About

My name is Salem Collo-Julin or Hollohulo depending on your ability to pronounce things. An explanation: in the fifth grade, we had a school assembly where a rep from the school district gave out awards to some of the students. I received an award and the district rep announced “to Salem Hollo Whooo Lo!” to the delight of some of my friends.

I was born in Chicago. I’m a writer, editor, proofreader, performer, artist, and host. From 2019 to 2025, I was part of the editorial staff at the amazing Chicago Reader. I’m an avid thrifter and reseller of record albums and other vintage items.

Here’s a totes professional short bio that I recently wrote for myself (a hard challenge, try it sometime!). Feel free to copy and paste for upcoming awards ceremonies:

Salem Collo-Julin (she/they) is a Chicago writer, performer, editor, artist, and host. Collo-Julin was a staff member of the Chicago Reader from 2019 to 2025, and served as the publication’s editor-in-chief for two and a half years. From 1999-2014, Collo-Julin was a member of the midwestern art group Temporary Services, with whom she edited the 2003 book Prisoners’ Inventions and cocreated the traveling art installation of the same name. She also cofounded Temporary Services’ publishing imprint, Half Letter Press. In addition to her work with the Reader, her writing has been found in Windy City Times, the Journal of Aesthetics and Protest, Lumpen, AREA Chicago, the 2016 book Organize Your Own, and other publications.

She is a board member for AAN Publishers as well as a member of the Asian American Journalists Association, the Journalism & Women Symposium, NLGJA: the Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, GALECA: the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, the Chicago Journalists Association, and the Chicago Headline Club. Collo-Julin was born on an autumn day in the first half of the 1970s at Illinois Masonic Hospital in the Lakeview (formerly New Town) neighborhood of Chicago.

HERE ARE SOME STATS —

VIRGO   /tiger   /8    /ENFP-T 

generation X

Pronouns: she/her or they/them, either and all are fine. Don’t call me Shirley.

Why declaring your pronouns matters.

Things and concepts I like:

Cats, dogs, heavy metal and punk rock and otherwise noisy music, soul and funk and hip hop and R&B, hippie music and show tunes, pop, talking about and listening to and performing comedy, community oriented and self-aware art, people with big ideas and big hearts, pawn/thrift/charity shops, free stores, 60s/70s/80s home décor, freedom, autonomy, love, interdependence, skincare and moisturizing, gossip, all the colors in the crayon box, drag performance and aesthetics, queer nation, it takes a nation of millions to hold us back, astrology, ghost culture, free jazz, getting together with the girls for some pinot griege, screw you I’ll live in the street, driving across the country in a minivan, self-publishing, friends and family, giving circles

CREATIVE -WISE …

I write. I perform. I make people laugh, mostly intentionally.

I worked with Temporary Services until 2014 and was a keyholder at Mess Hall.

I collaborated with three friends on  The Free Store, a nomadic and temporary project that gave items away. We’re still around, just not as active as years ago. Happy to report that there are many other free stores in the world!

I used to help run Half Letter Press. Groups and Spaces started with my group Temporary Services’ input and is now in a second stage thanks to several longtime friends & collaborators. I co-founded the GoChgo e-mail list. I believe that love and freedom are not scarcity economies.

MY GENERAL BUSY-NESS —

Portions of the document sometimes known as a “c.v.” are available for the finding here. It’s big on art stuff. I also have a Linked In here that lists some of the fabulous employers who have given me money, guidance, or time.

Updates are infrequent, mistakes many, regrets are few.

Live, love, laugh, lobotomy!

OTHER PEOPLE WHOSE ETHNIC BACKGROUND IS SIMILAR TO MINE (A CONTINUING LIST):

1. Kirk Hammett
2. Cheryl Burke
3. Lynda Barry
4. Jessica Hagedorn
5. Caterina Fake
6. Vanessa Hudgens
7. Nia Peeples
8. Lou Diamond Phillips
9. Olivia Rodrigo
10. Isa Briones

SOME OF MY FAVORITE DEFUNCT PUBLICATIONS (REST IN PUBLISHING)

Chicago Seed (1967-1974)

Clamor (1999-2006)

Hues Magazine (1992-1997)

Thing (1989-1993)