The Rainbow Elders & Allies Collection

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt Tuesday, October 18th, 2022 — 9:09pm PDT

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Following the digital pivot of the company’s annual storytelling project, Zee Zee Theatre returns to a free, in-person model with The Rainbow Elders & Allies Collection. Co-curated by Allan Morgan, Melanie Ray, Alysha Collie, and Dallas Yellowfly, this year’s theme amplifies the stories of 2SLGBTQI+ elders whose histories have led to the advancements of Vancouver’s queer history, and future.

Zee Zee’s 12th edition of this community engagement project provides the opportunity for event-goers to speak one-on-one with a Rainbow Elder to break down their ideas of difference, twenty minutes at a time.

The Rainbow Elders & Allies Collection

When: November 5-6 and 12-13, 2022
Where: Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch (350 W Georgia St)
Admission: No RSVP necessary. Sign up at the door of the Third Floor Atrium

“The stories of our Rainbow Elders come from the perspective of a singular experience in the history of the world. Many of us navigated through a time where being homosexual was diagnosed as a mental illness, and societal disdain rampant and dangerous” says co-curator, Allan Morgan. “The changes we have witnessed and advocated for have changed the landscape immensely. Through these simple tales from our elders shared one-on-one with another human, we can help weave the tapestry of our rainbow cloth.”

Meant to build intergenerational understanding and dismantle misconceptions, Producer Jordy Matheson reminds audiences that this event “consists of storytellers of diverse sexualities, genders, and lived experience sharing true stories from their lives. As an audience participant you get the chance to sit across from one of these storytellers in a 20 minute one-on-one experience. Because so much of LGBTQ2SI+ history has not been documented, it is vital to listen to the people who hold this history, to remember them, and to carry these stories forward. Some are painful, others heartwarming, but all deserve to be told.”

Through these explorations of story, division is tackled head on in a safe, and accessible space in order to find common ground, and narrow the ideological gaps that divide us. As Vancouver’s Rainbow Elders battled power structures in order to live proudly today, The Rainbow Elders & Allies Collection reminds us that there is empowerment in experience, and perspective, as knowledge of our histories can only lead to a prouder and louder future.

For more information about Zee Zee’s upcoming events, follow on Faceboo k and Instagram.