By Kelli Luck, FOCAS Intern, Fall 2024 / University of Arizona
I was selected to work within the Arizona Queer Archives as a FOCAS Intern in the Fall of 2024. Nestled within the LGBTQ+ Institute at the University of Arizona, the Arizona Queer Archives (AQA) stands as a vital repository of Arizona’s LGBTQ+ history and culture. Founded by Dr. Jamie A. Lee, the AQA is dedicated to preserving and sharing the diverse stories and experiences of Arizona’s queer communities. From rare magazines and personal essays to vibrant event flyers and oral histories, the AQA offers a rich tapestry of materials illuminating the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ individuals. The FOCAS internship position allowed me to delve into the fascinating world of the Arizona Queer Archives, explore the collections and the people behind its creation, and aid its ongoing mission to ensure that these important narratives are preserved and never forgotten.
On my first day alone in the AQA, I must confess I was a little overwhelmed and suffering from imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome might not even be the correct term for my feelings, but it’s the only one that comes to mind. I was the only one in the LGBTQ+ Institute on many of the days I worked, and even though I enjoyed the independence, I felt out of place and like I had no business being there. I began by looking through the other collections to understand the other materials of the archives and to seek direction about how those collections looked inside their boxes. I reviewed the labeled files and the finding aids to gain along with the finding aid templates to get a better understanding of the process and the language used while processing the Morgan Collection. After spending my first day in the AQA slowly getting acquainted with the organization of the collections, I felt ready to start reviewing the new collection.
I began by reading Susan E. Morgan’s Deed of Gift and a letter she wrote about why she wanted to donate the items and how she started collecting distinct types of media, including books, greeting cards, magazines, and flyers. Susan explains that she and her girlfriend briefly lived in San Francisco, CA, in the early 1990s after moving from the East Coast and before moving to Tucson, AZ, to pursue her graduate degree. Susan writes that coming to San Francisco was a shock because finding or creating a community was not as easy as it had been back on the East Coast and left them feeling alienated and alone. She explains that they had a favorite hangout spot, and in that spot was a popular bulletin board that many queer organizations, clubs, and event organizers utilized frequently. She found herself drawn to the different flyers and began collecting them, wondering for what.
Susan also describes the atmosphere and energy of San Francisco during the AIDS pandemic. Susan and her girlfriend enjoyed attending estate sales but found the sales in San Francisco to be rather heartbreaking. Most of the estate sales were due to AIDS-related deaths, and those who attended them were often friends or family of the deceased who needed to mourn their loss. This memory struck me as I have numerous gay male friends, and I began to wonder how different life would have been had we all been born earlier and had to face the consequences of a deadly virus and an apathetic government. I began to look at the flyers after reading Susan’s Donation letter and began to imagine the atmosphere of a gay mecca amid such turmoil. Undeniably, people were still trying to live unapologetically and authentically while enjoying life and pursuing happiness.

They were also trying to fight the spread of AIDS, gain access to treatment, and care for those already afflicted. Flipping through close to 200 flyers and advertisements for gay events, queer clubs, and businesses, I wondered how many my friends and I would have attended. I also wondered how many friends I would have lost by the early 1990s, and those thoughts literally took my breath away. I did some research, and one article estimated that 37,000 people had died from AIDS-related illnesses or complications, while the Center for Disease Control estimated that 45,000-64,000 people were living with AIDS. By 1994, AIDS was the leading cause of death for people aged 25 to 44. This was the world that Susan E. Morgan was living in when she and her girlfriend moved to the West Coast and began collecting these small pieces of memorabilia. Little did she know that over 30 years later, these provocative flyers and advertisements would be meticulously processed and researched to be placed and saved in a community archive.
I began by separating the flyers into categories based on the location and the events. Many of the flyers had dates, but unfortunately, most did not have the years listed on them, making research a bit rough. I found information on many clubs and events, including some retrospectives held around San Francisco highlighting different participants, disc jockeys, and locations. Clubs like Colossus, Flame, and Club Q are remembered fondly and continue to intrigue those of us from later generations. Today, everyone has a phone with a camera and can easily document anything, anywhere, at any time, and we can take that for granted. In the early 1990s, unless someone brought in a camcorder or a film camera, there was no documentation of these events, and we had to rely on people’s memories and a few saved flyers. What were these parties really like, and who attended them? What did people wear, and how did they dance? What was the vibe in these clubs, and what kind of effect did the pandemic have on these venues and the attendees?

