Out of the Margins: Voices from 1279

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  Paul Heaton, Oral History Interview, 2021

  On December 15, 2021, Jones talked with former EMU Director of University Publications and Student Media, and YCFE co-chair, Paul Heaton. Heaton arrived in Ypsilanti to work in media and communications at EMU, and remained somewhat on the outside of Ypsi civic life until the Tri-Pride incident in 1997. He became involved with the ordinance efforts early on, attending the first Citizens for Community meetings, and later became a co-chair of YCFE. Heaton worked in tandem with his community members and co-chair Beth Bashert to ensure the campaign would be successful. He was highly regarded for his expertise with communications and messaging, and is still credited with keeping the mission on task. Heaton had to manage the messages and ideas coming from his fellow organizers while also making sure the campaign's focus remained clear and cohesive. Throughout this interview he recalls the reasoning behind YCFE and how its mission worked, along with the ins and outs of working with conflicting opinions, and how he became involved with the campaigns in the first place!
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  Kathy Palmer, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On February 27, 2022, Jones met with EMU alum and former chair-person of Tri-Pride, Kathy Palmer. Palmer found herself at EMU after learning more about the Master's in Social Work program and comparing it to others she was considering. She took up a graduate assistantship from Kathleen Russell, and was eventually picked to serve as a Tri-Pride co-chair. Palmer was only directly involved with the ordinance effort for a short time, as the Tri-Pride complaint was filed in February, and she graduated in April. Despite this, she kept close ties to the community and stayed updated throughout it all, and her "outsider" perspective gave her a new awareness of the campaigns' impact. In this interview, Palmer describes that new awareness and appreciation and shares more of the values and beliefs behind Tri-Pride and its members.
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  Bonnie Dawn Clark, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 17, 2022, Jones sat down with Citizens for Community member and activist, Bonnie Dawn Clark. Before she moved to Ypsilanti in the mid-1990s, Bonnie was living in the South, always close to where she had been born and raised in North Carolina. With a passion for social justice and activism, she took part in movements advocating for equality for women and LGBTQ people, and even participated in environmental protests. It was only natural for her to become involved with Citizens for Community once the group heard about the incident with EMU group, Tri-Pride. As the city council took on the complaint and pushed it to the Human Relations Commissions hearings, she realized she could use her religious upbringing and knowledge of the Bible to dispel some of the opposing arguments. After the campaign ended, she returned to North Carolina where she has since started a non-profit organization for homeless LGBTQ youth. During this interview, she shares her experiences with being LGBTQ and a woman in the military, and reflects on the importance of an ordinance like 1279.
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  Jan Wright, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 18, 2022, Jones talked to community organizer and American Friends Service Committee staff member, Jan Wright. After she became a Quaker in graduate school, Wright spent some time living with fellow Quakers in Ann Arbor, and volunteering for the American Friends Service Committee. She eventually became the local AFSC's LGBT Issues Program Director. Wright and her AFSC colleagues hosted community workshops where people could learn to hold non-hostile communication with LGBT/opposing groups. As both ordinance campaigns utilized the workshops, Wright became more entwined in the cause, and found it necessary to support it. Her work with other community members, activists, and organizers left her with meaningful connections, which she reflects on in this interview. Wright also covers the importance of including the Black community in the ordinance, and working closely with religious groups to increase visibility and support through it all.
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  Myrna Yeakle and Joan Sheard, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 27, 2022, Jones met with former members of Citizens for Community and Ypsilanti Campaign for Equality, and former EMU faculty, Myrna Yeakle and Joan Sheard. Yeakle and Sheard were both professors in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and had met while working together. During their careers at EMU, they became trusted members of the community amongst their fellow LGBT colleagues, including Kathleen Russell. Yeakle and Sheard hit the ground running once they found out about the Tri-Pride incident, and met with neighbors and community organizers to push for an ordinance. Because of their experiences with hate and discrimination, and their status as an established "out" couple, they felt they had a responsibility to support the efforts to make the Ypsi community a more welcoming and safe space. Like other participants in this project, Yeakle and Sheard became important figures during the campaigns, working as Outreach officers within YCFE. In this interview, they shared their experiences as LGBT faculty on EMU's campus and how that translated to the Ypsi community, how important it was for the ordinance to be passed, and the broader implications of it all.
