Spotlight on glendaleOUT
On Tuesday June 28, 2022, members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community gathered at Dave’s on Broadway in Glendale, California to commemorate the 53-year anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. The event was organized by glendaleOUT, a local grass-roots organization dedicated to amplifying the presence of the queer narrative in Glendale. The event included a moving performance by the renowned drag queen Simply Cebuana (ig: @simply_cebuana). Although there was certainly a sense of joy throughout the night, there was also a somberness that could not be escaped due to the uncertainty and political turmoil currently being faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States. (More information here).
Throughout the month of June, glendaleOUT has been a powerful presence and much needed source of support for the LGBTQIA+ community. Earlier this month the organization hosted a Pride in the Park event in Adams Square Mini Park. This event was well attended by many families who had gathered to socialize, play, and create a sense of belonging.
In addition to this, glendaleOUT with the support of Kathryn Barger, awarded a scholarship to a Glendale Unified School District high school student. The student, who wished to remain anonymous, was given the award because of their demonstrating “incredible passion, energy, and dedication to honoring, celebrating, protecting, organizing, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people” (@glendaleOUT, 2022). The work of glendaleOUT also extends well beyond Pride month. With their support, the Glendale Library, Arts and Culture is seeking to document the history of the LGBTQIA+ community in the City of Glendale through audio and video testimonies. The project is ongoing and is being led by Librarian Anne Mar. Mar commented that she was disappointed but not surprised to discover the lack of archived materials in the Glendale History Room that is representative of this community. “These gaps in the historical record are not uncommon. It’s our responsibility as stewards of this material to correct that and fill those gaps.” For more information or to upload a digital testimony for the LGBTQIA+ History in Glendale interview project, please contact GlendaleHistoryRoom@glendaleca.gov or visit https://glendaleca.librariesshare.com/LGBTQIA/.
The Glendale Library, Arts and Culture was honored to have worked alongside glendaleOUT for Pride month and is looking forward to many more exciting and much needed collaborations to come! #librariesareforeveryone
By Jacqueline Hernandez, Librarian and Literacy Coordinator