UH Libraries to Host Oct. 7 Reception for “We the People” Exhibit
University of Houston Libraries will host a special exhibit reception celebrating “We the People: Exploring the American Experience through the UH Libraries LGBT History Research Collection” at MD Anderson Library on Wednesday, October 7 at 5:30 p.m.
The compelling exhibit, curated by archivist Joyce Gabiola and on view through December, highlights personal stories and shared history through a rich selection of photographs, handwritten letters, artwork, newspaper clippings, and other primary sources drawn from the Libraries’ nationally significant LGBT History Research Collection. Presented with support from The Hollyfield Foundation, the exhibit and reception offer visitors a unique opportunity to engage with lived experiences spanning the 1940s through the 2000s.
Collections represented include the Botts Collection of LGBT History, Diana Foundation Records, Arden Eversmeyer Papers, Fundación Latinoamericana de Acción Social Records, Gulf Coast Archive and Museum of GLBT History, and PFLAG Houston Records. The exhibit also incorporates perspectives from recent UH graduates, demonstrating the enduring academic and creative value of archival research.
The UH community and the public are warmly invited to attend. Guests will have the opportunity to discover the collections available for research at UH Libraries and enjoy a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception. The event will be held at the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion and is co-hosted by UH Libraries and UH Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS).
The program will feature a conversation with Linda Morales, co-facilitated by Joyce Gabiola and WGSS program staff director Anneliese Bustillo. Associate professor and associate director of WGSS Dr. Rachel Afi Quinn will speak to the importance of the LGBT History Research Collection and how connecting students to the exhibition and collection supports their research and creative inquiry. Attendees will also hear a reading by Adrián Pachuca, a UH alumnus who earned an MFA in Poetry. Pachuca’s featured poem was inspired by materials from the archives and reflects the impact of research collections on scholarship and creative expression. A curator-led tour of the exhibit will follow.