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  Eric Monat, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 25, 2022, Jones talked to EMU alum and former student secretary of Tri-Pride, Eric Monat. Monat, one of the group's founders, worked on promoting and programming events like Visibility Week, and eventually spoke at the Queer Student Leadership Summit. During the ordinance campaigns, he attended human relations commission hearings, and like his fellow students, kept Tri-Pride visible throughout. Monat recalls the camaraderie and support among the students and how they kept each other safe and sane in the midst of hatred. Throughout this interview, he talks through the trauma of the hearings, some of the ins-and-outs of Tri-Pride, and how he saw the campus evolve after all was said and done.
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  Dawn Richberg, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 20th, 2022, Jones met with activist, creative, and mother, Dawn Richberg. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Richberg moved all across the country with her family before making her way to Ann Arbor in the 1980s. While attending graduate school at University of Michigan, she got involved with the American Friends Service Committee's LGBT Issues Program, which led to her participation in the ordinance campaigns. Richberg's experiences as a Black lesbian meant she brought an important perspective to the campaigns that was needed to help bridge the gap between Black communities and queer communities in Ypsi. In this interview, she shares those personal experiences, her work with the AFSC, and her passion for social justice. Richberg also reflects on the process of making change in the community.
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  Donna Regan-Southwick, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On March 8, 2022, Jones interviewed EMU alum, former Tri-Pride co-chair, and outspoken supporter of the ordinance, Donna Regan-Southwick. Before she made her way to Eastern, Southwick was a mother and activist working with Noel Keane in the early days of surrogacy. She enrolled at EMU as a non-traditional student, earning both her bachelors and masters degrees here. During her time in the MSW program, Southwick joined her classmates in the formation of Tri-Pride, where she acted as co-chair. After the group was denied service, she became an outspoken proponent of the ordinance and helped further bridge the gap between student and community campaign perspectives. Southwick had to balance activism and academics, all while raising a son, who witnessed the fight alongside her. In this interview, she sheds light on finding that balance, understanding grief, and finding the strength to stand up for what's right.
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  Lisa Zuber, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 3, 2022, Jones talked to community organizer, activist, and member of Ypsilanti Campaign for Equality, Lisa Zuber. Zuber had close ties to the ordinance early on thanks to her work with PFLAG in Ann Arbor, which granted her the opportunity to speak at the very first council meeting. She became an important figure in the ordinance campaigns from there, eventually taking on the role of volunteer coordinator in YCFE. Zuber worked tirelessly alongside her fellow community members and organizers, and ensured that all the canvassing and cold-calling ran smoothly. During the course of the campaigns, she formed a relationship with former city council-member John Gawlas, and they married on the anniversary of the ordinance's defense. In this interview, Zuber describes the level of coordination and work it took to successfully organize volunteers for the campaigns, the highs and lows of the movement, and how she's seen Ypsi change since then.
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  Donna Benke, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On June 6th, 2022, Jones sat down with EMU alum and former Tri-Pride member, Donna Benke. Benke found her way to Eastern in the 1990s, looking to obtain degrees in social work. Noticing the absence of a student org dedicated to LGBTQ students in the Masters in Social Work program, she joined her fellow students in founding Tri-Pride. Later, after the group was denied service by the print shop in 1997 and the incident made its way to the city council, Benke became one of the first students to speak up at the Human Relations Commission Hearings. She continued to be an active presence in Tri-Pride throughout the ordinance campaigns and up until her graduation from EMU in 1998. In this interview, she recounts how her academic and personal backgrounds impacted the way she navigated the campaigns, how the Tri-Pride students supported each other, and the lessons she took with her afterwards.
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  Cheryl Farmer, Oral History Interview, 2021

