CLAGS: Center for LGBTQ Studies

Join us September 15th for the 25th Anniversary of the ACT UP Oral History Project: A Celebration with Jim Hubbard and Sarah Schulman

A quarter century ago, Jim and Sarah realized that the legacy of ACT UP was fading due to the internet revolution and lack of digitized material. With the goal of creating an archive of uncensored testimony, in 2001 they began 18 years of work in collaboration with James Wentzy, in which 188 interviews were conducted. This material formed the basis of Jim’s film UNITED IN ANGER: A History of ACT UP and Sarah’s book LET THE RECORD SHOW: ACT UP, New York 1987-1993. Making all materials available for free at www.actuporalhistory.org, their website has had at least 14 million hits and over 700,000 transcripts have been downloaded. Jim and Sarah will be joined by CLAGS director Matt Brim, author of the teaching guide to UNITED IN ANGER for remembrances, analysis, gossip and reflection on how two friends created so many resources for the world. 
 
Date and time
September 15, 2026
6:00PM-8:00PM
 
Location
Segal Theater
CUNY Graduate Center
365 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10016
 

This event is cosponsored by the Center for the Humanities, the Center for Place, Culture and Politics, the Advanced Certificate in LGBTQ Studies, and the Barnard Center for Research on Women.

Please join us in congratulating Lisa Duggan, who has been selected to give the 2026 David R. Kessler Lecture. Duggan is the 34th winner of the Kessler Award, which honors sustained achievement in LGBTQ Studies. Please save the date: Friday, November 13, 2026 at 6:30PM at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Today, and everyday, CLAGS is trans 🏳️‍⚧️

We are – and we think along with – transgender and nonbinary scholars.

We are – and we teach and learn from – undocumented and immigrant students.

We are – and we organize for – Black, Indigenous, People of Color community members.

We will continue to fight for trans lives, especially the lives and futures of trans youth. We know that we are not free until all of us are free.

Swipe through for resources and infrastructures of care provided by and

We’ve reached $27,650 of our $30,000 goal for our 40th anniversary fundraiser finale this June! Please consider donating today to help CLAGS secure our future. CLAGS relies on donations to continue to offer free, public LGBTQ programming! Donation link in bio.
Ine past year nas been a special one at CLAGS as we celebrated the 40th anniversary ot our tounding in 1986.

Our historic year is not quite finished, though. Today CLAGS is kicking off a June fundraising drive. Please donate today to keep the future in our hands. We write this note with gratitude and urgency. Thank you for understanding that as CLAGS closes the chapter on our 40th year the next 40 years are not guaranteed. The next ten years are not guaranteed. We’ve seen how fast things can change when others control LGBTQ financial futures.

In case you missed it, please enjoy these highlights from an incredible year at CLAGS...
Angela Y. Davis helped us kick things off last June, and herstory making Tony Award Winner and founder of Black Trans Liberation Kitchen Qween Jean brought us home last week with the 10th Annual José Esteban Muñoz Award. In November, we were captivated by Robert Reid-Pharr’s Kessler lecture, “Faith”, and compelled by Anne Balay’s keynote address,
“Organizing Q***r Work: Gay Steelworkers, Trans Truckers, Feral Faculty,” at the Q***r-Class Relations Conference. For two days in October, we packed 700 people into the Le***an Lives conference!
Perhaps most importantly, CLAGS used its 40th anniversary platform to reject the quietude and acquiescence demanded by the Trump administration of organizations that dare to offer both q***r ideas and belonging to LGBTQ communities. We are so proud to say that in this moment, and drawing on its history, CLAGS thrived.

Thank you for helping us expand our work. We added fellowships for emerging scholars. We attracted and sought community collaboration. We launched new academic initiatives. We recommitted to our mission of providing free, accessible LGBTQ studies to everyone.If ever there was a time to put the wind in our sails and contribute to the financial future of CLAGS, this is it.

Pride is, an always has been, an affirmation of trans and q***r lives and a protest against state violence 📢🏳️‍⚧️🌈✨


Since our founding CLAGS has been a space where LGTBQ studies, activism, organizing, and culture cross pollinate.

This weekend we encourage those who can to support ***rmarch and join their call “breaking the chains of war and oppression FOR TRANS and IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.”

CLAGS members have organized with ***rmarch since 2019. Please see the ***rmarch linktree for calls for marshals and ways to support the march.

We’ve reached $26,610 of our $30,000 goal for our 40th anniversary fundraiser finale this June! Please consider donating today to help CLAGS secure our future. CLAGS relies on donations to continue to offer free, public LGBTQ programming! Donation link in bio.

The past year has been a special one at CLAGS as we celebrated the 40th anniversary of our founding in 1986.

