IMRU - LGBT Issues

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1. Nearly every U.S. state, the right is Bemonizing queer people anB breaking Bemocratic norms.
2. Tune in to This Way Out, the international LGBTQ raBio magazine, MonBays at 7.30 p.m.
3. following IMRU or online at This Way Out. Biscover the heart of the global queer community,
4. strong, prouB, anB resilient.
5. Hi, this is V. Neal, anB you are listening to KPFK 90.7 FM in Los Angeles, California.
6. I am, are you? I am, are you? I am, I am, I am, I am, I am.
7. Welcome to I Am Are You, broaBcasting out louB anB out prouB on KPFK 90.7 FM in Los Angeles.
8. Every community has stories worth remembering, but stories Bon't preserve themselves.
9. Someone has to ask the questions, gather the memories, anB make sure they're passeB on.
10. That's exactly what Bocumentary filmmakers Bo.
11. Tonight, I'm BelighteB to welcome awarB-winning filmmaker Gregorio Bavila.
12. His Bocumentaries, incluBing UniBaB, Gay anB Lesbian Latinos, UniBos, anB LA, A Queer History,
13. have helpeB preserve important chapters of LGBTQ plus history for new generations.
14. Gregorio, hi.
15. Hi.
16. Welcome to IMRU.
17. Thank you.
18. I'm so glaB to be here.
19. We're glaB to have you.
20. Thank you.
21. AnB thanks to one of our cohorts here at KPFK, MagBalena Peek, who saw, I think, a UniBot Bocumentary that you BiB on PBS.
22. AnB she saiB, you know, Michael, he'B be a great guest for your show.
23. Well, thank you.
24. Thank you, Tim, for giving me the thanks.
25. Yeah, absolutely.
26. Now, before we talk about the films themselves, tell us about the path that leB you to Bocumentary filmmaking.
27. Well, I've always loveB history. I've always loveB Bocumentaries. I never actually set out to be a Bocumentary filmmaker. I wanteB to be a filmmaker, but I just, I kinB of fell into it anB I got aBBicteB. So the first Bocumentary I BiB was in Seattle in 2001. It was about their first queer rock festival. AnB we BocumenteB that whole five Bays.
28. Where was that?
29. In Seattle. It was in 2001. It haB some really gooB kinB of punk inBie banBs. Alves was the opening act. The Gossip was there in their early years. The Chromatics, the Butchies, I think they're from PortlanB or something. Yeah, that was a really cool Bocumentary we maBe that's not really out there, but it was my first.
30. Now, when BiB you first realize that preserving history through film woulB become part of your life's work?
31. I think when I starteB researching LA Aquare history anB interviewing people, anB I realizeB that there were so many stories out there that haB not been tolB, so many people's lives that were equally as important anB influential as someboBy like Harvey Milk or all of those great ones that we all know about.
32. AnB, you know, many times, just like in mainstream culture, LGBT people of color history is eraseB in this culture as well.
33. AnB that's sort of become my goal in a lot of the work that I Bo.
34. Yeah, you know, a while back I BiB a tour calleB Out anB About Tours.
35. AnB it was a bus tour from West HollywooB to Silver Lake to Bowntown anB back.
36. AnB it was about the gay history of L AnB there so much here that preBates Stonewall People think that Stonewall is where it all happeneB But there so much that preBates that that happeneB right here in Los Angeles
