Charlotte Pride Oral History Project
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- Ed Farthing oral history interview 2021 February 17
- WARNING: This interview contains homophobic language beginning at [00:04:02] and ending at [00:04:23]. Mr. Ed Farthing discusses his experiences with and involvement in LGBTQ+ pride events and organizations as an openly gay man in the 1990s in Charlotte and Hickory, North Carolina. Topics discussed include Mr. Farthing's involvement with Equality NC and North Carolina Pride Pack and the roles he played in each organization; his emphasis on the importance of increasing visibility in LGBTQ+ organizations; how visibility impacted the relationship between the transgender community and gay pride organizations; the difference in the perspectives of older and younger queer people and queer people of color in the modern day; and the significant mentors and memorable anecdotes that shaped Mr. Farthing's experience with pride events and organizations., Ed Farthing was a 73-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1947. He was educated at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he studied history and law, and was employed as an attorney until 2002 when he began working as a political and community organizer for LGBTQ+ pride organizations including Equality North Carolina (Equality NC). At the time of the interview he worked as a self-employed fundraiser for LGBTQ+ equal rights.
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- Mary Jamis oral history interview 2021 March 18
- Ms. Mary Jamis discusses her re-connection with the LGBTQ+ community through her experiences in organizing Winston-Salem Pride in 2011. Topics discussed include Ms. Jamis' participation in a non-violent protest against the YMCA in Winston-Salem that inspired her to get involved with pride organizations; Ms. Jamis' role in the formation of Equality Winston-Salem and North Star LGBTQ Center; Ms. Jamis' thoughts on the lack of intersectionality in pride, emphasizing inclusivity and visibility as important aspects of pride organizations and events; the contrast between how older and younger lesbians identify today; and how pride allowed Ms. Jamis to better understand other social issues through her participation., Mary Jamis was a 61-year-old woman at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. She was born in Ambridge, Pennsylvania in 1959. She was employed as a small business owner of Creative, a small marketing and design firm working exclusively with non-profits., Occasional text tones interrupt the recording., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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- James Kellogg oral history interview, 2021 February 23
- Mr. James Kellogg discusses his experiences and role in the organization of Pride events in Gaston County (Gastonia), North Carolina in 2014 and 2015. Topics include Mr. Kellogg's initial involvement with Pride in Gastonia as an organizer with his brother Robert in 2014; Mr. Kellogg's view of the importance of LGBTQ+ history and Pride's ability to create a community space and to engage the younger generation; anecdotes of how protests against Pride actually contributed to the sense of empowerment generated by Pride itself; issues among the Gastonia Pride organizers about to what degree straight people should be involved in leadership positions; comparing Pride events in Gaston County to those in cities like Charlotte and Raleigh; and Mr. Kellogg's reflections on what he would have done differently when organizing 2015 Gastonia pride six years later., Mr. James Kellogg was a 58-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. He was born in Lowville, New York in 1963. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Special Education, and is currently employed as a K-5 creative arts teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system.
