Amy Burrows, Ada Cheng, Lisa Colleen, Beatriz Gartler,  and Randy Kim

Ada Cheng is a professor-turned storyteller, performing artist, and storytelling producer. She has been featured in storytelling shows and done her two solo performances all over the United States. She is the producer and the host of several storytelling shows, including Pour One Out: A Monthly Storytelling Series, Am I Man Enough?: A Storytelling/Podcasting Show, Talk Stories: An Asian American/Asian Diaspora Storytelling Show, and Speaking Truths Series. Her motto: Make your life the best story you tell. Check out her website: www.renegadeadacheng.com

Beatriz Badikian-Gartler was born and reared in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has lived in the Chicago area for over forty years. Badikian-Gartler holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has taught at various institutions of higher learning, including Northwestern University, Loyola University, Roosevelt University, University of Illinois, Columbia College, and others.  Her essays, poems, and stories have been published in The New York Times Travel Section, Third Woman, Diàlogo, Blue Lake Review, After Hours, Make Magazine, Hammers, The Winfield Post, The Journal of Modern Poetry, Short Story, and many other journals, anthologies, and newspapers.  She is a popular performer in the Chicago area and lectures often on literature, women's issues, and art.  In 2000 Badikian was selected as one of the One-Hundred Women Who Make a Difference in Chicago by Today's Womanmagazine.  She is an Illinois Humanities Council Road Scholar and a frequent Newberry Library instructor.  Her second full length collection, Mapmaker Revisited: New and Selected Poems,was published in 1999 from Gladsome Books in Chicago.  Her first novel Old Gloves – A 20thCentury Saga was published in 2005 by Fractal Edge Press in Chicago.  Her new poetry collection, Unveiling the Mind, is out from Pandora/LoboEstepario Press. For more information take a look at her website: www.bbgartler.comand visit her blog: www.gartlerwritingstudio.blogspot.com.

Amy Burrows is making her debut at storytelling  with live lit!! (Though many would say she is a natural born teller! ) Amy would like to thank INSPIRED! live lit's storytelling classes. In class her nickname is "funny Amy". Bring it on "funny Amy"!

Lisa Colleen loves the sharing of stories because they connect, empower and INSPIRE! As a mother, grandmother and coach, she has an endless supply of stories to tell. Rarely does she make it through the telling of one story without wanting to interrupt herself with another story. 

Randy Kim is a queer Southeast Asian-American who currently serves as a board member with the National Cambodian Heritage Museum in the Chicago Lincoln Square neighborhood (Ask him for more details).   He has been performing at various storytelling shows around the Chicago area.  He is also the co-producer with rock star Ada Cheng on the "TALK Stories: An Asian / Asian American Diaspora Storytelling Show" 

Amy Aeton, Lisa Colleen, Amy Curtis, Tom Hernandez,and Phyllis Porche

Lisa Colleen loves the sharing of stories because they connect, empower and INSPIRE! As a mother, grandmother and coach, she has an endless supply of stories to tell. Rarely does she make it through the telling of one story without wanting to interrupt herself with another story. 

Tom Hernandez is a writer, public speaker, raconteur, performer and communications professional. Born and raised in Joliet, Illinois, Tom has been writing personally and professionally since childhood.  He was a reporter for 10 years at several suburban daily and weekly newspapers and wrote a “slice of life” column for another 11 years for two community newspapers. He now serves as the Director of Community Relations for a large suburban Chicago public school district. Tom’s writing explores the many complicated facets of life — marriage, family, relationships, identity, aging, parenting, faith, social justice and politics. He has published three books, all available on Amazon and through his website, www.tomhernandezbooks.com:

· “Chocolate Cows and Purple Cheese and other tales from the homefront” – essays about young parenthood, marriage, politics, faith and family. 

· “Abundance – a collection” poems exploring the common experiences that connect human beings – life and death, love and loss, joy and sorrow, faith and doubt. 

· “The Edge of Middle – thoughts from the top of the hill” – essays, poetry and short fiction about one man’s journey to, and through middle age.

Tom and his wife, Kellie live in Plainfield, Illinois. They have two adult daughters and welcomed their first grandchild in 2018.

Lisa Colleen, R.C. Riley, and Paul Teodo

Lisa Colleen loves the sharing of stories because they connect, empower and INSPIRE! As a mother, grandmother and coach, she has an endless supply of stories to tell. Rarely does she make it through the telling of one story without wanting to interrupt herself with another story.   

R.C. Riley is a queer warrior woman, writer, performer, and storyteller who began writing as a means of healing after a sexual assault.  R.C.'s work challenges heteronormative views and seeks to find justice for and liberate those who have felt left out, forgotten, ignored, and unloved by our society.  Her 1-woman show, Wrong Way Journey delineates her personal journey of healing from trauma to triumph. When she's not performing her solo show, R.C. can be found telling short stories around the Chicagoland area.  Check out her next performance dates at www.rcrileyempowers.com.

Paul Teodo is a retired healthcare executive. Born and raised on Chicago’s south side. He recently published his first novel “PASTAMAN” a coming of age story of a young man growing up in the 60’s on Chicago’s spit side. It is available on Amazon, ITunes, Google Play, and at Barnes and Noble. Paul has been telling stories on stage in and around Chicago the past 8 years and is a 5 time Moth Story Slam winner, a Moth Grand Slam winner and has been featured on the CBS tv program Sunday Morning.