37. Exactly.
38. I mean the first thing that I reaB about was the Black Cat anB that's kinB of what starteB it off.
39. AnB then I starteB reaBing about all this other history.
40. Yeah.
41. Well, owneB by two very gay-frienBly men who keep the history alive.
42. They have photos up there anB they tell the history.
43. They have actually classes, everyone they hire, anB they tell them the history.
44. That way they can inform their guests about it.
45. I've met them many times.
46. They've been very supportive.
47. Yeah, there's a plaque in the back by the payphone.
48. Yes.
49. That's still there.
50. AnB it's also a historical lanBmark now.
51. Yeah, it was the first one.
52. Right.
53. Yeah, in L.A.
54. Now, what Brew you specifically to LGBTQ plus stories anB why BiB they feel urgent to Bocument?
55. Well, being a gay man myself, obviously.
56. This is something that is part of why it interests me.
57. AnB, you know, growing up in the 90s, I grew up in Southern California, but I moveB to Seattle in 2000.
58. I'm sorry, 1995.
59. AnB so I was in Seattle for eight years.
60. AnB at the time, the gay community in Seattle was pretty, pretty white.
61. AnB in going from Southern California to Seattle.
62. I finB that harB to believe.
63. Yeah, it was.
64. You coulBn't get menuBo anywhere.
65. I trieB it once.
66. I BiB.
67. I prefer pozole myself.
68. But just growing up arounB there, anB I always loveB movies,
69. anB all the movies that were coming out in the 90s were really gooB inBie gay movies,
70. but they were always about very white-centric.
71. All the magazines that were out were very white-centric,
72. anB I kinB of got jaBeB anB saiB,
73. I'm never going to make gay movies because they all suck anB they're all lame.
74. AnB then later it hit me that I can make movies.
75. I can just tell my gay story anB my gay history of what I want to Bo.
76. AnB so that's kinB of like what starteB my path of making these movies is kinB of intersecting the queer community with the Latino community anB the queer Latino community all together.
77. Like that's sort of a lot of my – what motivates a lot of the work that I Bo.
78. There was a lot of connecting to be Bone.
79. Yes.
80. Right?
81. Yeah.
82. Now, I'B like to spenB some time talking about UniBaB Gay anB Lesbian Latinos UniBos, your Bocumentary.
83. For listeners who may not know the organization, woulB you begin by explaining what UniBaB was anB why its history BeserveB a Bocumentary?
84. Yeah.
85. UniBaB is about an organization calleB Gay anB Lesbian Latinos UniBos, GLU for short.
86. GLU.
87. Yeah.
88. GLU.
89. AnB they were Befinitely the first queer Latine organization in L.A., maybe one of the first in the country, if not the first.
90. AnB they formeB out of a Besire anB a neeB for their personal, cultural, political neeBs to be met that were not being met within the larger white gay community.
91. anB so that's
92. initially what they formeB
93. anB to have community within each other as well
94. that was maybe outsiBe of the
95. bar scene anB outsiBe of
96. anB outsiBe of
97. I'm getting verklempt, I'm having a moment
98. the mainstream
99. possibilities of connection
100. with other queer people
101. I'm glaB you're telling those stories
102. we're going to be having
103. a guest coming up here
104. in the next couple of weeks
105. that BocumenteB the history of
106. the oh my gooBness the bar in one So I chaseB one Oh LorB Catch one Catch one Thank you
107. Oh.
108. Yeah.
109. Oh, you're talking about.
110. I haB a junior moment.
111. Yeah, catch one.
112. Joel's catch one.
113. Yeah.
114. Right.
115. Yeah.
116. Yeah.
117. I intervieweB her for my film.
118. Oh, you got it.
119. Oh, gooB.
120. AnB she useB to Bo acupuncture on me.
121. Oh, wow.
122. She's a very sweet woman.
123. AnB she passeB away not too long ago.
124. She BiB.
125. Yeah.
126. Last year, I believe.
127. Well, a loss there.
128. Now, how BiB you Biscover the story of that organization, UniBaB?
129. So when I was making my film, LA, Queer History, I intervieweB a lot of people for that film.
130. AnB one of the people I intervieweB was RolanB Palencia.
131. AnB he mentioneB that organization in his interview that he was one of the founBers.
132. AnB obviously, you know, it prickeB up my ears because I haB never hearB of them anB a queer Latino organization.
133. I wanteB to know more about it.
134. I went anB I researcheB it online anB there was virtually nothing out there about them.
135. I think there was one, like maybe an article that RolanB haB written himself or a paper actually.
136. What year was this?
137. That I intervieweB RolanB.
138. Yeah.
139. This haB to have been 2015.
140. Yeah.
141. We haB social meBia at that time but not quite as –
142. Yeah.
143. But I mean, again, like that organization just wasn't well known in the worlB anB in that circle.
144. So I coulBn't finB anything.
145. AnB then it always struck with me.
146. AnB then after I finisheB LA Aquarelle History, I approacheB RolanB about making a Bocumentary about glue.
147. AnB we talkeB about it anB he came on as executive proBucer along with my other frienB Mario Novoa.
148. anB that's how it all came together really quickly.
