Outwords brings LGBTQ preservation initiative to New York City

Outwords, a California-based non-profit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing stories of LGBTQ elders across America, made its first foray into New York City with a special event at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art on Sept. 19.

Outwords’ New York City event, which also served as a fundraiser for the organization, was described as a celebration of LGBTQ+ torchbearers. The honorees included longtime HIV/AIDS activist and Housing Works co-founder Eric Sawyer and Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society (GLITS) founder and executive director Ceyenne Doroshow.

Outwords executive director Mason Funk commended the honorees, saying, “We’re inspired and honored to pay tribute to two extraordinary movement leaders: Eric Sawyer and the organization he co-founded, Housing Works, which has been on the front lines of LGBTQ+ housing and healthcare for decades; and Ceyenne Doroshow and her organization G.L.I.T.S., who are now leading the charge for housing and other essential social services among the Black trans community.”

The event was co-hosted by John Jarboe, who founded The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, and Shelton Lindsay, who is part of The New York Neo-Futurists, which is described on its website as a “radically dynamic ensemble of multidisciplinary artists who write and perform original work rooted in the truth of our own lived experiences.”

The event also featured a video showcasing LGBTQ elders telling their stories, which represents the core of Outwords’ mission of recording and preserving the stories of LGBTQ elders, building community, and driving social change.

Those who are interested in exploring Outwords’ existing archive can visit the organization’s website and browse interviews by category, including different by identity, topic, and more. Outwords’ site also features an interactive map to allow folks to explore stories from across the country. While the Los Angeles and San Francisco metro areas feature the greatest share of stories on the map, New York City ranks third.