BREAKING BARRIERS

Harvesting LGBTQ Stories from the Northern Plains

WELCOME!

You have come to the home of the Red River Rainbow Seniors’ oral history project, “Breaking Barriers: Harvesting LGBTQ Stories from the Northern Plains.” We are sharing our life histories as part of the “pioneer generation” living in Northwestern Minnesota, North Dakota, and the border regions of northern South Dakota and eastern Montana. Historically a hidden minority, our stories narrate how we blazed new paths, broke new ground, wrote new rules and provided new role models.

Here you will find information about how to:

tell your story of growing up LGBTQ in this region;
listen to life histories of the “pioneer generation”;
explore the collection to educate about, and advocate for LGBTQ people;
read about how the project was started and the people dedicated to making it happen;
contact us about questions or requests about the project;
support the our work.

We are delighted that you wish to learn more about the LGBTQ community of the Northern Plains and Northern Woods.

“Well, I appreciate your project…. You’re making known a wide scope of people, very different experiences, and I think this is the stuff that has to come to light. And you’re showing it in a most humane way. I mean, you’re showing us a human individuals that have concerns and that can love and are willing to help. And so, you know, I just want to thank you for all that you’re investing in this project and the others that are helping.”

— Dr. Kent Sack

We invite you to begin your exploration of the

“Breaking Barriers: Harvesting LGBTQ Stories from the Northern Plains”

by watching this short introductory video:

“I was so glad to hear about the Oral History Project and know that the struggles and challenges that the GLBT community in general and my wife and I in particular had faced through the years would not be forgotten. Acceptance and equal justice were remote ideas back in 1975 when Diane and I fell in love.”

“Much has changed in the last 45 years. We never dared dream we would one day have a child or be able to legally wed. The pain of having our baby boy denied baptism in the Methodist church back in 1998 forced us to find our voice and begin to speak out for change. We have never looked back. Onward we continue, telling our story so people will never forget.”

— Valerie Nelson