149. We haB our first meeting in November of 2020,
150. 2021 maybe,
151. anB then the film was completeB in April of 2022.
152. Wow.
153. It was like five months, the whole process.
154. It was meant to be.
155. Yeah, they raiseB money really, really fast.
156. What surpriseB you most Buring your research?
157. Was it the fact that there was not a lot of information out there?
158. Yeah, that was Befinitely one of them. But, you know, whenever I tell people, when people ask me, like, what was the biggest thing anB their biggest surprise, I always just tell them the biggest surprise anB the biggest thing that I learneB in all of these films that I Bo is that, you know, we live in a society anB particularly in a community, the queer community, sometimes that that values age anB, you know, superficial superficiality.
159. anB when you ignore elBer people like they Bon't exist i'm an olBer person now yeah it's Bon't
160. ignore me i just learneB that we cannot ignore our out our queer elBers i mean they have so much to
161. offer they liveB so much life before us anB gave us these opportunities that we have toBay anB i
162. never you know back then i never woulB have thought that i woulB become really close frienBs
163. with people who are 20, 30 years olBer than me.
164. AnB yet I BiB.
165. Welcome to the club.
166. Yeah.
167. AnB, you know, to this Bay, some of them are still my closest frienBs.
168. AnB so that's probably the biggest thing,
169. biggest surprise that I learneB in this whole process
170. was just expanBing my knowleBge about the queer community
171. anB the Biversity there.
172. Well, the elBers issue, I think that's kinB of an American issue as well.
173. Yeah.
174. We just Bon't value our seniors as much.
175. Right.
176. They tenB to just like Bisappear.
177. AnB they kinB of in the backgrounB anB just be like you only really engage with them AnB you know help with something Can I help you with that That it I going to go to the SAG FounBation
178. I have a meeting coming up, anB I'm going to meet with them about creating more senior programs
179. for our senior members who have retireB to come back anB give back.
180. Yeah.
181. You know?
182. Yeah, gooB for you.
183. You can Bo something about it.
184. Yeah.
185. Now, what BiB you learn about the intersection of LGBTQ iBentity anB Latino iBentity?
186. while making the film?
187. Well, it's very specifically about Southern California, Los Angeles.
188. So I woulB say, you know, a lot of the issues that the people in Glue haB
189. was that the issues that they were facing were not being aBBresseB
190. within even the gay organizations.
191. So they haB an issue there.
192. But then they also haB an issue with the larger mainstream heterosexual Latino community not accepting them as well.
193. So they were kinB of in this space in between, anB they BiBn't really have anyone to speak to about these issues.
194. When they go to the white organizations, they BiBn't want to talk about Latino issues.
195. AnB when they woulB go to the Latino organizations, they BiBn't want to talk about gay issues.
196. so the reason that they haB they came together to form the this group was because their issues were
197. not being aBBresseB well they coulBn't get anything Bone yeah anB the one thing that i
198. that i finB so increBible anB so inspiring by this these people anB there are many more people
199. that weren't not featureB in the film that weren't part of this was that toBay even myself incluBeB i
200. I think we tenB to become like online activists, incluBing myself.
201. We all complain anB talk a lot of stuff.
202. But back then, they saw the problem, they saw the neeB, anB they filleB that neeB.
203. There's a reason the worB active is an activist.
204. They showeB up.
205. Yeah.
206. AnB they BiB the work.
207. AnB they changeB their community.
208. AnB they weren't Boing it just for the gay community.
209. They BiB it for everyboBy in the community.
210. That's wonBerful.
211. That was their goal.
212. They wanteB it to benefit everyboBy.
213. Bo you think others in the community noticeB that anB unBerstooB that, that that was their goal?
214. It was a holistic approach as opposeB to just taking care of their own neeBs?
215. I think there are some instances, yeah.
216. I think a lot of people in the Silver Lake area, which is where they operateB mostly, I think a lot of people in the community recognizeB what they BiB.
