October 7th! One Day ONLY! Louise is proud to join Live Solano Give Solano’s community fundraiser, uniting Solano County non-profits to build a stronger community together. On this 24-hour giving day, every dollar counts!
This year, your donation directly funds three critical priorities:
Upgrading Our Tech: Our reliable computer, “Flora”, needs a well-deserved retirement. We need a faster model to continue scanning and preserving thousands of archival images.
Preserving Trans History: We are purchasing professional archival storage for our extensive collection of historic trans and gender-nonconforming magazines (like Lee Brewster’s Drag and Female Mimics International). These rare publications document how our community connected long before the internet.
Sustaining Operations: In a challenging climate for LGBTQ+ organizations, your support keeps our lights on. This year alone, we mounted Trans People of Color exhibitions across four venues, tabled at multiple Prides, and hosted researchers and students.
Louise remains open by appointment for anyone wishing to browse the collection. Please protect this vital history and help us continue our work.
The archive is named in honor of Northern California transgender pioneer Louise Lawrence, who began living full-time as a woman in 1942, first in the Berkeley, CA, then San Francisco. She, along with Virginia Prince and others, published the first incarnation of Transvestia in 1952. Louise’s address book was the initial subscription list and she was instrumental in developing the trans community’s connection to pioneering sex researchers such as Alfred Kinsey and Harry Benjamin. 
A Message from Ms. Bob Davis