Once I had the flyers separated by venue and/or type of event, I did something that may shock you. I asked Bing’s ChatGPT how to process items like club flyers for a community archive. I needed a step-by-step guide to follow and tailor to this situation with these collection materials. ChatGPT created that guide for me, streamlining the process and allowing me to dive into the materials thoroughly. The recommended method was first to gather and collect items, ensuring permission to archive the materials, assess and sort them, and begin to catalog each item, ensuring a consistent format for the metadata. I then described each flyer, the color, the images, any text, and the dimensions. I placed the separated flyers into different folders, which I labeled and placed in acid-free boxes. I cataloged each magazine, documenting the date and the cover content. Along with the flyers, there are several queer publications in the collection, and those included the lesbian magazine Girlfriends and the lesbian pornographic magazine On Our Backs. It was fascinating to flip through these and discover not only what issues were on queer women’s minds in the late 1990s and early 2000s but what was popular and what struggles were still being faced. I was genuinely captivated by the materials Susan had collected and curated for this collection. She included books of poetry and essays that were fascinating. It is sometimes jarring to realize how far we have come since the end of the last millennium, especially regarding identity, respect, acceptance, and tolerance.
Having never worked in an archive before, I navigated a new and complex world. By the end of the semester, I successfully processed each item in the collection, curated social media posts to promote it, and created images of most of the items. This internship was an invaluable opportunity to connect with professionals in the field and immerse me in the unique and fascinating process of community archiving.

Also, I was able to document the AQA’s Public History Mobile Exhibit Launch at the University of Arizona. This event was very well attended and covered by the local news.
Being part of this program and working with such fantastic community leaders was gratifying, but being among the first group of interns feels particularly special. Our community archives are vital in preserving unique histories, cultures, and experiences. Their importance cannot be understated. Their role in preserving marginalized histories and communities is as significant as the empowerment and ownership they give to those communities. They also provide social justice and activism opportunities while helping to shape and care for cultural identities and memories. Community archives are a way to ensure a more comprehensive and equitable historical record for all communities that can promote pride and respect for the community members. The archives are a way we can ensure all voices and experiences, even the most marginalized, are heard and remembered.

Social Media Posts from the Arizona Queer Archives Instagram!

“In 1991, a benefit was planned for Trikone, Asian/Pacifica Sisters & Gay Asian Pacific at The Box, a well-known San Francisco queer club. It was called the Funky World Party and held on June 26, 1991. Although information on the specific event is minimal, Trikone is a non-profit organization for LGBTQ people of South Asian descent, specifically those with roots in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tibet founded 1986 in the Bay Area. This is still an active organization and operates solely with the help of volunteers. According to their website, Trikone is the oldest organization of this kind.
Trikone – Desi LGBTQ Helpline: 1-908-367-3374”

“Popular in the 1980s and early 1990s, Colossus Club was known for being packed and sweaty, with a very strict doorman (who could be bribed according to word on the street.) The clientele was mainly men, primarily shirtless, with a few women interspersed. Colossus was located South of Market at 1015 Folsom and 6th and closed its doors in 1992. The owner of Colossus and another bar called Atlas was Gus Bean, and he is still an active “disco party warlord” who hosts events in Palm Springs. One thing that stands out about the Colossus parties is the advertisements and promotions. (From the collection of Susan E. Morgan, available for viewing at the AQA)

“For 15 years, on the first Friday of every month, over a thousand queer women of all colors, ages, sizes, and backgrounds would flood a large warehouse to dance until the sun rose at Club Q. One partygoer described as “where go-go dancers twisted on platforms above the heaving dance floor. Hundreds of women shimmied beneath the colored lights, and when I pushed through the sweaty crowd, I felt totally insignificant and yet completely seen.” The club founder was none other than legendary D.J. Page Hodel, who is still active in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene. Also known as Mixtress Page Hodel, she promoted and played at hundreds of events, including the famed Bra Party. A bra wasn’t required, but if you were willing to wear only a bra, you could attend the parties for free.
628 Divisadero now houses a music venue and is open as The Independent. Come view these flyers and many more at the Arizona Queer Archive in the Susan E. Morgan Collection.”

“After an exhaustive search, very little information was found about QThink. According to the flyer, Qthink was a queer art collective based in San Fransisco. Queer folk was invited and encouraged to send in snippets about the queer life experience.
‘Queers are misunderstood because we are invisible. The images of us which do exist in the media are little more than outdated grotesque caricatures. Who are queers? What are our lives about? Qthink, a San Fransisco-based queer art collective, has begun collecting paragraphs about queer lives. We want to know your story, your experiences of queer life as it is for you, and we want it in approximately 175 words. Any queer subject will be considered: sex, HIV, racism, family, religion, transgender, lesbian, bi, gay, whatever. WRITE. But please, no rhetoric, political jargon, or secondhand soundbites. We want to know about the people behind the politics. All entries become the sole property of Qthink and cannot be returned. We’ll post chosen submissions in finer business establishments and bus stops in a format similar to this poster. Send all inquiries and submissions to Qthink, P.O Box 190256, San Fransisco, CA 94119-0256. Don’t delay, send yours today.’
If anyone knows any information about Qthink, send us a DM, and let’s chat! If someone has old submissions, we’d love to talk to you about acquiring copies for the Arizona Queer Archives.