The Stories Project: Celebrating 40 Years of our Communities and The ArQuives
2013 marks the 40th anniversary of The ArQuives – now North America’s largest community-based archive. Built on the dedication of volunteers and donors –materials as well as financial – The ArQuives is an ever-increasingly valuable repository of our collective histories. The Stories Project will take the form of a publication containing visual and written materials documenting how we have worked together over the past 40 years as organized and mobilized communities or quietly alone as courageous individuals to fight battles in the arena of human rights, confronting homophobia and demanding equality. The Stories Project will look at 40 years of celebrating our diversity, our achievements, how we have lived, loved and played. As a result it will be a valuable document of remembrance, pride, education and a legacy for future generations. Of course, documenting history is an ambitious project and even this one cannot be comprehensive and exhaustive. The printed publication will be complemented by online exhibitions that will expand on the themes of the chapters. This means The Stories Project will remain a living, ongoing project; growing over the years as a rich resource for education, research, debate and recognition. Check out the Pride and Remembrance Run webpage, including information about The ArQuives being a beneficiary for the 2013 Run for The Stories Project: http://priderun.org/?page_id=17 Also check out photos from the run and The ArQuives Stories Project Facebook Page: Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clgarchives/sets/72157634610508682/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheStoriesProject
A message from our President
The ArQuives is an organization I feel passionately about; only WE can determine that our histories as LGBTQ communities will be preserved and kept safe for future generations. The ArQuives stands independent of any larger institutional mandate or agenda; and while this can bring with it major operational challenges, it also means we all truly own the physical treasures of our histories. The ArQuives, as North America’s largest community-based archive, is an ever-increasingly important repository of our stories as we continue to witness individuals, organizations and countries promote homophobia and hatred. Our stories will not be lost or erased. The stories contained within the files, folders, drawers and boxes at The ArQuives represent our collective family album; and many young people today do not realize this album belongs to them and it documents their “other” family and that they can have a hope for future. Our volunteers work hard to preserve these stories and bring them to life for everyone through our exhibitions and public programming in addition to supporting research and public service. The Stories Project coincides with the 40th Anniversary of The ArQuives. Anchored by the production of a publication,The Stories Project is a collective pause to look back and take stock of how far we have come as well as a means to encourage hope for the next 40 years. Of course it cannot be exhaustive in its scope, so it will also be complemented by a number of online exhibitions which will expand on the book’s central themes. It is truly an honour for me, as President of the Board of Directors and the former General Manager to be running the Pride and Remembrance Run this year. My years of involvement have fostered overwhelming respect and gratitude for the volunteers who have kept our stories alive for 40 years as well as for the donors who have financially supported the growth of the organization. I hope you will support my run and The Stories Project; together we can leave a legacy that can be built on and will be treasured and valued another 40 years from now by future generations.