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- Robert Kellogg oral history interview, 2021 March 4
- Mr. Robert Kellogg discusses his experiences and role in the organization of Pride events in Gaston County (Gastonia), North Carolina beginning in 2014. Topics discussed include the changes in Gastonia, namely the formations of the first PFLAG chapter and LGBTQ+ school clubs that inspired the first Pride event in Gaston County; the need for Pride events within the transgender community and among LGBTQ+ youth in North Carolina; Mr. Kellogg's contribution to the establishment of the first PFLAG chapter in Gaston County and the instrumental role the organization played in providing volunteers and in organizing the first Gaston Pride; the success of the first Gaston Pride, getting advice from organizers in Charlotte, and Pride's uniqueness to its location; the perspective Mr. Kellogg offers as a City Council member in Gaston County and the importance of outsider voices in local government., Robert Kellogg was a 50-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. He was born in Uptown, New York in 1970. He was employed as a City Council member in Gaston County., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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- Tyrell Lowry oral history interview, 2021 April 28
- Mr. Tyrell Lowry discusses his experience participating in and organizing Black Pride events in Charlotte, North Carolina. Topics discussed include Mr. Lowry's first experience attending a Black Pride event that led him to get involved with the organizational aspect of Pride; the persisting issue of inclusion at Pride events, specifically the transgender community; Mr, Lowry's personal motivation to become a Black Pride organizer in order to provide greater representation to the younger generation of trans men who attend; Black Pride's ability to not only provide a community space for Black queer people, but also in bringing more attention to Black small business owners, performers, and vendors; Mr. Lowry's belief in continuing the discussion of the history of Pride celebrations so progress towards LGBTQ+ rights is not lost as time goes on., Tyrell Lowry was a 38-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1982., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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- Rick Mashburn oral history interview, 2021 March 6
- Mr. Rick Mashburn discusses his experiences as a gay and disabled man in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in the 1990s. Topics discussed include Mr. Mashburn's childhood coming to terms with both his sexuality and his physical disability in the American South in the 1950s and 60s; how his disability affected his coming-out and how he fit into the gay community as a result; discussion of how gay culture is very able-bodied and inaccessible to many disabled people in the LGBTQ+ community; Mr. Mashburn's involvement with organizing Winston-Salem Pride in 1995-1996 by editing and publishing pride programs and planning meetings and fundraising for the event; and his work with AIDS service organizations as a result of his involvement with pride., Rick Mashburn was a 69 year-old man at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. He was born in Lexington, North Carolina in 1951. He was employed as a freelance writer, publisher, and editor for his own works and HIV/AIDS and Pride organizations., There are occasional text tones heard throughout the recording.
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- Beth Meadows oral history interview, 2021 February 19
- Ms. Beth Meadows discusses her experiences as a lesbian woman and her role in organizing Salisbury Pride in Salisbury, North Carolina. Topics discussed include Ms. Meadows' first attendance at Pride in Charlotte; her experience being fired from Food Lion for being gay and the later shift she saw when Food Lion began appearing at and supporting Pride events in later years; her initial involvement with the Salisbury chapter of PFLAG and the organization's role in establishing Salisbury Pride; Ms. Meadows' role as president of the Pride board for two and a half years and the circumstances of her retirement; recognizing Salisbury Pride's need for greater diversity and their active efforts to include different voices; acknowledging that Pride has not been doing a good job of recognizing its origins and history and teaching it to those who attend; corporate sponsorship at Pride and the responsibilities organizers have to research companies before accepting their support; and the importance of Pride in creating a safe space and sense of belonging for queer people of every generation to find a community., Beth Meadows was a 63-year-old woman at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. She was born in Richwood, West Virginia in 1957., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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- David Moore oral history interview, 2021 June 25
- Mr. David Moore discusses his career as a journalist for various LGBTQ+ publications in Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina and his experiences in volunteering at different Pride events in each city. Topics discussed include Mr. Moore's first Pride event in 1990 in Atlanta which he helped to organize with Etcetera Magazine while working as an editor for the publication; the long history of Atlanta Pride dating back as far as 1980; the success Etcetera Magazine had in planning Atlanta Pride as a result of their media savvy which allowed them to reach a larger audience than before; helping to organize Charlotte Pride alongside Q-Notes following the Operation Save American controversy in 2006; and Mr. Moore's role as a volunteer at Charlotte Black Pride in 2006-2007 and his experience handling religious protestors at the event., David Moore was interviewed via Zoom. He was born in Charlotte. He has worked for several mainstream and LGBTQ publications as editor, staff writer and freelancer, and is currently employed as a senior content editor and a contributing writer for QNotesCarolinas., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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- Tamara Sheffield oral history interview, 2021 February 25th
