City seeks community input on LGBTQ+ heritage preservation

The City of Sacramento has made significant progress on the LGBTQ+ Historic Experience Project, an initiative aimed at documenting and preserving the rich history of the LGBTQ+ community in Sacramento.

The Draft LGBTQ+ Historic Context Statement is now available for public review, and the City is asking the community to provide input on this document by July 7.

What is a historic context statement?

The historic context statement is a planning tool used to identify buildings, sites, and landscapes for their association with the LGBTQ+ community in Sacramento. The City’s Historic Preservation office uses this document to support listing buildings on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources, create placemaking opportunities, and educate the public about this important history.

With assistance from historical consultants, students and community volunteers, organizers are conducting extensive research to identify significant sites, individuals, and events shaping the city’s LGBTQ+ heritage. The project also includes recording oral history interviews with community elders, which will be archived at the Center for Sacramento History.

“The context statement is crucial in guiding our preservation efforts, and we encourage everyone to review the draft and provide feedback,” said City Preservation Director Sean de Courcy. “Insights and suggestions will help ensure that the final document accurately reflects the diverse history and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in Sacramento.”

Community involvement and next steps

The City has several opportunities for the community to become more involved in this project, including:

Preservation Commission: The Preservation Commission will review the Draft LGBTQ+ Historic Context Statement on June 26 at 5:30 p.m. and the public is welcome to attend.
Community engagement: There are several upcoming opportunities for engagement and participation. The City will be hosting additional community workshops and public meetings to discuss the project and gather further input. Next opportunity will be at the CityConnect mixer on June 20, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Roscoe’s (2007 K St.). The mixer is free to attend, but RSVP is encouraged.
Stipends: Stipends of up to $500 are available to community members interested in assisting with the project through recording oral history interviews, scholarly research, historic property documentation, community engagement, and multimedia production. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. More information is available through the Lavender Library website.
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