More about the DVD Our Stories, Our Voices

Whether you are new to the Project, are already familiar, have shared your own story, or work with the OLOHP as an interviewer, Our Stories, Our Voices: The Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project is well worth an hour of your time. In fact, once it's over, you'll find yourself thinking about some of the women whose words you've heard, wondering what happened next.
​Arden Eversmeyer narrates the DVD, sharing with you what motivated her to start the Project and how it has developed and grown over the past two decades. Six women lend their voices by reading forty excerpts taken directly from the Herstories of 37 Old Lesbians. The DVD shares excerpts covering a wide range of topics about early experiences, finding other women who were like you, seeking professional help, experiences in the military, and much more. Our Stories, Our Voices is many things at once: it's informative and insightful, readings touch you deeply, and sometimes make you laugh. There are stories that are very hard to hear, but there are also stories that are deeply touching and affirming.
Our Stories, Our Voices
60 minute DVD presentation about the work of the Project 
Who is our audience?
​We hope Our Stories, Our Voices will be viewed by other old lesbians, younger lesbians, LGBTQ groups, women's and gender study programs, PFLAG chapters, open and affirming church groups, care providers of LGBTQ people, and more. We hope groups will use the DVD to start discussions. We have developed a Companion Guide for the DVD as well as several handouts that will be useful tools for group discussions. Supplementary materials for Our Stories, Our Voices are available as a free PDF you can download here. 
Why produce a DVD about the OLOHP?
​The DVD and Companion Guide are designed and presented by old lesbians from PS OLOC in efforts to develop a cost-effective mechanism of outreach to improve the lives of old lesbians, particularly those who are isolated/invisible/vulnerable. As female, sexual minorities, often disabled by age and low-income, old lesbians have survived many decades of discrimination. Vast numbers still dare not come out as lesbian/gay, or they go back into the closet for safety’s sake when they must live in homophobic environments. This project aims to increase self-esteem and community engagement of old lesbians; improve mental and physical well-being; and increase likelihood of aging in place, reducing risks of early institutionalization and significantly higher health care costs.
How did the DVD come about?
Puget Sound OLOC is a chapter of the national organization OLOC, Old Lesbians Organizing for Change. They work on various efforts to improve the lives of old lesbians, including playing a key role in the Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project. It was the PS OLOC women who developed and have honed the concept of sharing pieces of the Herstories through dramatic readings. They applied for and received a grant from the Pride Foundation to help produce this DVD, taking the dramatic readings beyond their own area. PS OLOC also was fortunate to have the invaluable technical assistance of Dr. David Coon, University of Washington Tacoma, who donated untold hours to producing the DVD.

More than a dozen PS OLOC women are trained interviewers and they have, collectively, conducted more 50 interviews in their area, and while they travel. PS OLOC women have also helped in other stages of the processing the interviews, doing some transcribing, helping with scanning and printing, and assembling final Herstories. They also offer presentations, often including  dramatic readings, to various groups throughout the Puget Sound.

    To get more details on how to get the DVD, please fill out the following form and we'll get back to you. 

The Project is excited about having a DVD that shares what we are doing! Thanks to the Puget Sound chapter of Old Lesbians Organizing for Change (PS OLOC) for taking on production of this informative, moving and delightful film. It's filled with dramatic readings of excerpts from stories in the OLOHP collection and narrated by the Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project Founder, Director, and Guiding Force, Arden Eversmeyer!