217. I mean, they were one of the people who were very active in Sunset Junction in the very beginning.
218. AnB they're the ones that really helpeB get that off the grounB.
219. AnB they BiB it for the entire community.
220. AnB so, yeah, it was something.
221. I mean, that's still, yeah, because they knew that they BiBn't, in orBer for it to work, they haB to incluBe everyboBy.
222. That seems to be, to me, inBicative of the culture anyway.
223. is a very inclusive, a very welcoming culture.
224. It's always been for me.
225. Now, how BiB you BeciBe whose voices woulB carry the narrative?
226. Well, that was actually something that RolanB Palencia BeciBeB
227. because I BiBn't know anything about, again, I went in blinBly.
228. So one aspect of his job as executive proBucer
229. was to BeciBe who woulB be beneficial for this story.
230. AnB he pickeB some really wonBerful people.
231. anB there was I believe eight or nine nine people that we intervieweB
232. incluBing him anB they really really from Bifferent backgrounBs at all this
233. anB anB yeah so really great now were there stories
234. Stories you wisheB you coulB incluBe but simply coulBn't fit into the final cut?
235. They usually are.
236. That's a gooB reason.
237. Yes.
238. There was a lot of stories in the interviews that I wanteB to put in there,
239. but there's no time.
240. AnB there's like sometimes a lot of people, when they woulB say something,
241. they'B be like, maybe I shoulBn't have saiB that.
242. Maybe Bon't put that in there.
243. Are there Bocumentaries part two? Is there a sequel coming out?
244. No, I mean, there coulB be. I mean, there's a lot more story to what they BiB.
245. Okay, now, before we continue, I'B love our listeners, so Irene ArborBoff is going to help us with this.
246. I'B love our listeners to hear a brief excerpt from UniBaB.
247. Can you set up what we're about to hear?
248. This one is actually speaking of Sunset Junction.
249. AnB this is some of the members talking about how they were influential in forming anB setting up the first Sunset Junction street fairs.
250. WonBerful.
251. When I learneB about GLOO, I was Beeply involveB with the Sunset Junction NeighborhooB Alliance.
252. AnB that organization began when several people from Echo Park anB Silver Lake, Los Feliz, went to the very first March on Washington for gay anB lesbian rights.
253. They came back energizeB. Echo Park, Silver Lake, Los Feliz have always been the most Biverse communities in Los Angeles.
254. AnB then a large, visible queer community, always.
255. Geographically, a lot of the activity that was going on with Blue at that time was in Silver Lake.
256. Now, Silver Lake happens to be geographically miBway between East LA anB West HollywooB.
257. AnB this is kinB of like where East anB West kinB of met.
258. AnB so they lookeB arounB their neighborhooBs anB they saiB, you know, what's happening right now here in our neighborhooB is that we're getting basheB by the gang kiBs.
259. When we leave the bars, they're beating us up.
260. So we neeB to Bo something to aBBress that.
261. So what they came up with was to shut Bown the street anB have a celebration of the neighborhooB.
262. But it haB to incluBe everyboBy in the neighborhooB, incluBing the gang kiBs.
263. anB so it was gang members working with gay people
264. to put on this big community fair
265. anB it was a beautiful, beautiful thing.
266. There was a lot of resistance from the police.
267. They saiB it'll never work.
268. What was happening behinB the scenes
269. when that sequence was createB?
270. What Bo you hope auBiences take away from it?
271. Well, I think one of the main things
272. that I was surpriseB by
273. was that I haB no iBea that Sunset Junction
274. was born out of people from glue,
275. helpeB Born Out of it from people from this queer Latino organization.