  On December 23, 2021, Jones sat down with former Ypsilanti mayor, Dr. Cheryl Farmer. After moving to Ypsi to complete her residency and learning about the disconnect between city councils and residents, Farmer joined efforts to rewrite the city's charter. In 1995, she became Ypsi's mayor, and until her leave in 2006 she pushed for changes in Ypsi's infrastructure, and fostered a greater sense of trust between Ypsi residents and the government. One of the most memorable and noteworthy acts of her mayor-ship is the creation and passage of Ordinance 1279-deeply entwined in the process, she drafted the committee and eventually signed 1279 into law. During this interview, Farmer sheds light on the ways her upbringing impacted her values as mayor, the workings of local government in contentious times, and all the ways change can happen when communities come together.
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  John Barr Sr., Oral History Interview, 2022

  On February 15, 2022, Jones talked with Ypsilanti City Attorney, John Barr. Barr, who still serves as City Attorney, was involved with the ordinance efforts from its early stages. With his background and position in the city, he was one of the experts chosen to help draft a nondiscrimination ordinance, which was defended in 1998 and then in 2002. Barr worked closely with city council members on the draft, deciding on what language to use, what sorts of constraints, and even what sorts of repercussions would be part of the ordinance. His knowledge of what successful ordinances looked like helped ensure that this one would succeed too. In this interview, Barr goes over the process of drafting an ordinance like this, how city councils function and change over time, and puts the whole effort in a greater context.
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  John Gawlas, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On February 3, 2022, Jones talked to former Ypsilanti city council-member and participant in the ordinance efforts, John Gawlas. Since he was a council-member at the time that Tri-Pride's complaint was filed, Gawlas became quickly familiar with the campaigns. His position with the city put him in a place where he worked alongside fellow council-members, as well as the activists pushing for the ordinance. After the Human Relations Commission became involved, Gawlas was appointed as a member of the sub-committee tasked with drafting the ordinance proposal. During the initial passage and subsequent defense, he formed a close relationship with Lisa Zuber, former co-chair of Ypsi Campaign for Equality and another participant in this project. The couple eventually got engaged, and held their wedding on the anniversary of the ordinance's successful defense! In this interview, Gawlas recalls his fellow city council-members, the ordinance process, and how he's seen his own neighborhood here change since then.
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  Beth Bashert, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 29th, 2022, Jones talked to community organizer, activist, and former Ypsilanti mayor Beth Bashert about her involvement with the passage of the ordinance. Member of Citizens for Community and co-chair of the Ypsi Campaign for Equality, Bashert was a fierce leader, working with other community members to keep the movement going strong. From mediating meetings, to contacting human rights groups across the country, to trying to stay afloat amidst it all, she worked tirelessly for the campaigns. She also recognized the importance of distinguishing between political campaigns and "hearts and minds" campaigns: To not to try to change opposing minds, but to get allies to vote in favor of the ordinance. Bashert and her co-chair Paul Heaton worked in tandem to keep the campaign's message clear, and to make sure everyone understood where it came from and where it was going. In this interview, she talks about what made the campaign work, the internal and external support they received, and how she's seen Ypsi change since 1279 was passed.
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  Lisa Marshall Bashert, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On February 23 and March 2 of 2022, Jones talked with long time Ypsilantian, community organizer and activist, and member of Campaign for Equality and Citizens for Community, Lisa Marshall Bashert. When she moved to the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas, Bashert found herself laying activist roots and finding acceptance despite her conservative religious upbringing. She volunteered with LGMPO, where she became close friends with Ayron Smith-Douglas, and got to know Jim Toy. Bashert participated in things like Take Back the Night marches at U of M, and the Washtenaw Rainbow Action Project. When the ordinance campaigns kicked off, she and her wife, Beth Bashert, became involved right from the start after experiencing discrimination in Ypsilanti themselves. From there, Bashert dedicated her time to supporting her community, forming close relationships with other members of C4C and YCFE, and organizing some of the earliest LGBTQ events in Ypsi. She became deeply entangled within the efforts, and recalls just how difficult it was to process things like the city council hearings and homophobia. In this interview, Bashert shares some of the ways that campaign members would try to process those feelings and how they supported each other. She also dives into some of the culture and community building programs she helped organize during the ordinance efforts, how her social world was shifting and changing, and how she's seen Ypsi's sense of community evolve.
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  Brandt Waldenmyer, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 27, 2022, Jones talked to third-generation Ypsilantian and member of both Campaign for Equality and Citizens for Community, Brandt Waldenmyer. In this interview, Waldenmyer talks about growing up in Ypsilanti and the deep familiarity he had with the city's cultural atmosphere. LGBTQ visibility in Ypsi was limited until the ordinance effort kicked up and brought more light to the community. Waldenmyer was involved with both of the campaigns from day one: He attended every meeting he could, canvassed and stuffed envelopes, and handled many of the administrative tasks. He recalls being able to use his established Ypsi connections to help the campaign's message carry some more weight, and the massive effort it took many people to come out publicly. Waldenmyer's participation in not only the 1997 and 1998 campaigns, but also the second defense in 2002 means that he has been able to provide a comprehensive timeline of 1279's impact on the community.
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  Ray Mullins, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 12, 2022, Jones talked with attorney, community leader, organizer, and former president of the Willow Run NAACP, Ray Mullins. Under Mullins' leadership, the Willow Run chapter of the NAACP increased its membership, established and developed community youth programs, and won several awards for programming excellence. During the ordinance campaigns, Mullins stood with the organizers in Citizens for Community and Ypsilanti Campaign for Equality, giving them a much-needed and most-important endorsement. Despite receiving backlash from some community members, he remained firm in his alignment, and stayed true to his belief that discrimination is wrong in all its forms. Mullins continued to provide safe spaces and opportunities for Ypsi's youth, and worked closely with churches to maintain strong community relationships throughout the ordinance campaigns and beyond. In this interview, he talks about his upbringing and connections to the Civil Rights Movement, the importance of community care and protection, and of nurturing under-represented youth. Mullins continued to be a beloved cornerstone of the community, representing compassion and integrity until he passed in 2023.
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  Charles Duty, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On March 21, 2022, Jones talked to outspoken activist, community organizer, and participant in the ordinance campaigns, Charles Duty. Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Duty found himself in Ypsilanti in the 1980s, when life was becoming more and more expensive in his hometown. At an early age he was taught what discrimination is, and why it is wrong, and he continued to carry those lessons into adulthood. In Ypsi, Duty became familiar with local organizations and city officials, working with them to change the quality of life for everyone. After hearing about the print shop incident, he took the initiative to become an outspoken and highly-visible advocate for the ordinance campaigns, learning how to keep marching and living authentically. In this interview, Duty shares some of the finer details of LGBTQ life in Ypsi before and after the ordinance, expands on his connections to political figures and groups, his passion for justice, and reiterates the importance of standing up for oneself and others.
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  Gary Clark, Oral History Interview, 2021

