2nd Story

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2nd Story is dedicated to creating and crafting story-sharing experiences that foster meaningful connections between individuals and communities. We believe that well-crafted, well-told stories can be a catalyst for change for artist and audience alike. We believe that stories are what bind us to each other. We want to live in a world driven by empathy. We host events in and around Chicago that elevate the storyteller’s words to deliver a unique, live, literary/theatrical experience unlike any other in the city. From small bars in Rogers Park and North Center, to big venues in Lakeview and the West Loop, to restaurants in Lincoln Park and Evanston, we produce over 30 events every season and facilitates over 145 artistic collaborations. We craft story-sharing experiences in the form of both performances and workshops and classes. A typical show or event consists of several stories dispersed throughout the evening like courses of a meal. The stories range from the earnest and serious to the light-hearted and humorous, and can simultaneously provoke and entertain. Our venues are as varied as our stories, and run the gamut from intimate wine bars and pubs to spacious performance halls, conference rooms, and open-office environments. Our storytellers are equally diverse, and come from all walks of life: a pastor, a bartender, a child psychiatrist, and a lawyer…their individual stories help to bridge the gap between the personal and the universal, and break down the walls between and unite artists and audiences in and among different communities.

2nd Story


    • May 9, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 17m AVG DURATION
    • 316 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from 2nd Story

    Episode 312: Kim L Hunt - Momma Said

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 14:14


    In this week's story, teller Kim L Hunt recalls the confidence and optimism her mother constantly spread throughout her youth and how it's followed her into adulthood.

    momma said kim l hunt
    Episode 311: Courtney Kotloski - Look For The Good Guys

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 14:39


    In this week's story, teller Courtney Kotloski shares how she, along with her kids, developed a way to find strength and positivity in the face of fear.

    Episode 310: McKenzie Chinn & Mykele Deville - Spark & Shine

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 18:23


    In this week's story, tellers McKenzie Chinn and Mykele Deville look back at the way they found each other through the chaos and violence of the world around them.

    shine spark mykele deville mckenzie chinn
    Episode 309: Wyl Villacres - Pink Tutu

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 15:26


    In this week's story, teller Wyl Villacres explores the dissonance he felt when young love clashed with harsh reality on a teenage trip abroad.

    Episode 308: Maegan Gwaltney - Motherhood (Or Lack Thereof)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 14:34


    In this week's story, teller Maegan Gwaltney reflects on the mother she once planned to be and the way we grieve and grow from the invisible losses of life.

    Episode 307: Finding Humanity At The DMV - Abra Millman

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 16:08


    In this week's story, teller Abra Millman shares her frantic search for proper documentation before her wedding, and the unexpected place that showed her mercy.

    Episode 306: RJ Silva - Mangoes In Manila

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 15:45


    In this week's story, teller RJ Silva shares his experience being pulled between two worlds when he brought his husband to visit his home country for the very first time.

    Episode 305: Bobbie & Liz Rice - West Suburban Chinese School (西郊實驗中文學校)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 20:29


    In this week's story, mother-daughter duo Bobbie & Liz Rice share stories of their shared Chinese values and experiences, as well as the ways they've helped each other to evolve and change.

    Episode 304: Making A Whole From Broken Pieces

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 16:36


    In this week's story, our teller shares the lead up to - and follow up of - her marriage's end, and how she found her path forward through the grief of the transition.

    Episode 303: Martinique Haller - The Egging

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 18:16


    In this week's story, teller Martinique Haller reflects on an act of rebellion from her youth and the understanding - if not forgiveness - that time has brought her.

    Episode 302: Stephanie Chavara - You Are Here

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 17:48


    In this week's story, Stephanie Chavara returns home and wrestles with both the vulnerability of putting down roots in familiar soil.

    Episode 301: Jim Lupo - 4/6/14

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 17:57


    In this week's story, teller Jim Lupo reflects on his youth spent caring for his ill mother, and how he looks towards his future with that past in mind.

    Episode 300: 25th Anniversary Story Soiree

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 67:44


    In this week's episode, we celebrate our 300th episode! Join us for a trio of stories along with a bit of nostalgia and reminiscing along the way!

