Collaborative arts & literary zine
On the grotesque, oddities, and fantastical strangeness of our internal and external worlds through the lens of lesbian life.
Collaborative arts & literary zine
Honoring the cannabis plant’s immersion throughout the lives of 14 lesbian artists through introspective, whimsical art and literature.
Article
Communitywide conversation on language, representation, organizing, and so on have been circulating for decades but social media has platformed them further during the past 10 years. Lacking physical third spaces can limit finding organic interpersonal relationships while discriminatory and historically devoid sentiments circulate; unfortunately these notions are partially due to the significance of online conversation assumed to exist in a vacuum. How can those targeted by exclusionary rhetoric find safety and unity with or without frequent access to third spaces? Where do those who are looking for education find it? What can those who are misinformed be redirected towards to reformative care? Explore the archives.
Archival collections are reflective of longstanding sought connection, resistance, and rich love. This documentation is an honorable form of preservation that protects and upholds the realities of past lives which inevitably guides and reaffirms lived experiences of those of us existing today. Outside of academic spaces, archives are not often utilized as a critical resource for artistic or historical reference and community guidance which would heavily benefit not only individuals coming into themselves but collective practices like circular online discussions. Archives exist as an ever expansive time capsule of lifetimes methodically preserved through collective care; jackpots of loving memory and seemingly unlimited education.
An archive materializes in a multitude of forms such as anthological literature, documentary series’, and physical spaces like libraries to hold multimedia collections of documentation. Less recognized manifestations include personal digital archives (e.g. photo gallery on phones and laptops or stored written documents), shared and collectively reviewed community archives with information about loved ones, and work outside of established or “orthodox” institutions which frequently overlap with community archives.
Historical records facilitate a more accurate appreciation and understanding for lesbian lives, as well as of the practices and spaces that were established, the complexity and nuances of identity, and revolutionary love in interpersonal relationships as their existence alone demanded a safer reality.
In technicality, when reviewing an archival entity one understands all that is the file structure, known as the “outer shell”, in addition to an analysis and learning of all that's within the file. When these entities are found, the archivist works to reinstate them as they were in an attempt to place any documents in their original order. However, interpretation of said order is subjective leaving the archives to be compromised through time due to ownership. Further disruption happens through inequalities in legality towards human rights; often including the denial of autonomy. To correct this concern, archivists and all those reviewing hold the responsibility of “maintaining institutional integrity and original order” (Shannon Mattern 6:50, The New School).
Lesbian community archives, like lesbian identity and the spaces we share, are historically explored and embraced as environments held for autonomy beyond bureaucratic structures. During Queer Archives: Between the Individual and the Institutional, a discussion at The Vera List Center for Art and Politics at The New School, interdisciplinary research-based conceptual artist, filmmaker and curator Tiona Nekkia McClodden expands on these occurrences explaining that unfortunately, misguided individuals and structures hold power dictating not only funding but visibility. McClodden explains that guidelines, especially once tainted by colonialism, suggest a non-queer perspective and leaving historical accounts with gaps. Thankfully, there is ongoing work actively reversing this erasure.
Joan Nestle, Deborah Edel, Julia Stanley, Sahli Cavallaro, Pamela Oline, and Mabel Hampton founded the Lesbian Herstory Archives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York, with the shared vision of creating access to and education on free materials and services on lesbian history. In their eyes, lesbian history, was "disappearing as quickly as it was being made." (lesbianherstoryarchives.org) In order to avoid receiving government funding, they organized fundraisers in order to continue providing the archives' entirety of services free. The archives, which are run by volunteers, also function as a museum and community center. One of the world's largest collections of records "by and about lesbians and their communities'' (nyclgbtsites.org), it includes 11,000 books by and about lesbians from the nineteenth century to the present, lesbian pulp fiction novels, oral histories, files for lesbian activist and community groups, and rare lesbian and feminist periodicals. Lesbians worldwide have sent pieces like love letters and photos to periodicals.
In a 2019 interview with Paris Photo, visual activist and photographer Zanele Muholi shares how critical visual archives are to safely hold space for those in the LGBTQ+ community, specifically in context of her physical community and work in South Africa. Muholi uses her visual activism as an “act of consciousness” to produce informative images. She explains that her work helps with the “undoing of any forms of exclusion” and “invisibility.” Her visual archives record the expansiveness of lesbian personhood, friendship, romance, and so on. This work ensures individual lives in cities with social and political climates that strive to erase them exist beyond the limitations of time on a global scale.
Curve magazine, founded in 1990 by Franco Stevens is the longest running and best selling lesbian magazine in the world. Stevens and other early team members like Deb St. John and Katie Brown toured cities by visiting bookstores, coffee shops, clubs, pride events, and more throughout the US to meet other lesbians and share the magazine. The word spread across the country about the magazine and it quickly became a communitywide resource that both physically brought lesbians together as well as an optimistic perspective into the many sectors (e.g. arts, culture, family, relationships, self, etc.) of a multitude of lesbians' lives. The articles, interviews, photoshoots, published community feedback, and more instantly nurtured connection to lesbian culture and events often in spite of geographical distance or the danger of being out. Curve.com also has a page of archives where readers can access older issues. This magazine is still in print today and its creation was pivotal for lesbian visibility.
