamp.com \n  \n\nLucia Peters aka Forstreuter is a seasoned dance artist with 15 years of experience\, having performed at prestigious events such as the Bauhaus Museum Dessau’s opening\, attended by Angela Merkel\, and in front of 12\,000 spectators at the Mercedes-Benz Arena Berlin apart from having worked for the state theatre Rostock\, Germany and touring with dance company “haptip hide” by Paula Rosolen. She holds a diploma in dance (2009) and an MA in choreography (2020) from Palucca University of Dance in Dresden. Her choreographic works have been featured at the American Dance Festival and HELLERAU European Center for the Arts. Lucia is also the co-founder of the collectives “t.error&delicious//Lucia+guests”\, and “LIVALUCIA” which showcases performances in theatres\, galleries\, and public spaces. Trained in the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) method from New York City\, she has applied this approach to bring dance education to public schools in Germany and has collaborated with NGOs like “I AM YOU” to develop dance practices for refugees. Her dedication has earned her multiple scholarships\, including the Palucca and Esther-Arnhold-Seligmann Scholarships\, the latter of which supported her participation in the American Dance Festival. \n  \n\nMe’Chelle (She/Her) is a mother\, spoken word poet\, musician and teaching artist. She is driven by a passion to entertain\, enlighten\, and inspire positive change in her community. Her poem “Lumiere” was recently featured at the Lumiere Gala for MSV Chicago (Spring 2023). Her poem “Dark Haunts” was featured in Bone Bouquet magazine (Winter 2020). She works as an instructor of the Marillac rap & poetry program through After School Matters. Me’Chelle is a genuine soul\, with an ambitious nature and passion for mentorship. She works to change many lives for the better within her lifespan.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/mojomuse-a-performance-speakeasy/
LOCATION:Watershed Art & Ecology\, 1821 S. Racine Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60608\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260321T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260321T163000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20260315T070422Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T055051Z
UID:13927-1774105200-1774110600@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Digital Archives of the Unseen: Artist Talk
DESCRIPTION:Artist Talk: Memory\, Erasure\, and the Living Archive\n\n\nInterdisciplinary\, interdimensional artist\, writer\, and ritual maker Faylita Hicks joins Walls Turned Sideways Gallery\, a nationally recognized space centering art\, justice\, and incarceration\, co-sponsored by the Guild Literary Complex\, for an artist talk on memory\, erasure\, and the politics of archiving. \nDrawing from Digital Archives of the Unseen\, Hicks discusses poetry as archival technology and the use of found digital media\, obsolete devices\, and ritual practice to examine surveillance\, disappearance\, testimony\, and collective remembrance. The talk explores how personal and communal memory is preserved\, distorted\, or erased—particularly through systems of incarceration and state power. \nThis conversation offers critical and historical context for the exhibition while inviting audiences to consider how archives live\, fail\, and resist.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/digital-archives-of-the-unseen-artist-talk/
LOCATION:Walls Turned Sideways\, 2717 West Madison Street\, Chicago\, IL\, 60612\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260421T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260421T210000
DTSTAMP:20260426T135545
CREATED:20260316T071711Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T055214Z
UID:14021-1776798000-1776805200@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:New/Next Writers Showcase
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate a next generation of writers with us who’ve recently come out with new books.\n \nThis showcase aims to highlight local writers and their new/upcoming work.\n \nJoin us for a community reading featuring local Chicago writers:\n\n\nMeredith Nnoka \nNoa Fields \nMeghan Malachi \nLisa Low \nNoel Quiñones \nKameryn Carter \nNatasha Mijares
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/new-next-writers-showcase/
LOCATION:Haymarket House\, 800 W. Buena Ave.\, Chicago\, Illinois
CATEGORIES:Special Events
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