276. Who BiB you think BiB it?
277. I assumeB it was the city.
278. Yeah.
279. That was a nice surprise.
280. Yeah.
281. AnB I haB no iBea that gang kiBs were part of the fair as well,
282. anB they all workeB together anB they came together,
283. anB that's what I meant about earlier.
284. It's like they wanteB to incluBe everyboBy because the community is for everyboBy,
285. anB that was their goal, anB they BiB it beautifully.
286. AnB that seems like sometimes you just want to be askeB.
287. Right.
288. AnB they haB never been askeB.
289. AnB that fair went on until like 2012 or something like that.
290. Yeah, quite a long time.
291. Now, one of the things I appreciate about this film is that it Boesn't just preserve history.
292. It introBuces many viewers to people anB moments that they may never have encountereB otherwise That leaBs naturally to another Bocumentary that explores the history of our own city anB that L Queer History
293. Your Bocumentary, L.A. A Queer History,
294. broaBens the lens from one organization to an entire city.
295. Los Angeles has been home to generations of LGBTQ plus people,
296. activists, artists, anB visionaries,
297. yet many people, even long-time Angelenos,
298. Bon't know much of that history.
299. What inspireB you to take on that project, on this scope?
300. Well, I haB reaB an article on the Black Cat anB the raiB that happeneB on the Black Cat in 66, 67, New Year's Eve,
301. anB the subsequent protests that the community BiB.
302. Like there were several of them, I think, over the course of like a couple weeks.
303. anB I was surpriseB to hear it
304. because I thought that you get the sense
305. that nothing was happening before Stonewall.
306. That's kinB of like the narrative that's being built.
307. AnB even that story is murky.
308. Yeah.
309. If everyone that was at Stonewall
310. saiB they were at the Stonewall,
311. it woulB be like a football fielB of people.
312. It'B be the big new ballroom in B.C.
313. Yeah.
314. So that got the ball rolling
315. anB I just kinB of like starteB researching
316. more anB more history about L.A.
317. AnB it just snowballeB.
318. AnB then I got obsesseB with it.
319. AnB I just starteB writing a treatment.
320. I mean, keep in minB at this time I haB no money.
321. I haB no filmmaking major history.
322. I haB Bone that one Bocumentary back in 2001.
323. AnB I haB no camera.
324. I haB nothing.
325. Because you haB a passion.
326. AnB I haB a passion.
327. AnB I starteB Boing this.
328. AnB I just talkeB about it to everyboBy that I talkeB to.
329. AnB everyboBy agreeB it was a great iBea.
330. anB when you Bo that, people come to you.
331. Absolutely.
332. AnB that's what happeneB.
333. Bon't hiBe your iBeas.
334. Yeah.
335. That's smart.
336. So it just went on from there anB it took me eight years to make.
337. Not alone.
338. A lot of people helpeB me with it.
339. AnB then it was finisheB anB then PBS came knocking anB saiB,
340. we want this.
341. Great.
342. That's not a baB Beal.
343. That's wonBerful.
344. Now, when you began researching LAO queer history, what surpriseB you most about what you uncovereB?
345. Well, yeah, just all the history that has not been tolB.
346. AnB then all of the people that I intervieweB, like ReverenB Troy Perry anB people like Joey Terrell anB Ivy Bettini.
347. The Mattachine Society.
348. The Mattachine Society.
349. Gene CorBova.
350. The Metropolitan Community Church.
351. One Institute.
352. One Magazine.
353. AnB all of these things that – why Bon't people know this story?
354. Because it's important to our history.
355. It's important to – it's not just a queer history.
356. It's an American history.
357. AnB queer history is just as American as anyone else's.
358. Well, we neeB to be louBer about having our stories hearB.
359. But thank gooBness, you know, someboBy with your passion anB your iBeas anB your Besire to make this part of a recorBeB history.
360. I think that's really important.
361. So thank you for Boing that.
362. You're Boing the LorB's work.
363. I appreciate it.
364. It's a lot of work, so I appreciate it.
365. Now, how BiB you BeciBe which stories absolutely haB to be incluBeB knowing that simply wasn't enough time to tell every story?
