CHIRP First Time

Erin Watson

Erin J. Watson is a queer Southern person living in Chicago. Her poems have appeared in Entropy Magazine and the chapbooks No Experiences and Breathtaken. Her essays and criticism have appeared in the Volta Blog, Story Club Magazine, and Tinyletter Forwards. She makes zines, rides bikes, and co-hosts the Tuesday Funk reading series, which you can find in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf on the first Tuesday of each month.
Noureen Hashim-Jiwani

Noureen Hashim-Jiwani is a senior policy executive and public servant who believes government should empower communities rather than manage them. With a background in community organizing and civic leadership, she leads statewide policy efforts focused on equity, efficiency, and justice - with a focus on mental health, food and housing access, and youth economic opportunity, areas she sees as essential dignity and belonging. Noureen describes her leadership as a bridge between two lights: one to see injustice clearly and one to imagine what's possible, guiding her as a pragmatic optimist, grounded in reality and reaching for hope.
Cean Gamalinda

Cean Gamalinda is a poet living in Rogers Park whose primary focus as of late has been emails.
Rev. Jason

Jason is a Chicago-based Bostonian with a passion for getting people free from cages of all kinds - ICE detention centers, prisons, mental hospitals, liberalism, etc. When not working, you can find Jason typing out poetry on his phone, snuggling his plump grey cat, and searching for the best non-alcoholic stout. Jason's primary writing can be found in sermon form.
Rudy Vecchia-Zeitz

Rudy Vecchia-Zeitz (they/he) is a trans-nonbinary activist who began volunteering in rape crisis work when he was 17, and has continued to work and learn in the field of sexual violence response and prevention for over a decade. Rudy is currently the Prevention Services Supervisor and Our Music My Body coordinator at Resilience, Chicago’s only stand-alone rape crisis center. Rudy is originally from the East coast, but moved to Chicago four years ago to earn his Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago. He is honored to be performing at Martyrs’ and hopes you’ll reach out to connect (rvzeitz @ ourresilience.org).
Jasmine Davila

Jasmine Davila has appeared in venues both small and medium sized and, performing in live lit shows such as Tuesday Funk and Write Club. She is the co-host and producer of lady live lit show MISS SPOKEN, which happens the fourth Monday of every month at Cole’s Bar. Jasmine can often be found listening to audio erotica or reading historical romance novels while riding the number 22 Clark Street bus.

Next Show

First Wish

Erin Watson

Noureen Hashim-Jiwani

Cean Gamalinda

Rev. Jason

Rudy Vecchia-Zeitz

Jasmine Davila