Respect the Mic

**Respect the Mic (RTM)** is an open mic series held every last Thursday of the. Nominated two years in a row for Best Open Mic by the _Chicago Reader_, RTM is currently hosted at Monday Coffee in North Lawndale. RTM is known as the city’s most intimate open mic—where no microphones are used, creating an atmosphere of raw honesty, warmth, and acceptance. Each month we feature a local vendor and close the night with a special guest artist. Past features include Chicago’s first Youth Poet Laureate Kara Jackson, TikTok sensation Naira Bills, and folk/soul duo Lilla Sol. RTM has become a creative home for artists across Chicago—a space to debut new work, take risks, and connect with community. Our motto, “bring that heat,” reminds every performer that the audience is rooting for them, whether they stumble or soar. This past year, RTM even welcomed its first international guest, an Australian poet, expanding our community beyond Chicago.