2nd Story

A new school, a new girl, and a deep connection. Hear this mother and son’s account of all of it. Recorded live at Pub 626 in February, 2016.

Nick is new to Chicago and in search of a community outside his own group of friends, so he checks out a music festival to try his luck. Listen in to hear how it turns out. Recorded live at The ...

Camille had been sitting in the passenger seat long past the age of 16. But then, she decided to go in search for her creative freedom as a writer…and also eventually get a license. Recorded live at Pub 626 in ...

Listen in to Sadaf’s story about what happens when certain things she had always known to be true about her family…start to change. Recorded Live at Pub 626 in Roger’s Park, December 2015

Coming out to family can be a difficult thing to navigate–something this week’s storyteller, Aimy Tien, knows all too well. Listen in as Aimy shares with us her journey about taking those steps with her conservative family. Recorded live at ...

Soak up all the story goodness with our hour long Holiday Spectacular Podcast! Featuring stories by Erica Cruz Hernandez, Julie Ganey, and Ric Walker. PLUS, enjoy some special bonus content in between the stories!

Freshman year of high school: five words that are synonymous with the idea of “finding your people”. In this story, join Liz at a senior party where she knows no one there…except her crush.

From his first crush to his first (unrequited) love, Eric tells us a story all about the heart and the cherished foundation on which his love is built. Recorded live at Mayne Stage on September 24, 2015.

Amina is an international hip hop artist based in Chicago, check out her website for more great stories: www.urbanizedmusic.com/aminashiphop.html

When Deb answers the phone that normal, boring Friday afternoon, she isn’t prepared for her life to change forever. With her wife’s injury, how will she be able to hold the family together? Deb Lewis is a long-time 2nd Story ...

At 2nd Story, we are thrilled when a storyteller walks to the mic for the first time, and harnesses all of the nervous energy and excitement to absolutely blow us away. That’s what Jeff Toth did this last March, telling ...

Khanisha has always felt apathetic towards Beyonce, but when her new album drops in the middle of a personal tragedy, Khanisha digs in to discover the radical joy she needs. Khanisha Foster is 2nd Story’s Associate Artistic Director, and makes ...

Using a little wit and a lot of sass, Alex gives you an inside look on how it feels to challenge society’s ideas of gender at the ripe age of six. Alex Kessler is a recent graduate from Columbia College ...

After Lott finds one of the family chickens mangled in the back yard, his older brother tells him to forget about it.  But when Lott solves the mystery, their relationship will change forever. Fans can find Lott’s work in Briefly ...

Sometimes you get it wrong, and sometimes it takes a random moment of violence to get it right. Germania Solorzano is a teacher, writer, and in Chicago. She contributes to Ms. Fit Magazine, an online publication dedicated to the female ...