United Lynn Pride is proud to announce it has received a $20,000 grant from the Expand Mass Stories Initiative from Mass Humanities, with funding made possible by the Barr Foundation, for its project Through A Rainbow Lens, A Reflection on Lynn’s LGBTQ+ History. Alongside United Lynn Pride, Mass Humanities announced grants to 42 cultural non-profits for projects that include exhibits, documentary films, oral histories, and public events. Totaling $751,424, the grants will help reimagine the story of Massachusetts.

Through a Rainbow Lens is a project being facilitated by United Lynn Pride in collaboration with Professor Andrew Darien, PhD. of Salem State University’s History Department, the Lynn Historical Society/Lynn Museum, & The History Project based out of Boston,MA.

The project, currently in its early stages, is researching the City of Lynn’s LGBTQ+ history through the collection of memorabilia, photographs, oral histories, and other items from longtime LGBTQ+ residents of Lynn and individuals who had significant impact on Lynn’s LGBTQ+ culture. As the project continues, United Lynn Pride will showcase the work on its website and plans to host a series of community forums about the project in 2024. Once the project is completed, United Lynn Pride is planning to have the results of the projects preserved for future generations.

Through a Rainbow Lens will benefit the LGBTQ+ community of Lynn, and the Lynn community overall by highlighting the undermentioned stories that contribute to Lynn’s history overall and its reputation as a diverse city thriving with culture.

Through a Rainbow Lens is a great step forward in part of United Lynn Pride’s overall mission of uniting and empowering the LGBTQ+ community through the use of education.

“I think this grant is a great opportunity for United Lynn Pride in advancing its mission of supporting the LGBTQ+ community in Lynn by sharing this history. We’re hoping to collect stories from long-lived members of the community, people with diverse backgrounds that reflect the community of Lynn, folks who feel that they have interesting and important experiences that relate to the project that they’d like to share.”

United Lynn Pride Executive Director, Cristian Recinos

Project Director Jim Moser says “We want to give young people a window on our history and to preserve our history for future generations. For many years Lynn’s six LGBTQ+ bars provided a safe place where people around the North Shore could be themselves and be part of a community and that story needs to be told.”

If you’re interested in this project and would like to contribute via an interview, sharing photos, documents, other items, or if you would like more information, please visit our website or send us an email using the information below.

https://www.unitedlynnpride.com/through-a-rainbow-lens

ThroughARainbowLens@unitedlynnpride.com

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About United Lynn Pride

www.unitedlynnpride.com/

The mission of United Lynn Pride is to unite, engage, and empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) community in the city of Lynn, MA through community events, education, outreach, and other various forms of support.

About The History Project

https://historyproject.org/about

The History Project is Boston’s LGBTQ+ community archives. The History Project is focused exclusively on documenting and preserving the history of New England’s LGBTQ communities and sharing that history with LGBTQ individuals, organizations, allies, and the public. The History Project is a community archives – a repository, historical society, and museum for the LGBTQ+ community’s history. THP is an independent non-profit organization founded in 1980 that holds LGBTQ+ historical records and ephemera, supports LGBTQ+ history research, and shares LGBTQ+ history through public exhibits and events.

About The Lynn Museum

www.lynnmuseum.org

In the heart of Lynn’s Arts & Cultural District, the Lynn Museum was founded in 1897 to collect, preserve and illuminate the city’s remarkable history. The museum has evolved into a vibrant cultural center, expanding its footprint to include the LynnArts building at 25 Exchange Street. The Lynn Museum/LynnArts offers changing exhibitions and innovative youth and adults programs, which engage and enrich Lynn’s diverse community. The Lynn Museum encourages active participation in exploring the city’s past while shaping a vision for its future.

About Salem State University

https://www.salemstate.edu/

Known as the Commonwealth’s civic engagement university, Salem State University, established in 1854, is a comprehensive, public institution of higher learning located approximately 15 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. One of the largest state universities in the Commonwealth, Salem State enrolls about 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students. It offers 32 undergraduate programs and graduate programs that offer degrees in 24 fields. The university also has a continuing education division that offers both credit and non-credit programs. Salem State proudly participates in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement and has shown a student voting rate above the national average, earning it a Silver Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. In 2020, Salem State received Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. The university is designated a Best for Vets College by Military Times.

About Mass Humanities

www.masshumanities.org

Mass Humanities, a non-profit foundation based in Northampton, creates opportunities for the people of Massachusetts to transform their lives and build a more equitable commonwealth through the humanities.Since its founding in 1974, the organization has provided millions of dollars in support of thousands of humanities projects across the Commonwealth. Established as the state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Mass Humanities is an independent programming and grant-making organization that receives support from the NEH and the Massachusetts Cultural Council as well as private sources.

About the Barr Foundation

https://www.barrfoundation.org/

Based in Boston, the Barr Foundation focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts and creative expression, to advance solutions for climate change, and to connect all students to success in high school and beyond. Founded in 1997, Barr now has assets of $1.7 billion, and has contributed more than $838 million to charitable causes.

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The above press release was submitted to us by United Lynn Pride.