June is a very significant month for many people for many reasons. However, the Respect Together community stands in celebration with many others around the country and world as we celebrate Pride Month. We also recognize the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. The Stonewall Uprising was a riot started by Black and Latinx trans women, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. It’s important to honor these revolutionaries as they have, at times, been erased from the story of Stonewall. We support all genders and races throughout the work that we do, and as the Respect Together library, we try to include materials to help people in all walks of life. With this being said, I wanted to highlight a couple of fantastic films housed in the collection.
El Cano del Colibri, directed by Marco Castro-Bojorquez, is a documentary that explores the relationship between Latinx immigrant fathers and their LGBTQ family members. El Cano del Colibri is a story of these fathers dealing with issues of immigration, faith, marriage equality, machismo, culture, and the process of their LGBTQ children coming out. Responding to requests from audiences around the world, the filmmakers took a journey by inviting Latinx men to speak openly about delicate and personal topics. The film addresses political issues regarding LGBTQ families, social oppression, shared responsibility, and acceptance of LGBTQ individuals as members of Latinx families.
Breaking the Silence: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Foster Youth Tell Their Stories, A Tool for Training Care Providers on Working Effectively with LGBTQ Youth by National Center for Lesbian Rights is a film that contains ten short digital stories which are powerful tales of both the successes and failures of the foster care system for a group of former foster youth who identify as LGBTQ. Over the course of a four-day workshop at the Center for Digital Storytelling in Berkley, California, the youth shared their stories and learned to edit them into heartfelt and heartbreaking videos. Through their words and images, the audience hears directly about their experiences in care. They also share their insight on what advocates and providers can do to better support LGBTQ youth in the future. A CD-ROM is also included with over 25 useful and informative training tools and resources created by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and partner organizations.
Out in America, directed by Andrew Goldberg, contains an uplifting collection of transformative stories and personal narratives told through the lens of the country’s more prominent LGBTQ figures and pioneers, as well as many other extraordinary citizens from the LGBTQ communities. The program weaves together diverse stories from all over America — from the heartland to New England, from San Francisco to Harlem. Deeply moving and often humorous, these stories give viewers will a glimpse of first crushes, soul mates, intimacy, and liberation. The film’s subjects are all united in their shared experiences of self-discovery, coming out, pride and love, as well as triumph over adversity. Against the backdrop of historical events, each also traces their own hopes, struggles, influences, and contributions towards advancements in equality and broad social change.
These are just a small amount of the truly fantastic resources the Respect Together libraries have within the collection. I am very honored to be able to suggest and supply those who are interested with materials that celebrate equality, diversity, and all rights for all people. For these and others that will help you celebrate Pride this month, please check out the collection for yourselves. As always, I wish you all a fabulous day and happy reading!