    Episode 299: Liz Blondel - Get By

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 16:25


    In this week's story, teller Liz Blondel recalls her early college days, and the culture shock she experienced while studying just a few blocks northeast of her childhood home.

    Episode 298: Ana Martin Sagredo - And Then, There Was Sound

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 15:14


    In this week's story, teller Ana Martin Sagredo shares the early days of her second child's life, the unexpected hurdles they experienced, and the decisions they made for their family.

    Episode 297: Nestor Gomez - Number 1 Or Number 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 15:22


    In this week's story, teller Nestor Gomez recalls some notable conversations around this year's presidential election, with a particularly poignant metaphor for how he feels.

    Episode 296: Gregory and Vince Pagán-Hill - Gay As Sh*t

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 20:34


    In this week's story, tellers Gregory and Vince Pagán-Hill share a dual story of sexual awakening and finding a partner to explore with.

    Episode 295: Jasmin Cardenas - Technicolor Me

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 19:14


    In this week's story, teller Jasmin Cardenas reflects on bringing stories into her classrooms from a variety of cultures and languages and how she sees the joy of familiarity in her students.

    Episode 294: Ali Drumm & Christine Thoren - I Choose You

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 21:15


    In this week's story, tellers Ali Drumm and Christine Thoren reflect on a few of the pivotal moments from their relationship, sharing the difficult choices they've made because they're worth it.

    Episode 293: Karla Estela Rivera - Sofritogate

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 17:51


    In this week's story, teller Karla Estela Rivera shares how she and her husband navigated a particularly nasty fight that reared its head when the world around them was already in turmoil.

    Episode 292: Yongwoo - Something Easy To Work Hard At

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 15:00


    In this week's story, teller Yongwoo recaps his internal battle to properly represent himself, and all men who share his race, in conflict.

    Episode 291: Linda Sullivan - She Said

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 13:05


    In this week's story, teller Linda Sullivan recounts the highs and lows of one particularly impactful friendship from her youth.

    Episode 290: S and Danielle Simmons - Just Friends

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024 16:18


    In this week's story, S and Danielle Simmons share the origin story of their marriage - and how they started off on not quite the same page about romance.

    Episode 289: Courtney Kotloski - Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2024 16:48


    In this week's story, teller Courtney Kotloski shares the shock of her cancer diagnosis and how humor - along with the support of her family - helped keep her pushing through treatment.

    Episode 288: Jen Schroeder - A Labor Of Love

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2024 18:07


    In this week's story, teller Jen Schroeder shares an intensely honest and real look at her experience just before, during, and after giving birth to her twins.

    Episode 287: LaTanya Lane - The Perfect Amount Of Water

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 19:22


    In this week's story, 2nd Story Company Member LaTanya Lane shares how she lost one type of faith but found another in the people and community around her.

    Episode 286: Re/Solve

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2024 12:49


    In this week's episode, our teller recalls how certain major climactic moments from her life didn't resolve the way the shows and books she'd consumed prepared her for.

    Episode 285: Lexi Saunders - An Important Part

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 14:17


    In this week's story, teller Lexi Saunders shares the road that led to their work as educator and just one moment of many where they saw the impact of their work in real-time.

    Episode 284: Bear Hunt

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2024 20:16


    In this week's story, our teller bring us through a so-called rite of manhood thrust upon him by a dear friend in a time of emotional vulnerability.

    Episode 283: Aaron Talley - The Beyoncé Vibration

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2024 15:08


    In this week's story, teller Aaron Talley shares how the meaning we look for in the stars can sometimes be found staring us in the face when look in the mirror.

    Episode 282: Reshmi Hazra Rustebakke - The Punishment Plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2024 19:04


    In this week's story, company member Reshmi Hazra Rustebakke reminisces on lessons of justice learned as a child, and how they changed and adapted as she grew into adulthood and independence.

    Episode 281: CP Chang - You Have A Cute Face

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2024 15:37


    In this week's story, CP Chang shares how his journey to find the love of his life and to love himself have been intertwined since childhood.

