Thrive 125: The LGBTQ+ Survival Guide to Pandemics

Listen to LGBTQ+ survivors of the AIDs pandemic and young leaders of the LGBTQ+ community share their stories of community and resilience during troubled times.

Register here now: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NFO3snQHT42MzV9djeobNg?fbclid=IwAR18JTF8crO7K6wZyO14pcDY25gTrN9mtFlIGDBXUhMMJwMVBgm60LkaQhk

STORYTELLERS

CONNELL O’DONOVAN is a historian, biographer, and professional genealogist. He is currently working on the history of female impersonators in Utah from the 1860s to the 1930s, as well as a film documentary on the double-suicide of two young Mormon Lesbians in Salt Lake City in 1926.

BECKY MOSS Producer of the radio program “Concerning Gays & Lesbians” on KRCL Radio November 1981 to August 2003 – fun, but the death threats were daunting. Active member of an international radio broadcast about “The Gay Community” and about “AIDS”. This project ended when most of the participants passed away from HIV related illness. Founder of the “First & Third Thursday Womyns Potluck” 1988 to 1995, held in her home.Co-Founder of “Thelma & Louise Coffee” held Sunday mornings at the Pride Center when it was on North 300 West. Member of The Utah Stonewall Democrats from it’s beginning January 1990. Recipient of The Dr Kristen Reis Award & The Pride Center Lifetime Achievement Award.

JENNIFER SALAZAR uses she/her/ella pronouns and identifies as a Xicana Feminista Lesbiana. She is a recent graduate from the University of Utah with a double major in Gender Studies and Sociology. She has worked in reproductive justice and transformative justice organizations. She currently resides in the Bay Area, California with her girlfriend and they run a worker owned cooperative/ mutual aid org/ art collective called Radical Corazón.

PEDRO RICO is a nonbinary Xicano a community organizer, creator, compassionate, and resilient individual always striving to create spaces for their community to gather. They have worked on events for Dia de Los Muertos in SLC and is a strong advocate for fostering spaces for QTIBIPoC to gather and build community. They received their associates of science in political science from Salt Lake Community College where they also graduated with honors by participating in the Civically Engaged Scholars program. In addition to this work, they are an AmeriCorps alum of the Ed Award and a recipient of the Presidential Awards Community-Engaged Student, recognizing their work in addressing systemic issues on campus and the broader community. Pedro will be graduating in May with a Bachelor’s in Ed. Policy and Advocacy, they are looking forward to continuing their education in Fall 2021 where they will pursue a Masters in Restorative Justice.

POETS

FAYCE HAMMOND (they) is a fat, queer Chicksaw poet currently living in Denver, Colorado although they consider Salt Lake City their home. Through poetry, Fayce explores the construction of community, identity, and memory. Fayce also co-founded the Queer Community Mic in Columbus, Ohio. You can find their work in The Fem Literary Magazine, ellipsis…, Crab Fat Magazine, Muzzle, and Drunk in a Midnight Choir.

ENAN WHITBY (he/they) is a chubby trans-masculine person who writes too much about gender. He is a stereotypical Capricorn sun and Libra Moon. He is a Midwesterner at heart and likes to ignore the fact that he was raised in California. He has represented Westminster College at CUPSI in 2018 and 2019, as well as on the Loveloud Stage. You can find his work on Write About Now.

DE EMETT (she/they) is a weirdo in her mid 30s who lives in Tucson, AZ. They live with a roommate and one adorable doggie. De works in a grocery store and does hair on the side, and can’t decide if she is an essential worker or a hostage. Occasionally, De pretends to be a musician and a writer and creates stuff that almost passes for art. Sometimes. She represented SLC on Finals stage at the Women of the World Poetry Slam a million years ago (2012).

TANESHANICOLE is a Black queer non-binary activist and poet living in Minneapolis, MN by way of Salt Lake City, UT. In 2018 they graduated from Westminster College with a degree in Creative Writing. TaneshaNicole has been actively using poetry as a means of connecting with others and creating change since 2014. They have performed in venues all across the country, and in 2018 they placed 4th overall with their team at the National Poetry Slam Competition in Chicago. Their work has appeared or is forthcoming in Button Poetry, SLCC Bruin Voices Series, Write About Now, TEDx, Voicemail Poems, peculiar, Ink&Nebula, Prickly Pear Printing, and more. Currently, Tanesha serves as a Publishing Assistant for Button Poetry and in their spare time Tanesha can be found spending time with their partner, Anni, and pet cat, Mewspresso.

This event is made possible with support from Utah Humanities, Utah Department of Heritage and Arts, Wasatch Wordsmiths, Westminster Slam, and Radical Corazon.