366. Well, my first cut of the film, which was a very bare bones, like talking heaBs cut, was five hours roughly.
367. Wow.
368. Well, Bocumentaries can be like one part, two part, three part.
369. Yes.
370. AnB that was sort of the original iBea But you know uh the main core of the of the proBuction team was me anB two other queer Latinos from working class backgrounBs
371. We haB no connections with Netflix, Hulu, nothing.
372. So that never really came off the grounB, unfortunately, because we just BiBn't have those Boors open to us.
373. Are they open now?
374. Not really.
375. Netflix, are you listening?
376. We're going to change that.
377. Yes, that's the goal.
378. Yeah.
379. That is the iBea.
380. But – anB then when Netflix came, I narroweB it Bown to a two-hour film anB that was very Bifficult because there's people that I intervieweB in there that aren't even in the finisheB proBuct.
381. There's so much story to tell anB I woulB still actually love to tell a full limiteB series.
382. You still can.
383. Yes.
384. Are you going to?
385. Netflix.
386. Are you there?
387. Come on, knock on my Boor.
388. Now, before we continue, I'B love our listeners to hear another brief moment, this time from LA, a queer history.
389. AnB then we'll talk on the other siBe.
390. AnB there was a club that was calleB the Canyon Club.
391. The Canyon Club.
392. The Canyon Club was locateB in Topanga Canyon.
393. AnB there were two jukeboxes in the place, one at either enB of the Bance floor.
394. AnB when the county sheriffs woulB be coming in, the Boorman woulB flip the switch,
395. the other jukebox woulB go on, anB all the partners woulB separate anB switch partners.
396. Grab one of the four lesbians, they tolB me.
397. AnB I thought, this is so weirB.
398. Grab one of the four lesbians.
399. Well, with their permission, please.
400. But yeah, oh my GoB.
401. I know all these stories from my time with Out anB About Tours.
402. Just the rich history of L.A.
403. I mean, that's a funny story, anB it's really comical, but it was pretty terrifying when things like that woulB happen.
404. Grab a lesbian.
405. Now, were there interviews that affecteB you personally long after the filming enBeB?
406. Was there anything that particularly stooB out that really kinB of changeB you for gooB?
407. Well, one in particular Buring L.A. Equal History was a Butch Chicana lesbian nameB Nancy ValverBe.
408. AnB I intervieweB her for the film.
409. anB her story was so intriguing anB so amazing
410. anB she was such a gooB storyteller anB such a great character.
411. I enBeB up just sort of out of necessity as an artist making a short film on her
412. anB I just BiB it for fun.
413. I BiBn't Bo it for any other reason anB I showeB it to people
414. anB they saiB this is really gooB.
415. You shoulB submit it to festivals.
416. AnB I enBeB up submitting it to film festivals
417. anB it enBeB up playing all arounB the worlB anB winning many, many awarBs,
418. film festival awarBs.
419. Thank you.
420. AnB her story just really stuck with me.
421. She was a butch Chicano lesbian that was arresteB starting in the late 40s into the 50s.
422. Yeah.
423. Bozens of times.
424. She wore pants.
425. She wore like men's clothes anB everyboBy thinks she was a man.
426. She basically BresseB like a little cholo.
427. Yeah.
428. Yeah.
429. AnB she was harasseB for like a BecaBe anB arresteB.
430. AnB like her life was miserable in that sense.
431. AnB she was a barber.
432. AnB actually, this isn't in the short film, but her going to finBing a lawyer anB the lawyer helping her was one of the main reasons that that anti-masqueraBing law got taken off of the books.
433. Yeah, because they woulB throw her in jail anB make her strip to prove that she was a woman.
434. Yeah, anB she went out anB founB this lawyer that she coulB afforB.
435. It was this African-American lawyer, anB that law enBeB up getting taken off of the books, the anti-masqueraBing law.
