Jeanne Córdova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeanne Córdova
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| Born | July 18, 1948 Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Died | January 10, 2016 (aged 67) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles |
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| Spouse | Lynn Harris Ballen |
Jeanne Córdova (July 18, 1948 – January 10, 2016) was an American trailblazer. She was a very important leader in the movement for LGBT rights. She helped start the West Coast LGBT movement.
Jeanne was a feminist activist. She was also a talented writer and journalist. Her book, When We Were Outlaws: a Memoir of Love and Revolution, won several awards. These included the Lambda Literary Award and the Goldie Award.
After she passed away, the Lambda Literary Foundation created special honors in her name. These include the "Jeanne Córdova Words Scholarship" and the "Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction". These awards help new writers.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jeanne Córdova was born in Bremerhaven, Germany, in 1948. She was the second oldest of twelve children. Her father was Mexican and her mother was Irish-American.
She went to high school at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, California. Later, she studied at California State University, Los Angeles. She also attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She earned a bachelor's degree in Social Welfare from UCLA. She graduated with high honors.
Jeanne also worked in communities in Watts and East Los Angeles. She earned a master's degree in Social Work from UCLA in 1972.
A Life of Activism and Writing
Jeanne Córdova began her career as a community organizer. She later became a journalist. She started her work for LGBT rights as the president of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) in Los Angeles.
In 1971, during her time as DOB president, she opened the first lesbian center in Los Angeles. This was a very important step for the community.
The Lesbian Tide Newspaper
Under Jeanne's leadership, the DOB chapter newsletter grew into The Lesbian Tide. This newspaper was published from 1970 to 1980. Jeanne was its editor and publisher. Many people called it "the newspaper of record for the lesbian feminist decade." It was known for its excellent journalism.
Organizing Conferences and Events
In the 1970s, Jeanne was a key organizer for several lesbian conferences. These included the first West Coast Lesbian Conference in 1971. She also helped organize the first National Lesbian Conference at University of California, Los Angeles in 1973.
She was also on the board of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. From 1973 to 1976, she was the Human Rights Editor for the Los Angeles Free Press.
Fighting for Rights
Jeanne was chosen as a delegate for the first National Women's Conference in Houston in 1977. There, she helped pass an important resolution about lesbian rights.
In 1978, she worked hard to defeat Proposition 6, also known as the Briggs Initiative. This ballot measure tried to remove lesbian and gay teachers from California's public schools. Her efforts helped stop this unfair law.
She also founded the first convention of the National Lesbian Feminist Organization in 1978. From 1979 to 1981, she was president of the Stonewall Democratic Club.
Later Activism and Publications
In the 1980s, Jeanne helped create the Gay and Lesbian Caucus of the Democratic Party. She was one of thirty openly lesbian delegates at the 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York City.
She also helped start the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Press Association in 1983. She was a founding board member of the Connexxus Women's Center/Centro de Mujeres from 1984 to 1988. This was a lesbian community center in Los Angeles.
Jeanne also worked as the media director for STOP 64. This campaign fought against Proposition 64 in 1986. This measure tried to quarantine people with HIV/AIDS.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Jeanne started and published several important works:
- Community Yellow Pages (1981–1999): This was the first and largest LGBT business directory in the nation.
- New Age Telephone Book (1987–1992).
- Square Peg Magazine (1992–94): This magazine focused on queer culture and literature.
In 1995, she became Board President of ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives. She also helped create the Lesbian Legacy Collection there with Yolanda Retter.
Life in Mexico and Return
In 1999, Jeanne sold the Community Yellow Pages. She then moved to Todos Santos, Mexico, for eight years. There, she and her spouse, Lynn Harris Ballen, started a non-profit group. It was called The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, AC. This group worked for economic fairness. Jeanne was its first president until 2007.
After returning to Los Angeles, Jeanne and Lynn started LEX – The Lesbian Exploratorium. This group supported art and history exhibits. One exhibit was Genderplay in Lesbian Culture in 2009. They also created the Lesbian Legacy Wall at ONE Archives in 2009. Jeanne then organized the 2010 Butch Voices Los Angeles Conference.
Her memoir, When We Were Outlaws; A Memoir of Love & Revolution, won many awards. These included the 2012 Lambda Literary Award for "Lesbian Memoir/Biography." It also won the Golden Crown Literary Society Award and the Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian Non-fiction.
Personal Life
Jeanne Córdova's life partner was Lynn Harris Ballen. Lynn was a feminist radio journalist. They lived in the Hollywood Hills, California, and Todos Santos, Mexico. Together, they created many media projects. These included Square Peg Magazine and cultural events about lesbian feminist history.
Legacy and Passing
Jeanne Córdova passed away on January 10, 2016, at age 67. She died from metastatic brain cancer at her home in Los Angeles, California.
Before her death, Jeanne wrote a letter called A Letter About Dying, to My Lesbian Communities. This farewell message was published in September 2015. In it, she told her community about her illness. She also gave a large gift of $2 million to the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. This gift created the Jeanne R. Cordova Fund.
Her obituary was in the Los Angeles Times. She was also remembered on Last Word, a BBC Radio 4 program, in January 2016.
Awards and Recognition
Jeanne Córdova received many awards and honors for her work:
- Selected as one of 200 women for a Feminist Memorial in Paris, France (2019).
- Honoree, Fueling the Frontlines Awards from Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (2018).
- Etheridge award – WeHo Dyke March (June 2015).
- Honored in the Wells Fargo LGBT history mural in West Hollywood (2014).
- Morris Kight Lifetime Achievement Award from Christopher Street West (2009).
- Named one of Velvetpark's Official Top 25 Significant Queer Women of 2010.
- Speaker at the Mexico City Book Fair (2006).
- Cultural Hero Visibility Award from ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives (2003).
- Rainbow Key Award for lifetime community service from the City of West Hollywood (2002).
- Recognition Award for her pioneering work for gay and lesbian rights (1998).
- Pioneer of the Movement award from the Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Graduate Student Conference at University of Southern California (1995).
- Selected as a notable woman by the Legacy Foundation NY (1994).
- Community Recognition Award for founding Community Yellow Pages (1983).
- Community Service Award from the Gay Academic Union (1981).
- First openly lesbian person to appear in Who's Who in America (1978–79).
- Gave keynote addresses at the Butch Voices conference (2009) and Stonewall Book Awards (2012).
See also
- List of feminists
