The Legacy Wall is a one-of-a-kind, digitally-interactive, traveling exhibit that features "mini-biographies" of LGBTQ people throughout history, from virtually every walk of life, who have contributed in over 20 distinct fields. The content is international and multicultural, and has been substantially vetted and sourced. This wonderfully positive and inspiring exhibit tells the stories behind such figures as Social Justice pioneer Jane Addams; Civil Rights organizer Bayard Rustin; British mathematician Alan Turing; U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan; Astronaut Sally Ride; Renaissance artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci; Transgender icons Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson; Mexican Artist Frida Kahlo; and Fr. Mychal Judge (the “Saint of 9/11”) – over 125 digitally interactive “mini-biographies” in all. The life-stories behind these heroes are immensely enlightening for all audiences and produce powerful – often cathartic – responses in people.
This wonderfully positive and inspiring exhibit raises awareness of the roles LGBTQ people have played in shared human history – information which helps to boost the self-esteem of LGBTQ youth who are raised without the benefit of historically significant LGBTQ role-models. It has also been shown to lessen the incidence of all forms of bullying in our schools by impressing a culture of mutual respect and tolerance upon those who might otherwise become bullies. The goal of the Legacy Wall is to use the powerful lessons of history to spark conversations - in the classroom, in the board room, and around the kitchen table - about this information’s ability to raise social awareness while giving our children hope and a feeling of belonging.
The Legacy Wall is 24’ long x 8’ tall x 6’ deep... nearly 400 square-feet of biographical content in a 360o doubled-sided island that is bathed in LED lighting from above and below. In addition to compelling biographies, each element is linked to a digital information portal, accessible through user smartphones, to make video and education resources available on demand for all visitors. (An 80-page research syllabus is available for all academic engagements upon request.) Together they tell the story behind the names and provide a context for the important contributions these individuals have made. This is an ideal way to engage multiple departments, LGBT Campus Pride groups, GSAs, private organizations, and local community groups in a shared, one-of-a-kind experience that celebrates LGBT contributions during this critical time in our history when the hard-fought gains we have achieved are now threatened by an unimaginable retreat from all that has been accomplished.
Institutions from every sector of community stakeholders are encouraged to consider hosting the installation in their facility. The Legacy Project offers colleges, universities, libraries, cultural institutions, government facilities, and corporate centers an opportunity to have this unique, thought-provoking display installed in their public areas for patrons, employees, donors, and constituents to peruse, or for use as part of educational exercises during the school year. Hosting the Legacy Wall in your facility is an ideal way to involve business resource groups, diversity training endeavors, cross-department synergies, campus pride organizations, gay-straight alliances (GSAs), and local community groups in a shared experience which truly underscores LGBT contributions during this critical time in our history. For a tax-deductible donation (plus transportation expenses) the Legacy Wall can be set-up for negotiable periods from two weeks to one month. All contracts include set-up/breakdown labor and support.