  On December 13, 2021, Jones met with long time Ypsilantian, figure-skating coach, and community activist, Gary Clark. Clark became involved with the ordinance efforts very early on, when his partner encountered protestors in Depot Town after Tri-Pride was denied service. From there, they called up their friends, neighbors, and fellow community members and held what would become the first Citizens for Community (C4C) meeting. C4C became the group that took on the fight for the first campaign and initial ordinance passage. With Clark's leadership, community ties, and strong sense-of-self, the campaign was able to effectively advocate for an ordinance and bring more visibility to the LGBT community in Ypsi. He understood the importance of bringing in other communities to support the effort, and even visited the very same churches who strongly opposed the campaigns. In this interview, Clark shares a more in-depth look at C4C's work, the initial drafting of the ordinance, and the shift towards Ypsi Campaign for Equality for the defense.
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  Terrence McDonald, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On June 9, 2022, Jones met with longtime University of Michigan faculty member, Director of the Bentley Historical Library, and former Ypsilanti mayor pro-tem, Terrence McDonald. McDonald began his career in Ypsilanti politics by volunteering for Pete Murdock, during which his wife worked on the city council. After McDonald's wife convinced him to run for council in the next election he launched a campaign, and was eventually appointed in 1994. He got to know a lot about civic life in Ypsi, and recalls how Depot Town businesses and community members interacted before the ordinance efforts kicked off. Of course during his career in office, McDonald became involved in the efforts and collaborated with, managed, and listened to different communities in the city so that everything might go more smoothly. In this interview he gives in-depth detail at how a new city charter impacted the way council functioned and how that played into the passage of 1279, and how much goes in to working with council-members and their constituents efficiently.
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  Brian Baum, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On February 10, 2022, Jones sat down with member of Citizens for Community and Campaign for Equality, Brian Baum. Hailing from Livonia MI, Baum spent time in Ann Arbor for school before he came over to Ypsilanti to live with his partner, Holly Ferrise. Only a short while after his move, the print shop incident occurred in 1997, prompting the ordinance campaigns. After finding out more about the campaign during the Human Relations Commission hearings, Baum and Ferrise decided they needed to show up to see where they could help. New to activism and social justice movements, Baum worked with C4C and YCFE to handle administrative tasks and help keep the group on task. In addition to giving time to Ypsi's campaigns, he also worked with the GLSEN Conference in Ann Arbor, all while planning a wedding! During this interview, Baum narrates some of the daily goings-on of the campaigns, explores what his role in all this meant, and shares the messages he took with him afterwards.
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  Ayron Smith-Douglas, Letter to Citizens for Community, 2023

  On July 28th, 1998, after the long battle for the non-discrimination ordinance had found its end, Ayron Smith-Douglas sent out a letter she had written to her activist colleagues. She expresses that despite the "win," she still feels sadness. Smith-Douglas shares her fears that COST could still win, that homophobia and hate could still undo all the work they had done. She talks about the burn-out and fatigue that comes along with a movement like this one, while emphasizing the need to continue to be visible. At the end of her letter, Smith-Douglas shares the conclusions she came to after her reflection on the ordinance campaign, and hopes her words bring comfort to her friends.
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  Ayron Smith-Douglas, Oral History Interview, 2022

  On January 26th, 2022, Jones talked to long time Ypsilantian and community activist, Ayron Smith-Douglas, about her involvement with the passage of the ordinance. Smith-Douglas spent much of the 1960s and 1970s living in Chicago and Detroit, two cities that became central hubs for social justice activism and change. During this time she was able to gain experience as an activist, which she carried with her when she settled in Ypsilanti in 1987. Those experiences continued to be useful as she joined the ordinance movement in 1997, just two years after the loss of her partner, Billie. Smith-Douglas played an important role, working closely with the American Friends Service Committee to bring some de-escalation techniques into the campaign, and providing emotional support to her fellow activists and friends. In 1998 after the successful defense and passage of the ordinance, she wrote a letter to the community in which she reflected on the long battle, sharing her fears and hopes for the future. Smith-Douglas also speaks on the potential for burnout and fatigue and the importance of moving forward and healing.