Lambda Archives of San Diego facts for kids
Lambda Archives logo
|
|
| Formation | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Jess Jessop |
| Type | 501(c)(3) nonprofit |
| Location |
|
|
Formerly called
|
Lesbian and Gay Archives of San Diego |
Lambda Archives of San Diego is a special place in San Diego, California. It's like a treasure chest that collects, keeps safe, and shares the history of LGBTQ+ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) from San Diego, Northern Baja California, and the Imperial County area. They keep all sorts of cool things, like old papers, handwritten notes, souvenirs from events, photos, and even clothes. By 2019, they had about 100,000 photos! About 13,000 of these photos are available to view online.
The archives started in 1987 when Jess Jessop created the "Lesbian and Gay Archives of San Diego." This organization later changed its name to Lambda Archives of San Diego. It began with materials that Jessop and Doug Moore had collected over many years. Lambda Archives is a nonprofit organization. Its main goal is to save and share the history and culture of LGBTQ+ people in the San Diego–Tijuana region. The archives are located in a building shared with Diversionary Theatre, which is one of the oldest LGBTQ+ theaters in the United States.
In the summer of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lambda Archives was able to hire its first full-time archivist. However, it still relies on donations and volunteers, including its volunteer Board of Directors. On July 11, 2021, the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper featured Lambda Archives. Their article, "Pride and preservation: Lambda Archives safeguards San Diego's LGBTQ past," was on the cover of their Sunday Arts & Culture section.
Contents
Larry T. Baza Memorial Scholarship
On October 5, 2021, Lambda Archives announced the Larry T. Baza Memorial Scholarship Fund. Larry Baza was a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and a champion for artists, especially BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists. He often encouraged young LGBTQ+ people to continue the important work of those who came before them.
This scholarship was created to honor Larry and help young adults get an education and training. The scholarship is designed to help college students who share similar backgrounds with Larry T. Baza. It provides money to students attending community colleges in San Diego or Imperial County. To qualify, students must be both LGBTQ+ and also Chicano/x, Latinx, or Chamorro.
Programs and Exhibits
Lambda Archives creates special programs and exhibits to share history with the community.
City Hall Exhibit
In 2010, Lambda Archives helped create the very first LGBT historical exhibit at San Diego's City Hall. It was called "A Celebration of San Diego LGBT History."
San Diego History Center Exhibit
In 2018, Lambda Archives worked with the San Diego History Center on an exhibit called "LGBTQ+ San Diego: Stories of Struggles and Triumphs." Lillian Faderman put together this exhibit. It showed the history of LGBTQ+ people in San Diego. It also included a part of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, which is a very large quilt made to remember people who died from AIDS.
Annual Gala
Since 2007, Lambda Archives has held an annual gala. This special event helps them get more support from the community and raise money for their important work.
