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Jonathan Michael Saucedo
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Selected Works & Portfolio
Substack: The Chronic Illness Diaries
COMING SOON: DISCORD PROJECT
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Jonathan Michael Saucedo
Home
Selected Works & Portfolio
Substack: The Chronic Illness Diaries
COMING SOON: DISCORD PROJECT
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Home
Selected Works & Portfolio
Substack: The Chronic Illness Diaries
COMING SOON: DISCORD PROJECT

Substack Archives: Unfolding Hope

  • A classroom with desks and chairs, a computer monitor displaying a colorful image, a laptop on a desk showing a presentation slide, a coffee mug with colorful animal illustrations, a hand sanitizer, and a notebook with decorative covers. The classroom has a cross on the wall and posters, with a television screen in the background.

    The Other Side of the Chair
  • Two people walking away from a building, one carrying a box and the other with a bag labeled 'teacher' and rolled-up papers, near a white vehicle and a brick building entrance.

    What We Leave Behind
  • View of downtown buildings with parking lot and parked cars in front. Water tower with 'Dough' sign on top, trees at the sides, and a black metal fence in the foreground.

    Between Stations
  • Two graduates in caps and gowns shaking hands during a graduation ceremony, with other graduates in the background.

    We Go Together
  • Cover page of a book titled 'The Dark Side of Hope: Accepting the Apology That Won't Come' with an introduction about hope's darker expressions and a note on the author, Jonathan Michael Saucedo.

    The Dark Side of Hope
  • Colorful party decorations hanging from a dark ceiling, including paper lanterns, streamers, and balloons, with a dimly lit festive atmosphere.

    Breathless
  • Nighttime view of a small park with three flagpoles, American flags, and a monument in the center, surrounded by trees and residential buildings in the background.
    Description goes here
    And I'm Okay
  • A motivational quote background with purple flowers in the foreground and a cat in the background, reading: "Uncontrolled Fall. Falling is easy. Getting back up is the hard part. Falling is easy. Getting back up is the hard part."

    Uncontrolled Fall
  • A group of people gathered at a table in a lively bar or pub, smiling and enjoying each other's company. There is a Lonsdale London duffel bag on the table and a beer bottle with a glass nearby. A sign in the background reads 'Winging a Night.'

    On Rewriting Endings
  • A man with dark hair and facial hair, wearing a black shirt, taking a selfie in a room with a bookshelf in the background. Overlaid text reads: 'Voice Lessons. Illness, dating, and career shifts—on emotional investments, voice, and choosing where to spend your energy.'

    Description goes her

    Voice Lessons
  • A person stands alone on a beach at sunset, looking at the ocean with a colorful sky overhead. White text overlays the image with a quote about dancing and memory.

    Once, We Danced Here
  • Inspirational quote about recovery and rebuilding after a hurricane, emphasizing resilience and creating new stories.

    After the Hurricane
  • A man wearing glasses and a black T-shirt with a graphic print, smiling and taking a selfie outdoors at sunset or sunrise.

    Eve of 45
  • Black and white close-up photo of a man with dark curly hair, wearing sunglasses, looking to the left, with a background of modern apartment buildings.

    Hope Spectrum
  • A person walking alone on a beach during sunset, with a sky filled with orange clouds and the ocean in the background. Overlaid text reads "When You No Longer Need Me" and a quote about letting go, with a website URL at the bottom.

    When You No Longer Need Me
  • Sunset or dawn sky with trees and park benches near a pond, overlayed with the text "Goodnight, My Gentle Wind" and "The Silver Linings of Change," along with a website URL at the bottom.

    Goodnight, My Gentle Wind
  • A black and white photo of a tree by a body of water, with a road in the foreground. Text on the image says 'Firefly: When it's Dark, remember...' and a website link at the bottom.

    Firefly
  • Nighttime street scene featuring a colorful building with a mural of butterflies and skulls, and a pizza shop named 'Sal's Pizza' with a blue sign, illuminated window, and an open sign. There is a tall yellow sculpture or sign outside, and a sidewalk with a small chalkboard menu.

    Sundays are for the Soul, Snacks, and Scary Movies
  • A scenic coastal landscape with a body of water in the foreground and a tree-covered hillside in the background, under a cloudy sky. Text overlay says "My Hill, My Mountain."

    My Hill, My Mountain
  • A person with glasses and dark hair lying down with their hand on their chin, looking at the camera. Overlaid text reads: 'I love eating chocolate while my cat watches me type about geese in the park, and watching silly, scary movies that only I think are truly funny. I pause to remember this.'

    I Love Eating Chocolate...
  • Black and white photo of a man wearing glasses, with short dark hair, a slight beard, and a serious expression. He is dressed in a dark t-shirt and is resting his head on his left hand. Overlaid text reads, "This Much I Remember: How Diane Keaton brought my sunshine back."

    This Much I Remember
  • Black and white portrait of a man wearing glasses, with his hands behind his neck, looking directly at the camera.

    In The Blink of an Eye
  • A black-and-white photo of a person with glasses, sitting with one arm resting on their knee, and a thoughtful expression. Overlaid text reads: "The Role I Never Auditioned For: From patient to performer—finding meaning through writing, acting, and advocacy."

    The Role I Never Auditioned For
  • A black and white photo of a man with glasses sitting cross-legged next to a bookshelf, with overlay text: "My Life Was the Vault, My Diagnosis the Key. Finding language for what my body already knew."

    My Life Was the Vault, My Diagnosis the Key

About Jonathan

Jonathan Michael Saucedo is a Chicago-based actor, writer, and educator who advocates for rare diseases through storytelling. His creative work—ranging from published prose and poetry to essay readings—intimately explores gay identity, culture, and life with a rare autoimmune neuromuscular disorder. Guided by the mission of finding and sharing actionable hope, Jonathan focuses on connecting with others to share stories for the collective good, continuing to perform and teach as he is able.

He holds a BA in Theatre and Secondary Education from Loyola University Chicago and an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University. His comprehensive theatrical background includes training in acting, directing, performance, stage management, theatre history, and dramatic literature, alongside additional training at Chicago’s Green Shirt Studio in the Meisner technique.

In addition to his performance career, Jonathan brings over 15 years of experience in English, Drama, and working with diverse learners to his work. His educational background includes secondary classrooms, with additional certification in TESOL and TEFL programs. Ultimately, he uses his extensive training and experience to foster storytelling and bring visibility to marginalized voices.

The Collection


"Sometimes dying isn’t the worst thing that can happen. The worst thing is not living."

Selected Works &
Portfolio

A curated archive of my published pieces, lyrical prose, and writing exploring gay identity and life with chronic illness. This space houses my creative projects and video poetry readings alongside professional technical writing, training scripts, and course design samples.

Explore My Work

Unfolding Hope: The Chronic Illness Diaries

The weekly newsletter from a Chicago-based writer, actor, and educator living with a rare autoimmune neuromuscular disorder. Balancing the loud and the quiet, these entries share hope and light in the dark moments of chronic illness—navigating daily reality, a fiercely protective Greek-Mexican family, and life through personal essays and humor.

Read & Subscribe

Discord

The Stories We Choose to Tell

An Ekphrastic Exploration. A forthcoming gallery view of visual stories and photography.

Coming July 2026.

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© 2026 Jonathan Michael Saucedo. All rights reserved.