Arizona Queer Archives
AQA Digital Repository
About
Established by Professor Jamie A. Lee, longstanding FAC member and Founder of the Arizona Queer Archives -- Arizona's first LGBTQ+ archives --, the LGBTQ+ Institute's Queer & Community Archiving Research Initiative critically examines theory, practice, and praxis in the work of queer and community archiving.
In 2008, Lee founded the Arizona Queer Archives as an oral history archives through which they trained a team of community oral historians with the support of an Alliance Fund Grant and fiscal sponsorship and equipment sharing through Pan Left Productions, a former membership-driven media collective whose mission was to 'amplify progressive stories and voices focused on social and environmental justice.' In 2011, the Arizona Queer Archives expanded to include the collection and preservation of physical materials. Early physical collections included the Made For Flight Kite Collection; Wingspan, Southern Arizona's LGBT Community Center's organizational collection; the Fly Away Zine Mobile Collection; as well as other zine, paper, clothing, A/V, and book collections. Today the Arizona Queer Archives lives in The Historic Y where its work is centered in community relationships and projects.
In their research on community archives as well as their own hands-on work to develop and grow a community archives, Lee notes that "community archives are integral to studying the power of the archives and the roles that communities play in representing themselves -- individually and collectively -- through bodies of knowledge" (Producing the Archival Body, 8). Lee's work with the body aims to reimaging how we might come to understand archives and memory through conceptual and material bodies as well as through embodied knowing. Through critical theory, Lee challenges the traditional archives and archival studies to encompass the archives that are not 'proper' and 'legitimate.' Lee urges for something bigger. Something playful. Something collaborative.
The Queer & Community Archiving Research Initiative is that thinking and doing space, in collaboration with students and researchers at the Critical Archives and Curation Collaborative, co/lab, where students, faculty, and community folks can come together around queer archiving and community archiving. The Queer & Community Archiving initiative includes collaborative archiving projects, hands-on archival projects through the Arizona Queer Archives, oral history and storytelling workshops, conferences, publications, outreach, curricular development, and international symposia.
Courses to consider:
LIS 641: Community-Centered Archives & Museums
LIS 542: Curating & Preserving Media Arts Collections
LIS 550: Information Environments from Non-Dominant Perspectives
LIS 557: Documenting Diverse Cultures
To learn more and to get involved, email Professor Jamie A. Lee.
P. Carl Eyeglasses Collection
Mission Statement
The Arizona Queer Archives of the Institute for LGBT Studies at the University of Arizona works in collaboration with the heterogeneous lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI), gender non-conforming, and Two Spirit communities throughout Arizona to identify, preserve, and make available records, papers, and ephemera of enduring (and endearing) value that document the distinct histories of these communities.
Its mission is twofold:
- to collect and maintain individual stories, papers, photos, videos, oral histories, home movies, artwork, apparel, leathers, mapping/geographies, and other distinct multi-dimensional records that highlight lived insights and knowledges. Areas of collecting interest are specified in a separate Collection Development Policy.
- to collect and maintain records and geographies of enduring value from organizations, community groups, safe spaces, and identified organizational efforts to support LGBTQI lives throughout Arizona. The Arizona Queer Archives recognizes that the LGBTQI communities are diverse and heterogeneous and hold complicated, contradictory, as well as complementary histories that can all come together here as valid everyday knowledges and truths. The Arizona Queer Archives works to engage with communities to creatively collect, preserve, and share these many histories and memories.
Collection Policy
The Arizona Queer Archives of the Institute for LGBT Studies at the University of Arizona collects materials that are relevant to LGBTQ individuals, groups, and organizations that work to support LGBTQ lives. Items collected include stories, papers, records, ephemera, photos, videos, born-digital materials, and three-dimensional artifacts, such as art, crafts, and apparel. So as not to duplicate Arizona collecting efforts, the Arizona Queer Archives will share connections and select finding aids for other LGBTQ collections being preserved throughout Arizona. As a steward of and conduit for shared LGBTQ histories, the Arizona Queer Archives will work in cooperation with other collectors to assist researchers and community members in identifying collections as needed.
