Interview of Ann Giagni
UCLA Library, Center for Oral History Research, University of California, Los Angeles Interview of Ann Giagni

Transcript

Interview with Ann Giagni

Session 1(11/6/2013)

00:01:57
Born November 9, 1948 in New York City; early move childhood to Whitestone, Long Island, attended PS 193 and St. Luke’s Parochial School in Whitestone, New York; move in fifth grade to Baldwin, New York, attended Coolidge Elementary, Baldwin Junior High, and Baldwin Senior High
00:05:23
Early memories of New York City; mother’s family background and early life; mother’s interest in the Theater; father’s family background and early life in theater, radio, and films; father’s early dance career, chorography.
00:09:14
Parents meet in New York City dance studio in 1940s; importance of father’s career; father’s family background and early interest in dance; mother’s character, work in Theater, experience on Broadway; parent’s relationship
00:13:38
Mother’s role at home; childhood spent in Theater; father’s chorography career, travel; Theater world and culture in 1950s and 1960s
00:18:37
Italian and Irish heritage; show business and family; mother’s family background; exposure to rural life; growing up on Long Island, New York; tomboy and friendships with boys; working-class in Whitestone; playing sports
00:21:59
Ballet, dance classes, family supprt; quitting dance after high-school
00:25:55
Family conflict over dance; move to New York City at age 18; attending and leaving New York University (NYU) School of Arts for Dance; moving in with Nicki Colatini (spelling?); returning to NYU
00:30:25
Childhood dance and theater; exposure to gay men and gay male couples during childhood; parents attitudes towards homosexuality
00:34:47
Race and ethnicity, in dance, racial tensions in Whitestone and Baldwin, incident with African-American high-school teacher, at NYU
00:40:20
Parents political views and activities; family’s economic status; father’s founding of Union of Stage Directors and Choreographers; father’s experiences as a choreographer and intellectual property; Tap Dance Kid.
00:42:10
Catholicism in childhood and adulthood
00:45:50
Mother’s family; parent’s expectations; academic interests; experiences in Greenwich Village and Washington Square
00:49:40
Brothers’ interests and professions; gender and ballet; family’s economic status; father’s career; parent’s relationship; traveling to Los Angeles, California for summers
00:53:33
Traveling; summers in Los Angeles during high school; 11th grade year in London, High Spirits, Arts Educational Trust School and social class
00:56:46
Social life in high school, shyness, dating; socio-economic class and childhood; ballet; no concept of existence of lesbians; mother’s reaction to her coming-out as a lesbian
01:01:20
Social life, dating in ballet; politics, initial support for Vietnam War; family’s Democratic politics; 1968 Democratic Political Convention in Chicago, Illinois and rejection of political party membership
01:05:00
Vietnam War and anti-war activism; student activism at NYU, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) meetings; dorm politics; shyness; Weathermen’s blowing up of house in New York City; students killed at Kent State; Stonewall Riots
01:07:51
Dorm life; living with family at the Dakota, commuting to NYU; Columbia University Protests and violence; attending March on Washington; explosive atmosphere at the time; bomb scares at NYU.
01:13:26
Entry into activism, politics; dorm politics at NYU; overcoming shyness
01:17:39
Social life at NYU; academics, English; living with family, commuting to college; student activism; politics in New York City
01:21:22
Social life, dating at NYU; realizing she was a lesbian; lack of awareness of lesbians
01:26:34
Job at Chase Manhattan; first lesbian relationship; move to Los Angeles in 1971

Interview with Ann Giagni

Session 2 (11/22/2013)

