Dear Friends,

Under the umbrella of Quad Citians Affirming Diversity (QCAD) the Gay and Gray (GG’s) Group is interested in recording individual recollections of the past.  To paraphrase Keith Johnson “I have to assume that gay wasn’t invented in the 70’s.”  This project involves you.  We would like this document to be as accurate as possible and to describe both the positive and negative events that happened in our individual lives.  In part as a result of this Midwest Gay Culture document we believe it is possible to create short vignettes, a play, and local displays.  Simply we hope to compile this information for use in various multi-media productions.

This is where your help is needed. We need several gay men and lesbians to tell their stories about growing up in the Quad Cities or the Midwest.  Our intent is to first create a written document, and then discover the many facets that may be developed from that document i.e. composite videotape to include individual taped voice and video of the interview process. Because you have been in the Quad Cities many years, we are asking you to think about your memories and remembrances, whatever they may be. We feel this is an important task as many of our generation have passed, and their personal recollections lost forever.

If you wish to be on the list to receive and review our progress, please indicate that by returning an e-mail address or a mail address so we may keep you informed.  We have established a decade by decade format that we hope will jog your memory and feed further information for this document.  Collaboration with your friends will assure that we have a complete and accurate document.  Additionally if you know persons that might take an interest in this project and have their e-mail or current physical street address send those suggestions our way…… please.  Further we realize that many of our generation are still in the work place, have not come out, and wish a bit of confidentiality, we hope to accommodate everyone’s best interest.  Please indicate the level of privacy that you might require.

Thank you for your time and interest in this project.  With your help we can create an interesting and historical document that will portray the lives of gays and lesbians in our part of the Midwest.

Gratefully

Clayton C. Peterson