I published my first Reader story in the summer of 2010. It concerned a Logan Square DIY space called Strangelight, which operated out of a storefront in the Congress Theater. I was 24 at the time. Before the year ran out, I decided to dedicate myself to culture journalism. Plenty of people told me entering journalism was foolish, but I always saw its importance as greater than whatever financial constraints I'd have to endure in order to do this work. 

I wanted to do whatever I could to pursue arts and culture journalism. I wanted to build a career that would make it possible to raise a family writing about the arts. I wanted to do this at the Reader, an alt-weekly that always went long and deep on its news—a news organization that treated every subject and beat with the same seriousness it brought to its world-class investigative work. I kept freelancing for the Reader, and joined the staff in 2012. 

I'm 39 now, and I've managed to support myself, and my growing family, by covering Chicago music for the Reader. My wife and I welcomed a baby in the fall; I'm supposed to go on parental leave in February. I would like to do the best work I can do before my leave. I'd love to return to the Reader at the end of my leave. That may not happen if the Reader cannot shore up the necessary funds to help us continue our operations. You can help us continue to publish this work today, tomorrow, and next year.

Since 2021, I've been the only music journalist with a full-time job at a Chicago newspaper. This is a world-class music city that offered too much to cover when there was a coterie of gainfully employed music journalists. The responsibility to report on this city—its scenes, people, its untold news stories—is one I've approached with great care and passion. I do it because this work is vital. Music stories aren't simply about telling you if a new album is good or not, it's about informing the public about how music plays a role in our changing world—locally and globally. Those stories take the form of obituaries of behind-the-scenes figures, longform reported essays about the inner-workings of intra-scene tension in local clubs, and sweeping wide-screen pieces about emerging scenes with international appeal. 

Other outlets will focus on artists and events that make headlines. The Reader is the only one that's able to tell you what's happening in music scenes on the ground through news stories, concert previews, and interviews that contain unparalleled depth. My colleagues bring a deep well of knowledge to every story, no matter the length or the subject. This is a newspaper and workplace that is vital to understanding the city of Chicago. The Reader is a newspaper I loved reading before I thought I could even see my name in its pages. It's a paper I continue to stand by thanks to my colleagues' incomparable work. It is a paper I hope will continue to exist when my kid is old enough to read. You can help us continue with our mission with a donation today. Thank you for reading this much, and thank you for caring.

We need your help today

After more than 50 years of serving Chicago, the Reader faces imminent closure. 

Can you imagine Chicago without the Chicago Reader? We can’t either. But a perfect storm of sudden economic downturns has put us in a precarious position, without much time to spare.

We’re not giving up though. We have a clear path forward, but only if we can raise enough from enough supporters to make it through this crisis. 

If you value the Reader, and want to see it survive, please chip in now with a tax-deductible donation. 

Questions about giving? Email development@chicagoreader.com or at:

Reader Institute for Community Journalism, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102 Chicago, IL 60616

The Reader Institute for Community Journalism is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 84-3670420). Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.