00:04:32
Assassination of President John F. Kennedy; Catholic Church and sexuality; sex education at home and school; sexuality and culture in 1950s and 1960s.
00:09:20
Sex education from friends; coming-out as a lesbian, looking information on homosexuality at the library in Santa Monica, California in 1971, negative portrayals of lesbians; perceptions of lesbians; first lesbian relationship
00:13:58
Recession and difficulty finding employment, gender; move to Los Angeles, California in 1971
00:16:01
First lesbian relationship; coming out; becoming a librarian, Master’s degree in Library Science at the University of Southern California (USC)
00:18:11
USC, Student Council, gay group; gay group at USC Religious Center, meeting Del Whan (spelling?); gender in lesbian and gay community
00:20:34
Gay group at USC, meeting about Gay Community Services Center (GCSC) and Morris Kight, domination by gay men of events
00:25:39
Lesbian events at GCSC, Sunday Consciousness Raising Group facilitated by Sharon Raphael and Mina (Robinson) Mayer and rap sessions; consciousness raising format; Los Angeles lesbian community
00:31:40
Thursday Rap Session Group at GCSC; rap session format; finding lesbian community and social life
00:35:26
Facilitating Sunday Consciousness Raising Group at GCSC; political issues and conflict of gay men and lesbians at GCSC
00:39:25
Political issues and conflict of gay men and lesbians at GCSC, leaving GCSC; founding Lesbian Raps and Socials Collective (LR&S) at Westside Women’s Center
00:43:37
Librarian positions at Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) in Watts, children’s librarianship; Meyers-Milias Brown Act, union involvement, Librarian’s Guild, joining American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.(AFSCME)
00:46:05
Union stewardship; family’s union involvement; first AFSCME contract negotiations
00:49:40
LR&S Westside Women’s Center; Fat Underground Collective; lesbian activism in 1970s, operation and experience in collectives; Lesbian Therapy Group, Sister Magazine, Lesbian Tide and Lesbian News.
00:51:56
Purpose of LR&S, events, sessions; Westside Women’s Center
00:57:20
LR&S at Westside Women’s Center, probation period, growth, intergroup conflict, decline; collectives’ functions and formats and experience of consensus decision making.
01:02:44
Probation period at Westside Women’s Center, radical politics, conflict; consensus decision making process
01:05:42
Westside Women’s Center operations; LR&S begin publishing Sister Magazine in 1977
01:08:53
Involvement in AFSCME, Vice-President, contract negotiations, social change training with Shirley Zimmerman
01:11:49
AFSCME actions, demonstrations, training with Zimmerman, becoming President; Los Angeles Civil Service Classifications, payment of librarians; California Proposition 13, budget cuts
01:14:59
LAPL career, Watts, Intercity Bookmobile, work in housing projects and schools
01:18:40
LAPL Intercity Bookmobile, improving access at Nickerson Gardens Housing Project, her politics.
01:21:46
Gay group at USC; coming-out as a lesbian in 1972; discrimination, homosexuality and municipal employment
01:25:39
Coming-out at LAPL; meeting of gay and lesbian employees; affirmative action and anti-discrimination clause for sexual preference in union contract
01:27:07
Gender presentation at home and work
01:32:14
Coming-out to family, mother’s reaction; first lesbian relationship; ; early romantic feelings and experiences with women
01:36:28
Conflicts with gay men at GCSC; closed consciousness raising group with Sharon Raphael and Mina (Robinson) Mayer’s house in Hermosa Beach, California; lesbian sexuality; socio-economic class and race in consciousness raising groups
01:38:45
Printer and poet Jeanne Hruska, memorial service in 1980s, reunion of women known in early 1970s
01:42:43
Women’s Track Gym for women athletes, owners Gayle Weldon and Penny Johnson, closure; Los Angeles Olympics in 1984; Gayle Weldon’s memorial service, homophobia

Interview with Ann Giagni

Session 3 (2/11/2014)

