All ages of LGBTQ+ community come together for anthology

by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

Teens in Action, a youth leadership program through Camp Fire Green Country in Tulsa, Oklahoma has developed a project involving members of the LGBTQ+ community of all ages.

“We are compiling stories from LGBTQ+ elders (above the age of 50) to create an anthology,” said Drew McAuliff, a Teens in Action member. “The anthology is being made to connect people and to share and preserve stories that would otherwise be lost.

“It will be published in hardback and as an e-book available to the public to purchase or check out in local libraries. All profits will be put back into the Teens in Action program.”

McAuliff said one of the things the youth group wanted to do was work with SAGE.

SAGE (Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders) is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older people and was founded in 1978. The SAGE Tulsa chapter is a program of Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq). There are no other chapters located in The Gayly region.

McAuliff got involved with Teens in Action when he and some friends attended a picnic after Tulsa Pride. Once he and his friend, August, met with adult leaders Ben and Amanda, they signed up to join and have been involved since that time. 

Camp Fire Green Country is an inclusive organization serving more than 2,000 youth and families through out-of-school time clubs, youth leadership, and camp and outdoor programs each year.

Teens in Action, one of Camp Fire’s youth leadership programs, provides teens the opportunity to gain valuable experiences, develop pro-social skills, and become engaged citizens through service-learning projects and activities. Across all programs, young people gain the social-emotional and life skills they need to thrive in today’s diverse and changing world.

“We complete community service, receive mentorship from elders and give mentorship to those younger than ourselves,” McAuliff said. “My interest in this project stems from my want to preserve history and amplify LGBTQ+ elders voices. As an LGBTQ+ teen, I also want to know that more people like me existed in history and I’m sure that there are others out there who also want to see themselves represented in an anthology of this nature.

“Although participation in this anthology is voluntary, spreading the word about LGBTQ+ history and culture is an important part of keeping the LGBTQ+ community visible.”

The interview deadline for the anthology is March 1. If interested, you must be at least 50 + years of age, be a member of the LGBTQ+ community and have lived in Oklahoma or it’s bordering states. Pictures are encouraged, but interviewees may remain anonymous if they wish.

For more information, to be an interviewee or pre-order the anthology, email lgbtqanthology2019@gmail.com.