Financial supporters of the AQA include Jennifer Bates, Monica Casper, Jill Koyama, Penelope Starr, Catherine Brooks, Susan Meyer, Fabian Alfie, Ragini Srinivasan, Jamie A. Lee, Emily Davidson, Judith Brown, Sara Tolbert, Janice Welchert, Miriam Black, Ellen Melamed, Anonymous, Eve Rifkin, Lavina Tomer, Laura Hoff, Paul Douglas Noffsinger, Mimi Klausner, Kent Burbank, Cathy Hemler & Stephanie Bader, Scott Neeley & Stephen Russell, Adela C. Licona, Susan Stryker, James Uhrig, Marc Arenberg, V Spike Peterson, the Institute for LGBT Studies, and the LGBTQ+ Alliance Fund of Southern Arizona.
AQA ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS
Photo of Leslie Carlson, SW Feminists Reunite Group Collection, donated by Leslie Carlson
Collections
- Arizona LGBTQ Storytelling Project (INDIVIDUAL, DIGITAL MEDIA ORAL HISTORIES)
- Institute for LGBT Studies (ORGANIZATION)
- Wingspan, Southern Arizona's LGBT Community Center (ORGANIZATION)
- Southwest Feminists Reunite (COMMUNITY, DIGITAL MEDIA ORAL HISTORIES)
- The Fly Away Zine Mobile (COMMUNITY, Adela C. Licona Collection)
- Made For Flight ~ Kite Collections (COMMUNITY, MEMORIAL FOR TRANSGENDER AWARENESS)
- Tucson Gay Community Services (ORGANIZATION 1970s-1980s)
- Lesbian Looks Film Festival Materials (COMMUNITY, Bev Seckinger Collection)
- Arizona Human Rights Fund (ORGANIZATION 1990s)
- P. Carl Eyeglasses Collection (INDIVIDUAL, 28 pairs of eyeglasses spanning transformative years of P. Carl's life)
- Jay Kyle Petersen (INDIVIDUAL)
- Pat Mail (INDIVIDUAL, UA FACULTY)
- Monique Wittig (INDIVIDUAL, UA FACULTY)
- Myra Dinnerstein (INDIVIDUAL, UA FACULTY)
Finding Aids
1 - Wingspan, Southern Arizona's LGBT Community Center organizational collection
DESCRIPTION: The Wingspan Collection consists of 52 boxes of materials related to over 25 years as a non-profit supporting LGBTQI communities. From programming to grants written and received to the Wingspan Film Festival materials to organizational materials related to bylaws, executive director notes, and meeting minutes, this collection offers a full historical picture of Wingspan, Southern Arizona's LGBTQ Community Center which closed its doors in July 2014.
2 - Fly Away Zine Mobile zine collection
DESCRIPTION: The Fly Away Zine Mobile Collection was acquired by Professor Adela C. Licona through her contacts in the zine world and Debbie. Consider reading through the blog about the Fly Away Zine Mobile here: https://zinemobile.wordpress.com/ to learn more about the collection process and where the zine mobile has traveled and conducted workshops on zine production. We are honored to house this collection.
3 - Jay Kyle Petersen individual collection
DESCRIPTION: Jay Kyle Petersen’s individual collection consists of six boxes and a series of artwork donated to the Arizona Queer Archives. Petersen’s collection includes photographs, musical compositions, artwork, publications, awards, educational materials, research, memorabilia, correspondence, and a portfolio showcasing may of his accomplishments.
He has also given his oral history on two occasions. These recordings can be streamed through the Arizona Queer Archives Digital Repository HERE.
4 - Adela C. Licona Zine Collection
DESCRIPTION: The Adela C. Licona Zine Collection was acquired by Adela C. Licona, PhD through her connections in the zine world. The Fly Away Zine Mobile Collection created an opportunity for Arizona Queer Archives to collect zines; and thanks to zine creators, and collectors, we have been able to expand zine collecting. Housing zine collections continues to be a great honor.
5. Bruce Cole Collection
DESCRIPTION: The Bruce Cole Collection is comprised of physical representations of Bruce's 30+ years of research, community organizing, and commitment to seeking justice, protection, and representation for LGBTQ+ communities and members in Tucson and beyond.
6. Brian Bateman Collection
DESCRIPTION: Gifted to the Archives in 2016, the Brian Bateman Collection consists of two boxes of materials representing over twenty years of Brian's involvement in legal, political, spiritual, and educational advocacy for the LGBTQ+ communities in Southern Arizona. Also included in the collection are books from his personal library and other memorabilia.