Our historic year is not quite finished, though. Today CLAGS is kicking off a June fundraising drive. Please donate today to keep the future in our hands. We write this note with gratitude and urgency. Thank you for understanding that as CLAGS closes the chapter on our 40th year the next 40 years are not guaranteed. The next ten years are not guaranteed. We’ve seen how fast things can change when others control LGBTQ financial futures.

In case you missed it, please enjoy these highlights from an incredible year at CLAGS...

Angela Y. Davis helped us kick things off last June, and herstory making Tony Award Winner and founder of Black Trans Liberation Kitchen Qween Jean brought us home last week with the 10th Annual José Esteban Muñoz Award. In November, we were captivated by Robert Reid-Pharr’s Kessler lecture, “Faith”, and compelled by Anne Balay’s keynote address, “Organizing Q***r Work: Gay Steelworkers, Trans Truckers, Feral Faculty,” at the Q***r-Class Relations Conference. For two days in October, we packed 700 people into the Le***an Lives conference!

Perhaps most importantly, CLAGS used its 40th anniversary platform to reject the quietude and acquiescence demanded by the Trump administration of organizations that dare to offer both q***r ideas and belonging to LGBTQ communities. We are so proud to say that in this moment, and drawing on its history, CLAGS thrived. Thank you for helping us expand our work. We added fellowships for emerging scholars. We attracted and sought community collaboration. We launched new academic initiatives. We recommitted to our mission of providing free, accessible LGBTQ studies to everyone.If ever there was a time to put the wind in our sails and contribute to the financial future of CLAGS, this is it.

Happy Juneteenth! Today we feature clips from Robert Reid-Pharr’s 2025 Kessler Lecture, “Faith”

Click the link for the entire lecture in our bio.

“Solidarity is not conditional”

“I love my clothes as much as I love my freedom”

Monday night was magic 💫
Tony Award winner, Qween join joined CLAGS board co-chair Dr. Terrance Wooten in conversation for the 10th annual José Muñoz Award.

Qween spoke truth to power about the urgent need to fight back against injustice everywhere. She emphasized how “solidarity is not conditional.” Dr. Wooten also asked how her organizing and activism intersect with her acclaimed and award-winning costume designs, to which Qween replied, “ I love my clothes as much as I love my freedom,” before discussing how her designs weave worlds, knit belonging, and radiate power.

Qween Jean was joined by a collective of community members from Black Trans Liberation, an organization she founded committed to ending homelessness and food insecurity within the trans population by providing weekly meals, mutual aid, and life-affirming fellowship while empowering and celebrating the community. Please support the nourishing work of this fabulous organization 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️📢📢💖💖

Thank you, thank you, Qween Jean and Black Trans Liberation

The José Esteban Muñoz Award was created to honor an LGBTQ community leader or activist for their advocacy and promotion of LGBTQ Studies. José Esteban Muñoz was a pioneer in LGBTQ studies. He passed away in December 2013.

———————————————————————————

For CLAGS’ 40th anniversary, we set an ambitious fundraising goal of $30,000 to support the work that the center does, including the annual José Muñoz Award.

Thank you for understanding that as CLAGS closes the chapter on our 40th year the next 40 years are not guaranteed. The next ten years are not guaranteed. We’ve seen how fast things can change when others control LGBTQ financial futures. Donation link in bio.

“Solidarity is not conditional”

“ I love my clothes as much as I love my freedom”

Monday night was magic. Tony Award winner, Qween join joined CLAGS board co-chair Dr. Terrance Wooten in conversation for the 10th annual José Muñoz Award. Qween spoke truth to power about the urgent need to fight back against injustice everywhere. She emphasized how “solidarity is not conditional.” Dr. Wooten also asked her how her organizing and activism intersect with her acclaimed and award-winning costume designs, to which Qween replied, “ I love my clothes as much as I love my freedom,” before discussing how her designs weave worlds, knit belonging, and radiate power.

Qween Jean was joined by a collective of community members from Black Trans Liberation, an organization she founded committed to ending homelessness and food insecurity within the trans population by providing weekly meals, mutual aid, and life-affirming fellowship while empowering and celebrating the community. Please support the nourishing work of this fabulous organization.

Thank you, thank you, Qween Jean and Black Trans Liberation 💐💐🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️📢📢💖💖

The José Esteban Muñoz Award was created to honor an LGBTQ community leader or activist for their advocacy and promotion of LGBTQ Studies. José Esteban Muñoz was a pioneer in LGBTQ studies. He passed away in December 2013.
———————————————————————————

For CLAGS’ 40th anniversary, we set an ambitious fundraising goal of $30,000 to support the work that the center does, including the annual José Muñoz Award.

Thank you for understanding that as CLAGS closes the chapter on our 40th year the next 40 years are not guaranteed. The next ten years are not guaranteed. We’ve seen how fast things can change when others control LGBTQ financial futures. Donation link in bio.