00:04:35
Conflict of lesbians and gay men at Gay Community Services Center (GCSC), leaving GCSC; Lesbian Raps and Socials Collective (LR&S); lesbian separatism in 1970s and early 1980s, women’s space.
00:08:17
Conflict and dynamics in collectives; Switchboard Collective, lesbian social calendar; lesbian separatism, women’s music concerts and women’s space in 1970s, changes in 1980s, women’s health clinics
00:11:20
Lesbian separatism, relationships with gay men, lesbian community.
00:15:52
Bisexuality; sexual identity terms used in 1970s, dyke, contemporary terms
00:21:58
Women’s culture in 1970s; Women’s concerts, tours, Margie Adams performance at Woman’s Building, Meg Christian, Holly Near, Cris Williamson, Vicki Randle, audience relations to performers, changes in 1980s
00:26:30
Change in women’s concerts in 1980s; social life, dating in 1970s; AFSCME activity, becoming President in 1979; conciousness raising group; LR&S; race, lesbian social life, Debreta’s events for African-American lesbians; purchasing home in Venice, California in 1976
00:29:56
AFSCME involvement, equal pay for equal work campaign 1977, outreach, political fundraising
00:37:05
AFSCME work, meeting with union representatives and Los Angeles City Council Member Art (Arthur K.) Snyder, lessons learned
00:43:17
Work with Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL); going to work for City of Los Angeles, supervising Public Information Unit for Rent Stablilization Division, Cultural Affairs Division
00:48:58
Work for City of Los Angeles, Youth Fair Chance Grant in 1990s, Linda Griego; relationship of unions and management
00:54:43
Events at Woman’s Building; lesbian community in Venice; joining Whitman-Brooks, becoming a member of Southern California Women for Understanding (SCWU), Myra Riddell, non-profit status
00:59:24
SCWU events, Breakfasts for Understanding, June Mazer; Briggs Initiative 1978, coalition building across gay male and lesbian community; oral history with Lillian Faderman
01:04:21
SCWU organizational structure, Steering Committee, membership rules, mission, conflict, decline; Chair of Beach Cities Chapter; meeting Myra Riddell, June Mazer, Bunny MacCulloch at SCWU; volunteering for SCWU in 1990s, Jean Conger
01:10:44
Women’s Chorus Collective Collection at the June L. Mazer Archives; lesbian response to AIDS epidemic, impact community; LGBT Archives, Libraries, Museums and Special Collections Conferences (ALMS)
01:14:30
AIDS epidemic, theater community, impact on gay male and on lesbian community
01:19:26
Changes in lesbian community in 1990s; SCWU membership, purpose, conflicts and tensions
01:24:59
Sisterhood Bookstore, lesbian community in 1970s, women’s books, Mina Meyer, oral history project at the Mazer Archives
01:28:46
Women’s books in 1970s and early 1980s, “When God Was a Woman,” “The First Sex,” and “Chalice and the Blade,” impact; Catholic religious beliefs
01:31:40
Information for and about lesbian community, finding lesbian community; discovery of Gay Community Services Center (GCSC); Lesbian News, the Switchboard Collective
01:37:38
Illnesses as a teenager, again in 20s, misdiagnosis, return of illness in 1985; producing Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill, decision to close show, conflict
01:47:45
Illness in 1984-85, potential diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS); homeopathic treatment with Ananda Zaren, homeopathic treatment protocols and remedies, slow improvement in health
01:50:02
Improved health; return to activism in 1995, volunteering at SCWU, Jean Conger, joining June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives Board of Directors

Interview with Ann Giagni

Session 4 (2/24/2014)

00:02:50
Illness; volunteering with Southern California Women for Understanding (SCWU); changes in Los Angles lesbians community from late 1980s-early 1990s, closure of lesbian bars
00:06:18
Interest in June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives (Mazer Archives), Jean Conger, interview for Board position with Board members Irene Wolt, Marcia Schwemer and Degania Golove
00:10:52
Joining Mazer Board, Board members in 1997, first Board meeting, becoming President
00:16:39
Mazer Board Co-Presidency with Degania Golove, early days as President; SCWU, Connexxus; move of the West Coast Lesbian Collection (Mazer Archives) from Oakland to West Hollywood, California
00:20:25
Conflict with Irene Wolt and Degania Golove, Irene Wolt leaving Board
00:24:23
Making changes at Mazer Archives, Conflict with Degania Golove; changes in Board membership, Degania Golove leaving Board; managing volunteers
00:32:24
Volunteer Jo Duffy, role in running Mazer; Mazer subject files, cataloging; location in Whorley Building in West Hollywood
00:34:51
Changes in Board membership
00:39:04
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives (ONE) and Mazer offer and discussions of shared building at University of Southern California (USC), lease agreement and cancellation of, building condition
00:42:18
Relationship of Mazer and ONE; configuaration of building offered by USC, cancelling lease; lesbians on Board of ONE, Jeanne Cordova, Ivy Bottini, Yolanda Retter; relationship with Yolanda Retter.
00:46:10
Mazer Board pressured to sign second lease with USC and ONE, cancelling lease
00:51:54
Work for City of Los Angeles, Fiesta Broadway, Youth Fair Chance Grant; Mazer cancelling lease agreement with USC and ONE
00:55:46
Agreement about space, collection ownership, lease with USC and ONE; relationship with ONE; survival of the Mazer
01:02:27
Relationship with ONE; Yolanda Retter and ONE’s collecting of lesbian materials; grants, meeting Stuart Timmons, Executive Director of ONE
01:03:42
Survival of the Mazer; interview wrap-up

