1 ISBN 978-0-578-63374-9 Copyright © 2020, OPALGA+, the Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association. Nathan Linsk, Editor. Contact:
[email protected]. 2 Click on the entries in RED to jump Table of Contents directly to that section in the document. INTRODUCTION by Nathan Linsk ..................................................5 AUTHOR INFORMATION .............................................................12 CHAPTER 1: BEGINNINGS OF OPALGA .....................................17 a. Before 1989 or so .............................................. Nancy Johnson b. OPLGA’s Inception ............................................... Nathan Linsk c. OPALGA’s First Decade ............................................ Mel Wilson d. Building of a Queer Community in Oak Park ......Rebekah Levin e. What joining OPLGA meant to me ...............................Jim Kelly f. A Personal Journey to OPALGA ........................... Bob Trezevant g. Recollections ........................................................ Phil Bellerive h. First meetings/first people ................................... Nathan Linsk i. Early Mailing parties ...................................................Jim Kelly j. Getting Organized—the May 1990 Retreat............ Nathan Linsk k. My Path to Public Service and OPALGA ................. Ray Johnson CHAPTER 2: COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS ................................43 a. Community Response and OPALGA: Two Springs from One Pool ...............................Angelika Kuehn b. PFLAG ............................................................