- Tamara Sheffield discusses her role as one of the founding members of the Salisbury Pride board and her experiences organizing Pride events in Salisbury, North Carolina. Topics discussed include Ms. Sheffield's initial corporate involvement with Pride as a result of her job at Frito-Lay and how this experience inspired her to get into the field of organization; the obstacles in planning Pride in a small town and the bravery it took to face the unknowns that came with organizing Pride in Salisbury for the first time; the significant influence the Salisbury-Rowan Chapter of PFLAG had on Ms. Sheffield; the luck Salisbury Pride had with corporate sponsors and Ms. Sheffield's perspective on holding corporations and vendors accountable during events like Pride; how both positive and negative political developments of the 2010s affected the environment of Pride in Salisbury; and Ms. Sheffield's idea of inclusion as a step beyond diversity and the importance of Pride connecting with other organizations representing other marginalized groups to keep Pride relevant beyond the event itself., Tamara Sheffield was a 51-year-old woman at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. She was born in Celina, Tennessee in 1969. She was employed at PepsiCo and Frito-Lay, and currently acts as a Salisbury City Council member., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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- Mark Smith oral history interview, 2021 March 21
- Mr. Mark Smith discusses his experiences in organizing Pride events in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and how the HIV/AIDs crisis inspired him to get more involved with the LGBTQ+ community as a result of his background in social work. Topics discussed include Mr. Smith's first Pride event in San Francisco, California in 1986 before he came out; his initial involvement with the LGBTQ+ community doing HIV/AIDS social work; how his then-partner Alex got Mr. Smith involved in organizing Pride in Winston-Salem after a trip to Raleigh; discussion of other political events occurring during the HIV/AIDS crisis such as the New York City transgender community protests due to lack of inclusion and the African-American community pushing back against the "whiteness" of Pride and the exclusion of Black voices at Miami Pride; the big change over the years of corporate sponsorship at Pride and the commodification of Pride by companies seeking to make money, and working around this by approaching queer vendors directly; and the importance of highlighting diversity both within the LGBTQ+ community itself and at Pride events and getting members of different communities involved in planning and organizing., Mark Smith was a 67-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. He was born in Greer, South Carolina in 1954. He was educated at San Francisco University where he received a Master’s degree in Social Work and was employed as a social worker and a full-time professor at Barry University in Miami., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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- Gelisa Stitt oral history interview, 2021 May 4
- Ms. Gelisa Stitt discusses her experiences as treasurer of the board for Black Pride in Charlotte, North Carolina. Topics discussed include Ms. Stitt's first Black Pride experience in Charlotte in 2005; her initial involvement with the Black Pride board in 2011 as treasurer; the importance of Pride in promoting queer businesses and providing other services like finance and adoption seminars to better educate Pride attendees; changes in the cost, the improved environment, and better organization of Black Pride as the event has grown bigger; the efforts of the Black Pride board to increase inclusivity by partnering with and working with various organizations that represent underrepresented groups; and Ms. Stitt's belief that simply showing up and making your voice heard can help Pride continue to make a change in the long run., Gelisa Stitt was a 47-year-old woman at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. She was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1974., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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- Rex Welton oral history interview 2021 March 1
- Mr. Rex Welton discusses his experiences organizing Pride events in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and his reflections on Pride before the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics discussed include Mr. Welton's first Pride experiences in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Key West, Florida in 2008-2009; his first notable North Carolina Pride experience when the event came to Winston-Salem, and his participation as an observer rather than an attendee; discussion of changes in Pride over time, particularly the presence of straight families supporting LGBTQ+ youth; the creation of Winston-Salem Pride in 2011 and the feeling of needing to catch up with bigger cities like Durham and Charlotte; the support and inclusion of faith communities that sets Winston-Salem Pride apart from others; and Mr. Welton's opinions on the evolution of Pride in the future., Rex Welton was a 57-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place via Zoom. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1963. He was educated at Wake Forest University where he studied Psychology and was employed as a Public Relations Director at the Forsyth Humane Society in Winston-Salem., Charlotte LGBTQ+ oral histories, https://goldmine.charlotte.edu/islandora/object/uncc%3Aqh , J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.