    Episode 280: Max Spitz - Spearmint

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2024 14:06


    In this week's story, 2nd Story Podcast Producer Max Spitz takes the mic, sharing what he and his wife learned when their adoption took a bit more out of them than expected.

    Episode 279: Megan Stielstra and Aimy Tien - You Can't Lose A Fight

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2023 19:12


    In this week's story, tellers Megan Stielstra and Aimy Tien share a dual story of fighting to live their best lives and stepping in to help lift up others when that fight gets tough.

    tien aimy megan stielstra
    Episode 278: Coya Paz - Cousin Lillian

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2023 16:08


    In this week's story, teller Coya Paz shares the unexpected connection between her youthful desire for nunhood and her later realization of her queerness.

    cousin coya paz
    Episode 277: Earliana McLaurin - LLR

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2023 17:04


    In this week's story, teller Earliana McLaurin shares a moment when help that was desperately needed finally came, and the thanks she so earnestly gave when it did.

    Episode 276: Vince Pagán-Hill - Lifeline

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 16:34


    In this week's story, 2nd Story company member Vince Pagán-Hill shares how his experience teaching a class of incarcerated women gave him insight into the lives of an all-too-often overlooked population.

    Episode 275: Avi Bowie - Mournabration

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2023 16:25


    In this week's story, teller Avi Bowie takes us through some of the ways they've grown to understand death and the relationship to both grief and joy they've found in mourning.

    Episode 274: Jeff, Yolonda, and Lauren Sivak - To Be Loved

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2023 19:18


    In this week's story, the Sivak family shares a moment when the strength of their love and support was tested, and the power they found to stand by each other.

    Episode 273: Lynnette Li - Allowed

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2023 17:48


    In this week's story, teller Lynnette Li shares how she broke free of the need to do what's expected and stop apologizing for being herself.

    Episode 272: Audry Farber - Audry And Jim

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2023 17:38


    In this week's story, teller Audry Farber shares the highs and lows of her openly trans identity, and how she works to find community and be visible even when others ask her for invisibility.

    Episode 271: Darren Meyers - From Another

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2023 13:29


    In this week's story, teller Darren Meyers shares the highs and lows of an acting rivalry and what happens when real life intervenes.

    Episode 270: LaTanya Lane - The Time Of My Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 15:17


    In this week's story, teller and company member LaTanya Lane helps us ring in the 25th season with a story about a few memorable birthdays of her own.

    Episode 269: Jane deLaubenfels - Crash

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 13:05


    In this week's story, teller Jane deLaubenfels brings us back to a moment of terror and shares the community that helped her move through it.

    Episode 268: Sheree L Greer - Time Traveling

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 14:55


    In this week's story, teller Sheree L. Greer shares the moments that lead to a few big decisions in her life - and how she learned to recognize when it's the right time to make them.

    time traveling sheree l greer
    Episode 267: Kim L. Hunt - It's Me - Finally

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2023 16:45


    In this week's story, teller Kim L Hunt helps celebrate Pride Month with a story about finding her voice and the power it holds.

    pride month kim l hunt
    Episode 266: Nestor Gomez - Codeswitching

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2023 19:29


    In this week's story, teller Nestor Gomez brings us on a journey through the way his language has moved and evolved just as he and his community did so as well.

    Episode 265: Amanda Dunne Acevedo - Adopting

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2023 15:47


    In this week's story, teller Amanda Dunne Acevedo shares the moment she learned of her adoption, and how her experience since clashes with the classic clichés.

    Episode 264: Jeff Bakkensen - Labor Day

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2023 12:54


    In this week's story, teller Jeff Bakkensen shares the memory of one particularly strong friendship, and how the loss of that friend stayed with him as the world expected him to move on.

    Episode 263: Liz Rice - Una Estadounidense En Habana

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2023 18:19


    In this week's story, teller Liz Rice shares how, while abroad intending to study Spanish, she learned a great deal more in addition. [Teller's Note: At the 4:50 mark, Liz intended to state that her teachers speak fluent English, in addition to the expected Spanish.]

    Episode 262: Geneva Norman - Silencio

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2023 19:22


    In this week's story, teller Geneva Norman shares a milestone moment in the early years as a medical provider and what she learned about caring for different communities.

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