Dare to Be Powerful: How LGBTQ+ Elders Transformed CA Politics Forever

Presented by The Outwords Archive (OUTWORDS) with major support from California State Library, Dare to Be Powerful: How LGBTQ+ Elders Transformed California Politics Forever will offer a stimulating conversation with OUTWORDS interviewees who have been instrumental in shaping California's political culture by writing bills, leading committees, founding community-led organizations, and making their voices heard. Together, they’ll take a look at California's storied political history and explore the path forward.

Looking back at stories of prolific change throughout the country, California is often at the forefront. Whether we're recalling wisdom from the Black Panthers in Oakland, student protests at Berkeley, or the boycotts of migrant workers, California has had the spirit and vision to move us forward.

At the same time, California's reputation as a "safe haven" is far from the only story. From the 1978 Briggs Initiative to Prop 8 in 2008, to current-day school board elections, we see over and over that even in California, the rights of LGBTQ+ people cannot be taken for granted.

As we enter an era that is increasingly perilous for LGBTQ+ communities, get inspired by the elders who have found ways to challenge the institutions and ideologies that hold us back. As they continue to plant the seeds of liberation, let us stand alongside them. Together we'll steward a future that inspires and anticipates change, not out of fear, but out of the desire to grow — like fields of California poppies.

“When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision — then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
-Audre Lorde

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