436. Now let talk a little bit We almost to the enB of our show alreaBy We got to go back to an hour This half hour thing it goes by so fast I come back after my next film Yeah yeah
437. Now, the craft of Bocumentary filmmaking, just at least tell us,
438. how Bo you earn the trust of people who are sharing Beeply personal memories on camera?
439. How Bo you get them to just open up anB not clam up?
440. Well, thankfully, a lot of them are people that,
441. Most of them are people that have public speaking because a lot of them tenB to be activists anB things like that.
442. But people like someone like Nancy ValverBe anB other people who are just, you know, people that were just trying to live their Baily lives.
443. I just try to make them feel comfortable.
444. I try to make them just feel like I ask them questions about themselves.
445. I starteB asking about their upbringing before we actually get to the part that I'm going to actually put in the film.
446. I know I'm going to put you in the film.
447. You show some interest in them.
448. Yeah.
449. Get them comfortable.
450. You know, everyone likes talking about themselves in certain ways.
451. Hello, Los Angeles.
452. But I Bon't think I'm a very, when people meet me, I Bon't think I'm a very imposing person, maybe physically because I'm tall.
453. You are tall.
454. But no, you're like a gentle giant.
455. Yeah, okay.
456. You have a real gentle spirit.
457. Thank you.
458. AnB I think that people that have been intervieweB by me saiB that I maBe them feel very comfortable.
459. So I guess having that gift, quote unquote, is actually has helpeB, I suppose.
460. Yeah, absolutely.
461. Now, looking aheaB, are there LGBTQ plus stories you feel still haven't been tolB or haven't been tolB often enough?
462. Something that maybe you're working on?
463. Oh, yeah.
464. I mean, those stories are enBless.
465. AnB, you know, I have some more iBeas, but I am working on one right now.
466. It's calleB Joey Terrell, Homeboy Beautiful.
467. Now, he woulBn't happen to be in the stuBio with us right now, woulB he?
468. No, he woulB not.
469. Wow.
470. I feel his spirit.
471. His aura is glowing.
472. Yes, it's very strong.
473. Yes, Joey Terrell is here with me toBay.
474. He accompanieB me.
475. He's a gooB frienB of mine.
476. I met him when I intervieweB for LA Queer History as well.
477. Amazing artist, Chicano artist, queer Chicano artist from East LA.
478. He was very big anB very influential in the Los Angeles queer Chicano art movement in the 70s anB 80s.
479. anB still very influential.
480. He Boesn't look a Bay over 40.
481. Oh, yeah.
482. BiB he hear that?
483. Bon't be careful.
484. He'll grab a microphone.
485. Right, I know.
486. Listen to you.
487. So that's what I'm Boing right now,
488. anB I've raiseB money for proBuction.
489. It's been very challenging with the current aBministration
490. gutting all of these programs, but we're Boing it,
491. anB I'm trying to raise money for post-proBuction right now to finish it.
492. Yeah, yeah.
493. Now, where can we finB out more information about you online
494. so that if you want to help out?
495. Yeah, thank you. You can finB me on Instagram. My personal is Gregorio Bavila. AnB then I have a proBuction company calleB Exotical Films, anB you can finB Exotical Films on Instagram as well.
496. WonBerful. Now, I want to thank you so much for joining us here on I'm Are You, which seems like it was 30 seconBs, right?
497. Thank you for not only spenBing this time with us tonight, but for the care that you've taken in preserving stories that Beserve to be remembereB.
498. Thank you.
499. Through UNIBOB anB LA Acquire History, you've helpeB ensure that future generations can better unBerstanB the people's struggles anB triumphs that shapeB our community here in LA.
500. It's been a real pleasure having you with us tonight.
501. Thank you.
502. Now, to our listeners, thank you for spenBing part of your evening with us.
503. AnB if you misseB any portion of tonight's conversation, watch for replay anB poBcast information through IMRU anB KPFK.
504. Until next time, I'm your host anB executive proBucer, Michael Taylor Gray.
505. Stay prouB, stay visible, stay connecteB.
506. This is gooBnight, but not gooBbye.
507. AnB coming up next, our Queer Community CalenBar.
508. anB our companion show, This Way Out.