Interview with Ann Giagni

Session 5 (3/18/2014)

00:04:02
Mazer and institutional collaborations; University of Southern California (USC) and ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives (ONE) collecting lesbian materials, relationshop of Mazer and ONE; State Library of California grant and Stuart Timmons, Executive Director of ONE
00:08:02
Mazer and ONE relationship, internship program 1996-1998; inventories of Mazer materials; grants for cataloging; volunteer Jo Duffy
00:11:51
Jo Duffy stories about lesbian pulp novels and Kitty Genovese murder in New York City, collection at Mazer; retention of volunteers; staffing challenges and open hours
00:15:50
Mazer Board of Directors, members of, growth, conflict; survival of Mazer
00:19:28
Mazer Board, conflict, process of joining; romantic relationship with Francesca Taylor; Mazer finances and fundraising events
00:25:13
Mazer Board, joining, influence of Judith Saunders; renovation, physical space, and organization of materials at Mazer; Westside Women’s Center
00:30:30
Renovation, physical space, and organization of materials at Mazer; Myra Riddell’s mentorship, friendship; Southern California Women for Understanding (SCWU), Beach Cities Chapter; Mazer strategic plans and mission
00:35:08
Mazer Board, growth, Marilee France, Jamey Fitzpatrick, Jeri Deitrick; roles of Board members, Jeri Deitrick and periodicals; Mazer strategic planning; relationship of Mazer and City of West Hollywood
00:41:25
Relationship with Yolanda Ritter; work for City of Los Angeles in Cultural Affairs, Community Development Department, Youth Fair Chance Grant, Linda Griego, Fiesta Broadway
00:45:04
Relationship with Yolanda Ritter, archival work and lesbian politics; Yolanda Ritter and Jeanne Cordova relationship [restrict!!!]
00:48:55
Mazer Board Member Ann Pall (spelling?) from University of California, Los Angles (UCCLA), development of relationship with UCLA and Center for the Study of Women (CSW); early meetings at UCLA with Regina Lark, Community Partnership Grant and processing of first 5 Mazer collections in 2007; OUTfest partnership with UCLA; Mazer survival and attracting new donors, physical space
00:53:00
First meeting with UCLA Library and CSW, seeking deposit relationship; Mazer Advisory Committee; researchers at the Mazer; priorities and move of personal collections into main archives space, storage of books
00:57:50
Impetuses for and development of agreement with UCLA, role of Mazer; Lesbian Herstory Archives; space in West Hollywood.
01:02:02
Non-profit organizations, property ownership, management, funding, and long-term survival Inner City Cultural Center
01:04:40
Mazer fundraising strategies, grant administration; work for City of Los Angeles
01:07:56
Agreement and collaboration of Mazer, CSW, and UCLA Library, Mazer’s role; results of collaboration for Mazer, increased outreach, trust and donor solicitation; collecting focuses of the Mazer
01:10:51
Challenges and future of partnership of Mazer, CSW, and UCLA Library
01:13:31
Mazer Board of Directors, functions and operations of
01:18:31
Family relationships, with parents, brother Danny; home renovation
01:22:05
Romantic relationship with Francesca Taylor, starting a family; family relationships
01:25:32
Birth of daughter Elsa in July 1999.
01:28:30
Raising children, living arrangements, birth of twins in August 2002
01:36:48
Medical Women’s International Association conference, program on lesbian sexuality and health; female doctors; female doctors in Sierra Leone
01:41:01
Partner Francesca Taylor’s career, childcare; caring at-home for elderly parents; family relationships, living arrangements; choice to home school their children; lesbian parenting
01:46:13
Family life, raising children; Catholic faith and church attendance, lesbian parenting in the Catholic Church at St. Monica’s Parish; place and politics of LGBT Catholics
01:50:00
Southwestern Law School; retirement from City of Los Angeles; caring for elderly father
01:54:39
Mazer Board, roles of members, role as President; interview wrap up and reflections on experience of doing a life oral history.