Literary anthologies are handheld archives that present a single location for a collection of work. “Piece of my Heart” anthologized by Makeda Silvera centers the stories of lesbians of color. The literature is sorted by themes of each writing rather than extent of experience or awarded qualification; a true community collective and time capsule of the late 1980’s. Consisting of personal essays, poetry, journal entries, play scripts, and more, the book shares lifetimes of memories with recollections equally relevant over 35 years later. Art remains a centuries-long prime source of communication. Expression through image, sound, and choice words preserve action and emotion in time.
I believe my own earlier understanding about accessing archives would’ve reaffirmed a sense of belonging and it’s extremely clear a collective knowing of past and ongoing events, projects, and resources would prevent, what feels like, infinite misguided and repetitive conversations rooted in lack of information and attempts at self preservation. My personal beginnings of learning lesbian history was an eclectic collection of mediums; often documentaries and scripted films, oral stories passed down via conversation and documentation, and both pictures and writings found online. Likewise, social media allows for access to spaces to connect with other lesbians regardless of distance.
If the objective is to connect with others and share both personal and historical information, the magnitude and speed of the internet are blessings that should be handled with care. While the internet seems to offer a limitless number of opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals, speak on what's cared for, and build relationships that can eventually lead to face-to-face encounters, it is not a limitless space devoid of consequences. Those harmed by discriminatory conversations should not have to bear the labor, nor expectation, of providing free education. Widespread encouragement of accessing historical community records can be an effective preventative measure. The stories that are preserved by archives and archivists are gifts to the world that could otherwise be lost to the abyss of time.
Citations
Lesbian herstory archives. NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project. (2022). https://www.nyclgbtsites.org/site/lesbian-herstory-archives/Queer Archives: Between the Individual and the Institutional | The New School
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7kpkA08gUA&list=PLy8sFuTzlHnHxXA2KYvCanMCFK7TJ4K-V&index=1
Silvera, M. (1992). Piece of my heart: A lesbian of colour anthology. Sister Vision Press.
The Curve Foundation. CURVE. (2023, May 5). https://www.curvemag.com/
“Bookshelves of the Lesbian Herstory Archives at its original Upper West Side location, 1979. Source: Joan Nestle, "Don't Stop Talking 2" blog.” via nyclgbtsites.org
Collaborative arts & literary zine
Article - Featured Top Story
Over the years, my understanding of pride has expanded dramatically. Learning and embracing the history of my community has allowed me to further explore and understand my own identity. Lesbianism is sacred, and our identities are complex and diverse.
Lesbianism is more than just a sexual orientation, and for many people, the term encompasses the various intersections of several of their identities, allowing the term to be a multifaceted identifier. Because our community is large, many of our lived experiences may overlap to some extent. However, when we examine the lesbian identity through an intersectional lens, it becomes clear that marginalization's such as disability, gender, and race wield significant power in not only how the world perceives us, but also how we perceive the world.
When I speak about my experiences, I use the word community broadly but regularly because it can refer to the entire LGBTQ+ community or to specific sub-communities like lesbianism.
The best piece of queer advice I've ever received isn't a single quote or statement, but rather an ideology that I'll try to summarize briefly. Prioritizing the decolonization of LGBTQ+ spaces and refusing to be palatable is a more direct path to our liberation than assimilation ever could be. As someone who lives at the crossroads of several marginalization's, I am increasingly aware that respectability entails existing within the parameters established by settler colonial systems. Furthermore, comprehending what this entails has empowered me to dissect how I have been impacted, begin comprehending the harm it has caused my communities, and implement generational healing into my journey of self-discovery.
Decolonization alters how you take up space in the world because it is a choice of empathy, solidarity, and unlearning that frequently initiates healing within ourselves and for our loved ones. Furthermore, making an active choice encourages introspection, which allows us to better understand our identities and the truth. Freedom and safety are our birthrights, and showing ourselves and others love and respect is an important part of pride.
Inner child work, a psychotherapeutic concept that acknowledges our childhood emotions and experiences while reclaiming our deserved happiness, innocence, and self-assurance, is something I frequently do. I was always aware of my queerness as a child, but I lacked the words to express it, resulting in a decade-long internal monologue. As a teenager, I began openly identifying as a lesbian and immersing myself in online community spaces. For context, as a child, I saw almost no representation of lesbians, let alone Black and/or Latina lesbians, which is unfortunate because it would have provided me with guidance and reassurance. If I could talk to my younger self, I would tell her that her feelings of isolation are not permanent, and that her longing for romantic and platonic love, which feels unattainable, is both attainable and well deserved.
