Out the Archives is a recurring feature diving into the archives of Windy City Times, offering a look back at the rich history of LGBTQ+ Chicago.
In this edition, we look back at the first issue of En La Vida, which started in July 1996 and was edited by Tracy Baim and Edgar “Ziggy” Gutierrez.
Before digital cameras, wifi or MP3 players hit the scene, there was En La Vida. Printing its first issue nearly 29 years ago, the newsletter chronicled the late ‘90s and turn of the century through the lens of Chicago’s Latino LGBTQ+ community.
The newsletter began after meetings with LGBTQ+ Latinos showed the majority wanted a place to get news on their specific community. Following the publication of BLACKlines—a newsletter for members of the LGBTQ Black community—En La Vida began in July 1996.
En La Vida began its initial run with some big ticket stories, including a feature on the 1996 Puerto Rican Day Parade and an interview with then-U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez. The issue also introduces recurring sections with “Dama de la noche,” Miss Kitty, known as a “transformista”—or drag artist, and a Health Q&A with Norell Rosado and Dan Fulwiler.
This issue and each subsequent one boasts the section “Tierra Distantes” covering international news. In July 1996, some of the main news items were police raids on Santiago discos, HIV rates in Argentinian prisons and lesbians calling for boycott of Mexicana Air over alleged homophobia.
One of the other unique features of En La Vida debuted in this issue—“el poder de palabras” or the poetry and prose section. Each month, community members named or anonymous publish works in English and Spanish. Some poets ended up being regular recurring contributors throughout the run of the newsletter and even went on to write full news articles for the publication.
The first issue is also more than just a look into the past, but also an introduction to some people and places still around in the Chicago community today. One major feature in the July 1996 En La Vida focuses on Pepe Peña, co-owner of beloved Northalsted bar, Sidetrack. Now in its 43rd year in 2025, Sidetrack was only 14 at the time of this article!
