Collections - I See My Light Shining
Collections
Queer San Francisco
Reimagined
Reimagined
San Francisco is widely regarded as a beacon of queer life, but the people of color who helped earn this reputation are often missing from official records. In this collection, meet elders whose stories of public struggle, private love and care, and community building continue to shape queer life.
Indigenous Affinities:
Customs and Caretaking
Customs and Caretaking
How do we hold our heritage close? In this collection, Indigenous elders, primarily storytellers, discuss cultural pride showcasing its strength and beauty.
Midwest Black Migration:
Tales of Movement and Belonging
Tales of Movement and Belonging
Many Black families in the Midwest can trace their arrival to the Great Migration. But the story of migration in the region doesn't end there. In this collection, elders share stories of ongoing movement and displacement, as well as stories of community and belonging that bridge space and time.
Latina Lesbian Elders:
Love and Belonging in the Northeast
Love and Belonging in the Northeast
This collection gathers the experiences and stories of elder Latina lesbians in the American Northeast—from discussions of family, falling in love, and finding belonging.
Tulsa's Legacy
Originating Black Wall Street and the Greenwood District, Tulsa is at once a real place and a state of mind. This collection celebrates the stories and achievements of Oklahoman elders that have made Tulsa a critical nexus for understanding American public life.
Westward Black Journey:
Cultural Fusion in Los Angeles
Cultural Fusion in Los Angeles
We most often think about the Great Migration as movement from south to north—but a smaller cohort of survivors moved West. In this collection, elders and descendants paint a unique portrait of Black life in the Pacific Rim, marked by a unique weaving of cultures, communities, and lives.
Juneteenth:
Texan Elders on Race, Roots, and Resilience
Texan Elders on Race, Roots, and Resilience
What is the enduring legacy of Juneteenth in Texas, where it originated? Who are the descendants of the original Juneteeth celebrants, and why have so many chosen to remain in Texas? In this collection, Texan elders locate Juneteenth within the context of race, identity, and inclusion.
New Mexico Black Elders on identity and multiculturalism
What does it mean to be a New Mexican? Focusing on the lives of Black elders from the Albuquerque area, this collection complicates this question as much as it answers it. With this starting point, the stories in this collection approach questions of identity, heritage, and multiculturalism.
Black Elders in Portland:
Ties Beyond the Flood
Ties Beyond the Flood
Though often dubbed "America's whitest big city," Portland has a remarkable history of Black life. This collection chronicles said history, tracing key moments of disaster and displacement, but more importantly, the enduring bonds that have come to define Black life in the Pacific Northwest.
Waterfront queer stories:
Elders' resilience
amidst changing tides
Elders' resilience
amidst changing tides
Against privatization and gentrification, how will queer life in places like Provincetown and Fire Island survive? Looking to the past for clues, this collection traces the experiences of queer elders who have forged vibrant lives on the coast against many odds.