In the near future, I hope to see genuine concern for community members' livelihoods, as well as sincere advocacy. This compassionate, community-oriented advocacy takes many forms and not only necessitates, but also merits, direct action.
Trans women and femmes, in particular, require emotional and physical protection, as well as financial support for their livelihoods. We need genuine media representation that reflects our community's diversity, including the decentering of whiteness, rather than the tokenization that we frequently see, especially during Pride Month. Furthermore, we commonly see spaces that are inaccessible to people with disabilities, necessitating the use of interpreters, wheelchair access, and any other accommodations that ensure equal opportunity and enjoyment in spaces and at events.
When I think about lesbian history, I remember the Lesbian Avengers, a group founded in 1992 “as a direct action group focused on issues vital to lesbian survival and visibility.” They took to the streets, demanding authentic lesbian identity recognition, media attention, and political change.
Overall, the discussion of intersectionality (a term coined by Professor Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw in 1989 to address Black women's oppression) should be met with direct action. I suggest contacting your local representatives, donating to community members through direct or mutual aid, reaching out to community organizers in your area, and supporting LGBTQ+ owned businesses (and any other endeavors) not just in June, but throughout the year.
The constant reminder that the first pride was a riot - referring to the Stonewall Riots - circulates spaces on and offline throughout pride month; fully grasping this is essential for community liberation and solidarity. Our ability to show up for one another in difficult times is extraordinary. Throughout the decades, we have stood by one another in times of crisis, demonstrating our compassion and resilience. Despite our admirable qualities, we deserve to be surrounded by love, opportunity, and security rather than hardship and survival.
they/she
gabriellaartwork@gmail.com
WTCC
2023
Budtender
2023-2026
Public Library System
Library Assistant
2023 - 2026
Public School System
Instructional Assistant
2021-2023
Remote Teaching Artist
Fotofest: Literacy Through Photography
2020-2022
Redhead Hemp
Organizaed and hosted clothing swap , free and open to all, to provide equitable access to clothing while faciliating safe, community connection.
Rooted Festival, 2025
Gregg Museum of Art & Design
Tabled representing Public Library System to discuss library collections, programs, and services with public. .Created handmade fall and library themed pinback buttons, interactive banned book program, and curated themed tabling decorations.
Earth Day Seed Shakers, 2025
Public Library
Developed multigenerational program promoting environmental stewardship. Learn about Earth Day origins, history across cultures, and create a reusable shaker of native plant seeds.
Gelli Printmaking Demo, 2023
WTCC Northern Campus
Demonstrated gelli print mage transfer, ink application, and material sourcing while informing visitors about Wake Technical Community College’s Arts and Fine Arts programs.
Community Clothing Drive, 2022
WCPSS - internal staff
Organized staff wide clothing drive to meet student and student family need of clean clothing and shoes.
previously Eclectic Collective
Artist, curator, editor-in-chief
Eclectic Collective
Artist, curator, editor-in-chief
Fantastical Oddities, 2025
A collaborative arts and literary zine on the grotesque, oddities, and fantastical strangeness of our internal and external worlds through the lens of lesbian life.
Dykes & Doobies, 2024
Expansiveness of Lesbian Existence, 2023
A collaborative anthological art zine project for and by lesbians celebrating and connecting our creations and shared existence curate and edit all materials with the help of volunteers. Artwork and writing within the zine are from contributing artists and myself.
Eclectic Collective
#RiseInPride: Intersectionality Isn’t Optional, 2021
vocal.media, Featured Top Story
Last Updated 26.01.01
click to buy in black
click to buy in sunset
A selection of pins originally archived by the Lesbian Herstory Archives, sourced through various online platforms, arranged to create a rendition of the lesbian pride flag.
An alter to cannabis in honor of its medicinal mental, metaphysical and physical properties.
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Referencing Vashti Persad's untitled journal entry in Makeda Silvera's "Piece of my Heart: A Lesbian of Colour Anthology”.
"I stare out the back window of her house, mesmerized by the countless stars in the black sky and comforted by the watrees and the smell of curry and rain. I breathe in deeply to capture that energy within myself but realize that it is already inside of me."
A visual interpretation and resonance with Persad’s words. A pair of hands, nesting in palm leaves, delicately hold a pair of conjoined hearts; each struck through with a single arrow. Above the hearts, within the hands, is a spark and below are drops of tears which flow back into the landscape. In the bottom left corner there is a house surrounded by palm trees. In the bottom right floats two abstract life forms, presumably human, holding hands. Above the hands sits a sun rise surrounded by sparks and stars between the written words “always” and “together”. The imagery appears on top of a gradient background of a vivid red-orange, warm yellow, and dark lime green; each developed through custom mixed inks.
click to buy lighter version
click to buy bone, grape, shell version
Contemplating differentiation between fate and luck alongside other blessings. The dice lighter a symbol of chance. The grapes, oyster, and wish bone as tools used in practice to initiate or request wish fulfillment.