New Community Group Forming to Preserve Greater Lansing LGBTQ+ History

LANSING, Mich. — An enthusiastic group of volunteers is issuing a call to be a part of Greater Lansing's queer history.

Organizers say the effort grew out of conversations about the importance of preserving LGBTQ+ stories in both urban and rural communities at a time when many fear those histories are being overlooked, erased or silenced.

A new community-led effort is taking shape in Greater Lansing with the goal of documenting, preserving and sharing local LGBTQ+ history through a collaborative quarterly zine project.

The newly formed group meets on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. at Everybody Reads, 2019 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing, 48912. Organizers say the project is open to anyone interested in helping tell the stories of LGBTQ+ people, spaces, movements, events and experiences connected to the Greater Lansing area.

Organizer Frank Vaca said the project began after he approached the Salus Center looking for ways to become more involved in the community and was encouraged to connect with Everybody Reads. What started as a conversation about building community quickly evolved into a broader effort to document and preserve local LGBTQ+ history.

The group is currently seeking volunteers with a wide range of skills and interests, including writers, editors, artists, interviewers, photographers, designers, archivists and local historians. Organizers encourage community members with personal stories, historical materials or knowledge of Lansing's LGBTQ+ past to get involved.

The project aims to create an accessible, community-driven publication that highlights both well-known and overlooked pieces of local LGBTQ+ history. Future editions may include oral histories, essays, artwork, photography, archival research and reflections on community spaces and activism throughout the region.

Organizers say no prior publishing or professional experience is required to participate. The group hopes to create a welcoming environment where people can collaborate, learn from one another and help preserve stories that are often missing from traditional historical records.

Meetings are free and open to the public.

Community members interested in volunteering or learning more may attend an upcoming meeting or email [email protected] with the subject line "LGBTQ Zine."