by Cathy Marino-Thomas

1970s: Meeting First Girlfriend And Discovering Lesbianism. “She Really Helped Me Start On That Road.” When I was about 17, so that’s in the seventies, I had this friend Je1994: Lesbian Goes From Laughing at the Idea of Same-Sex Marriage to Becoming President of Marriage Equality USA. So it’s maybe 1994. I’ve been living with Sheila, this woman Late 1990s: Lesbian Couple Faces Multiple Challenges In Having a Child. “The Most Joyful Things In Life Are Really Hard To Obtain.” So Sheila, my wife, and I were married a co2006: Children’s Sleepover Conversation About Family Diversity Surprises Mom: “It Was Beautiful And Amazing.” Right so, I guess it was maybe 2006. My daughter was a first gr 2008: Marriage Equality Activist Faces Down Opponent–And Wins. I have doing marriage equality work for a little while. I was Board President, I was speaking. Maybe it was 2008 ...

by Ritchie Torres

I’m Ritchie Torres. I’m from Bronx, New York. I remember the first time when I went to the Village and saw two men hold hands together, I was shocked because you would never i...

by Dorian Woodruff

I’m Dorian Woodruff. I’m from New York City. When I was a freshman in college at a Baptist university, where there were lots of rules – there was “don’t do this, don’t...

by E Garcia

I’m E Garcia and I’m from New York City. When I was a kid, I was a huge tomboy. I remember when I was 5, I asked my parents if I could get a mohawk and dye it pink, purple and...

by Marti Cummings

My name is Marti Cummings. I’m from Kennedyville, Maryland. Drag happened very organically for me. I was doing a show off-Broadway called “Twist” and I played this androgyno...

by Lester Mayers

painting by Patrick Stelien Growing up in Brooklyn and Harlem from early 2009 till late 2015, I was fortunate enough to have a small group of friends who were like-minded and had ...

by Atu Darko

My name is Atu Darko and I’m from the Bronx, New York. I grew up in an immigrant family, in an immigrant community. So my parents are immigrants from Ghana, a small country in W...

by John Hilton

“What Was It Like? Stories by LGBTQ Elders” is a new program by I’m From Driftwood, in partnership with Comcast, the nation’s largest cable provider, and SAGE, the countEarly 1940s: “I Knew Way Back Then That I Was Gay.” When I was 7 or 8 years old, I noticed in the schoolyard, Public School 187, this beautiful young boy, golden boy. And I weAfter Meeting Bill In The Early 1950’s, “We Were Together For 54 Wonderful, Glorious Years.” When I was 18, I came back to New York, to Brooklyn. My father got me a furnisheDrafted in 1958: “My Eighteen Months Away Solidified Our Relationship.” In 1958, after five months with Bill, I got drafted. Bill would come down every Sunday to Fort Dix, bec“Who Are You!?” How A Domestic Partnership Helped During A Moment of Tragedy. Well, in 2003, we noticed in the New York Times that New York City was offering a domestic partneFamily Opens Up At Memorial For Late Partner: “We All Know. And We All Loved You And Uncle Ike.” Bill and I were together 54 years. I can truthfully say we could never get enoFamily Member To Ailing Gay Uncle: “You Still Have Time To Repent.” When I started getting on the computer and doing email and Facebook, Bill asked me, “What is Facebook all“You Need To Calm Down.” A Token of Love Becomes A Lifelong Passion. Bill told me, three months after we met and I got my draft notice and I was drafted and I was sent for 18 ...

by Lawrence Gullo

My name is Lawrence Gullo. I am from New York, New York. So I had just graduated university and I came back to New York, having done a little bit of cabaret theater, but really wa...