Hannah Lawson

She/Her Born 1998

I am a queer maker (now) dreaming out of Brooklyn, NY. I spent most of my childhood moving around -- beginning in England and ending in Texas. Learning to navigate different places and cultures, made me curious (somewhat by necessity) about what spaces people are able to occupy and why, as well as the meaning specific sites can hold for marginalized peoples. My desire to facilitate spaces where stories can stay and lessons can leave has only been reinforced by taking part in this project.

I was eager to join this project as it was the only opportunity I had to have a sustained interaction with elders with such a vast set of life experiences. After hearing the description of the project, it felt important and rare to be able to build the trust required to learn about the experience of figuring out your identity as an LGBTQ+ person throughout different decades. As someone also creating a home in a new city, Chicago, I felt there was no better way to learn about the spirit of the place than to learn about spaces of care and resistance that people held dear.