"The Way We Were":  The Aging with Pride Legacy Project Interviews Begin

Marty interviews Dale Allgeier for the Legacy Project of Aging With Pride

The Aging with Pride Legacy Project continues work on the development of a formal historical archive capturing the development and evolution of LGBTQIA+ culture in Erie.  While newspaper articles, timelines and photographs set the historical stage of an archive, recorded oral histories add dimensions of personal experience, motivation and an emotional context connected to past events.

During the past month, the Legacy Project Team completed interviews with several Erie area residents specific to their experiences as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Some participants described experiences prior to the presence of LGBTQIA+ gathering spaces and organizations in the Erie Area. Others reported experiences of "coming out" in an environment when supportive organizations and agencies were present. Housing, employment and healthcare were discussed in other interviews.

The AWP Legacy Project is interested in your Past/Present experiences as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in Erie. If interested, please contact the AWP Legacy Project at awplegacyproject@gmail.com.