"What Does It Mean To Be Latina And Lesbian?"

Founded in 1995, Amigas Latinas was a volunteer-run organization that specifically served the LBTQ Latina community through monthly discussion groups, support groups, workshops, educational training, public programs, and events.

Amigas Latinas was founded by Evette Cardona and Mona Noriega. The group began as a small discussion group and grew to a large volunteer-led organization with monthly pláticas (discussion groups) at members’ homes, salsa nights, workshops, and a variety of other groups to address the needs of Chicago’s LBTQ Latina community. Workshops included assistance for women with children, coming out to family members, navigating the legal system, and education.

This episode includes a long-form interview with founders Mona Noriega and Evette Cardona as well as the voices of other members of this incredible community group.

Unboxing Queer History is created by Ari Mejia, Jen Dentel, and Erin Bell. Produced by Ari Mejia with Hannah Viti. Artwork by Mere Montgomery & theme music by Danny Robles! And special thanks to Jules Gordon for co-producing the episode on People Like Us books and Alyssa Edes for producing the episode on Lorrainne Sade Baskerville! Special thanks to RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Library System) for the "My Library Is... " grant that funded this project

“Finding our history is going to be a tool for our liberation”

On January 30th, 1981, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives opened its doors to the public. It was the first LGBTQ library in the Midwestern United States, brought to life through the efforts of the Chicago Gay and Lesbian History Project and Gay Horizons. The starting collection was entirely donated and managed mostly by volunteers. Volunteers are still “the backbone of Gerber/Hart”, doing everything from processing the archive and assisting patrons to curating exhibits and hosting events.

In addition to being a circulating library and an archives, Gerber/Hart hosts a variety of in-person and virtual events, from book talks, exhibit openings, and panels to a very popular used booksale.

In this episode, librarian and archivist Erin Bell discusses the early history of Gerber/Hart. Historian and author John D’Emilio describes queer history in the 1970s, bisexual and trans activism, and how individual donations were (and still are) crucial to the development of community archives and queer history.

Unboxing Queer History is created by Ari Mejia, Jen Dentel, and Erin Bell. Produced by Ari Mejia with Hannah Viti. Artwork by Mere Montgomery & theme music by Danny Robles! And special thanks to Jules Gordon for co-producing the episode on People Like Us books and Alyssa Edes for producing the episode on Lorrainne Sade Baskerville! Special thanks to RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Library System) for the "My Library Is... " grant that funded this project

In 2014, Gerber/Hart received a collection of photo albums that belonged to a performer named Miss Tillie “The Dirty Old Lady of Chicago.” The collection is incredibly rich, with over a thousand images of Miss Tillie performing throughout the 1940s-1990s as well as a VHS tape with a short documentary created by Daniel Lee that aired in 2002 at the Reeling Film Festival.

Much of Miss Tillie’s life is shrouded in mystery. We know that she moved to Chicago in 1961 from Dayton, Ohio. Tillie’s first show was at The Front Page, where she “screamed above a Sophie Tucker record.” Performer Roby Landers added “The Dirty Old Lady” to Tillie’s name, and from then on, she became known as Tillie “The Dirty Old Lady of Chicago.” Tillie performed all over Chicago in the 1960s and 1970s. She was one of the early performers at The Chesterfield and was arrested in several bar raids that occurred there in the early 1960s. She also frequently performed at House of Landers and later worked with Chuck Renslow to start a drag show at Sparrow’s. Tillie passed away in 2005.

Listen in to learn more about Miss Tillie and her collection. Episode features interviews with grassroots historian Owen Keehnen, Gerber/Hart volunteer and staff member Jen Dentel, and former Gerber/Hart board president Carrie Barnett.

Want to learn more? Visit gerberhart.org!

Teaser trailer for Unboxing Queer History. Episode One - The Dirty Old Lady: Chicago Drag History and the Mystery of Miss Tillie is released February 1st, 2022.

Unboxing Queer History is a podcast from Gerber/Hart Library and Archives.

Unboxing Queer History is created by Ari Mejia, Jen Dentel, and Erin Bell. Produced by Ari Mejia with Hannah Viti. Artwork by Mere Montgomery & theme music by Danny Robles! And special thanks to Jules Gordon for co-producing the episode on People Like Us books and Alyssa Edes for producing the episode on Lorrainne Sade Baskerville!

Special thanks to RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Library System) for the "My Library Is... " grant that funded this project!