LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project artists present their second annual exhibition

The LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project held an opening reception for its second annual exhibition, "Queer the Path: LGBTQ+ Art for and by Us," April 26 at Center on Addison, 806 W. Addison St., in Chicago's Lake View neighborhood.

This year's exhibition featured eight works of art from twenty-four participants, 12 youth and 12 elders— "Hot Wires: Building a Wearable History," "Constructing Queer Existence Our Way" "queer dollhouse, "what we want," "Saree not Sorry," "Untitled," "Ushpizin," "A Ride Along Rainbow Road" and "The Threads We Carry" paper quilt.

Since its founding five years ago, over 130 racially-, socioeconomically- and gender-diverse elders and youth have participated in the project. To date, over 125 bi-weekly themed dialogues have taken place. The goal for both the dialogues and collaborative artwork projects has been focused on fostering long-term, meaningful interactions among the participants.

LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project Co-Founder, Faculty Facilitator and School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) Visual & Critical Studies Associate Professor Karen Morris welcomed the packed house to the event. Then LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project Exhibition Curator and SAIC undergrad student Katia Ellise Klemm also spoke about her journey as both participant and curator.

Among the event speakers were LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project elder participant in two consecutive cohorts Lonnie Love, who performed a spoken word piece, "The Courage to Transition Against All Odds," about his journey toward "authentic happiness" as an intersex trans man.

Additionally, this year's LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project elder participants Kathy Munzer, Georgia L., Robert Castillo and Pat McCombs and youth participants Star, Casey Wheeler, Emma Varano and Gal. 3 told stories about moments that touched on their queer/trans identities.

Munzer's story focused on her time creating and running the Mountain Moving Coffeehouse, a social alternative to the bars, and specifically the time when their rental lease was threatened with revocation and a lesbian lawyer named Mary York got that decision reversed.

Georgia L's story was about the "rumor mill" that she faced while in high school and later when she realized she was a lesbian.

McComb spoke about when she and another woman named Harriet Robinson co-created the Black Lesbian Discrimination Investigating Committee after she and other queer women of color were being harassed by the bouncers at the now defunct Augie and CK's, the most popular lesbian bar in Chicago at the time.

Castillo shared the time when he was a 14-year-old and saw a man on the number 77 Belmont bus in the early 1980s with a button on his shirt that said, "I'm gay and I vote." This changed how Castillo saw himself as a gay man from that moment forward, that he was not alone.

The youth participants stories' focused on their coming out journeys which for some are still in progress.

This free exhibition will also be available to view at Center on Addison on May 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

See http://windycitytimes.com/lgbt/LGBTQ-Intergenerational-Dialogue-Project-set-to-hold-its-second-annual-exhibition/76902.html.