LYNN — “Finding Refuge, Demanding Equality: A Century of LGBTQ+ Lynn,” a documentary film that spans over a century of city history, explores the joys, successes, challenges, and hardships experienced by Lynn’s gay, lesbian, transgender, and queer community in their ongoing fight for equality. It illustrates their journey from secrecy and danger to freely celebrating pride and electing openly LGBTQ+ officials.
Featuring stories from Lynn’s gay bars and extensive interviews with community members, it pays tribute to prominent local figures in the arts, sports, politics and labor, delving into social, political, and youth alliances, political achievements, and the deep connections formed in Lynn’s iconic gay bars. The film also explores the struggles faced, including violence, discrimination, disease and death, while sharing stories of arson, assaults, a hostage situation, and the eventual decline of the bars. Watch and take pride in over a century of remarkable progress for Lynn’s resilient LGBTQ+ community.
The film premieres Sunday, June 8, with shows at 2 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. at the Neal Rantoul Vault Theater at 25 Exchange St. Young adults, and everyone else, are invited to a special showing Monday, June 9, at 4 p.m. at RAW Arts. The film runs 47 minutes.
Independently produced by Jim Moser, the film is based on the project, “Through a Rainbow Lens, A Reflection on Lynn’s LGBTQ+ History.” United Lynn Pride produced that project in collaboration with Salem State University, the Lynn Museum & Arts Center, and The History Project, an LGBTQ+ archive in Boston, MA. United Lynn Pride received a $20,000 grant from the “Expand Mass Stories” initiative of Mass Humanities.
Because the 2:00 showing is sold out, a second show was added at 4:15. Show details, free tickets and a one minute trailer are available at UnitedLynnPride.com/documentary.
The screenings are sponsored by United Lynn Pride and kick off pride month in Lynn. Details of pride month activities may be found at unitedlynnpride.com.
“It was powerful for me, especially as a lifelong Lynner. These are the hidden stories of resilience, power, and joy that are not shared as openly growing up, but are just as important as any history lesson taught in our City.” – Faustina Cuevas
“What an incredible tribute to the history of the LGBTQ+ community in Lynn and all the work that has been done and is left to be done!” – Alison Miller
“A fantastic audio-visual time capsule of Lynn’s queer history. An important documentary to help remind everyone of the struggles this community has always faced, how we always overcome and rise.” – Riley
“For those of us who fall under the LGBTQIA umbrella, this is a history we need to know, and for everyone else, it’s just as important.” – Tiffany Magnolia
“I am so proud for future generations to enjoy and learn about the LGBTQ history of Lynn.” – Coco Alinsug
“The film was very inspiring, and shared so much history that I wasn’t aware of. I love how it shared stories of people from Lynn who were a part of different communities, and showed them past and present.” – Alex Hanson
About United Lynn Pride
unitedlynnpride.com/
The mission of United Lynn Pride is to unite, engage, and empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) community in the city of Lynn, MA through community events, education, outreach, and other various forms of support.
About Salem State University
Known as the Commonwealth’s civic engagement university, Salem State University, established in 1854, is a comprehensive, public institution of higher learning located approximately 15 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. One of the largest state universities in the Commonwealth, Salem State enrolls about 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students. It offers 32 undergraduate programs and graduate programs that offer degrees in 24 fields. The university also has a continuing education division that offers both credit and non-credit programs. Salem State proudly participates in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement and has shown a student voting rate above the national average, earning it a Silver Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. In 2020, Salem State received Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. The university is designated a Best for Vets College by Military Times.
About Mass Humanities
Mass Humanities, a non-profit foundation based in Northampton, creates opportunities for the people of Massachusetts to transform their lives and build a more equitable commonwealth through the humanities. Since its founding in 1974, the organization has provided millions of dollars in support
of thousands of humanities projects across the Commonwealth. Established as the state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Mass Humanities is an independent programming and grant-making organization that receives support from the NEH and the Massachusetts Cultural Council as well as private sources.
