Barbara May Cameron(May 22, 1954 – February 12, 2002) was aNative Americanphotographer, poet, writer, andhuman rightsactivist in the fields of lesbian/gay rights, women's rights, andNative American rights.[1][2][3][4]
Barbara May Cameron | |
|---|---|
 Cameron in 1996 | |
| Born | May 22, 1954 |
| Died | February 12, 2002(aged 47) United States |
| Nationality | Standing Rock Sioux Tribe,American |
| Education | Institute of American Indian Arts,San Francisco Art Institute |
| Partner | Linda Boyd |
Early life
editBarbara May Cameron was born on May 22, 1954. She was aHunkpapaLakota from the Fort Yates band of theStanding Rock Sioux TribeinFort Yates, North Dakota.[2]She grew up on theStanding Rock Indian Reservation,North Dakota,raised by her grandparents.[2][4]Completing her early education and high schooling on the reservation, she went on to further her education in photography and film at theInstitute of American Indian ArtsinSanta Fe, New Mexico.[2]In 1973, Cameron moved toSan Franciscoto attend theSan Francisco Art Institute.[4]
Career
editAs a photographer and movie maker, Cameron won media and theater arts awards.[2]Her screenplay "Long Time, No See", remained unfinished at her death.[5][4]
Cameron co-founded theGay American Indians(GAI), in 1975 with Randy Burns, aNorthern Paiute.GAI was the first gay American Indian liberation organization.[6][7]The reason for founding GAI, according to Cameron, was that Native American gay people had different needs and struggles than the white gay community. Moreover, there was a general lack of support for people of color within the lesbian and gay community.[2][8][9][10][7]
In 1978, Cameron contributed to the anthologyOur Right to Love: a lesbian resource book.[4][11]
From 1980 to 1985, Cameron participated in organizing San Francisco'sLesbian Gay Freedom Day Parade and Celebration[2]and contributed in 1981 toThis Bridge Called My Back:Writings by Radical Women of Color,edited byCherríe MoragaandGloria E. Anzaldúa.Her articleGee, You Don't Seem Like an Indian from the Reservationanalyzed topics like racism and homophobia from both inside and outside the Native American community.[9][3]In 1983, she contributed to the landmark collectionA Gathering of Spirit:A Collection of Writing and Art by North American Indian Women.The anthology, edited byBeth Brant,included works by twelve Native lesbians.[9][3]
In the late 1980s, Cameron was vice president of theAlice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Cluband co-chair for Lesbian Agenda for Action.[8][4]In 1986, Cameron, together with other women who called themselvesSomos Hermanas(We are sisters), went toNicaraguato study and show solidarity with women there, and to help improve their lives.[4]In 1988, she served as a delegate forJesse Jackson'sRainbow Coalitionto theDemocratic National Convention.That same year, she was appointed byDianne Feinstein,thenSan Francisco Mayor,to the Citizens Committee on Community Development and theSan Francisco Human Rights Commission.She was appointed byFrank Jordan,the next mayor, to serve on theUnited Nations Commission on the Status of Women.[3][4]
From 1989 to 1992, Cameron acted as executive director of Community United Against Violence (CUAV), assisting victims ofdomestic violenceandhate crimes.[2]She received theHarvey MilkAward for Community Service in 1992 and the following year, she was the first recipient of the Bay Area Career Women Community Service Award.[2]That same year, she was a participant in the International Indigenous AIDS Network as part of theInternational Conference on AIDSheld inBerlin.She spent 1993 engaged inAIDSeducation, traveling to various Indian reservations throughout the United States.[4]
Cameron's essayNo Apologies: A Lakota Lesbian Perspectivewas included inNew Our Right to Love: A Lesbian Resource Book(1996).[5]She served on the board of directors for both theSan Francisco AIDS Foundationand the American Indian AIDS Institute[2][4]and as a consultant to theCenters for Disease Control and Preventionandthe United States Department of Health and Human Services.[2]She was the founder of Institute on Native American Health and Wellness, with her first project publishing the works of Native American women writers.[5]
Barbara Cameron's papers are held by the James Hormel LGBTQIA center at theSan Francisco Public Library.[12]
Cameron was honored in aGoogle Doodleon May 22, 2023.[13]
Personal life
editCameron was in a 21-year relationship with Linda Boyd, with whom she raised a son, Rhys Boyd-Farrell.[2][5]In an effort to record key figures of the Lesbian and Gay community,Robert Giardcreated a portrait of Cameron which is now part of theBeinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.[14]
Death
editCameron died of natural causes at her home on February 12, 2002, aged 47. Her memorial service was attended byTom Ammiano,president of theSan Francisco Board of SupervisorsandCarole Migden,who at the time representedDistrict 13in theCalifornia State Assembly.Cameron was remembered for her advocacy of gay and lesbian Native Americans.[2][4]
References
edit- ^Moraga, Cherrie (2015).This Bridge Called My Back.New York, United States: Sunny Press. p. 268.
- ^abcdefghijklmKnight, Heather (19 April 2002)."Barbara May Cameron – human rights activist".SFGate.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^abcdNelson, Emmanuel S. (2009).Encyclopedia of Contemporary LGBTQ Literature of the United States [2 volumes].ABC-CLIO. p. 379.ISBN9780313348600.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^abcdefghijk"Barbara Cameron Papers, 1968–2003 GLC 63".OAC – Online Archive of California.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^abcdVida, Ginny (2010).New Our Right to Love: A Lesbian Resource Book.Simon and Schuster. p. 9.ISBN9781439145418.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^"Will Roscoe papers and Gay American Indians records".oac.cdlib.org.
- ^abGilley, Brian Joseph (2006).Becoming Two-spirit: Gay Identity and Social Acceptance in Indian Country.University of Nebraska Press. p. 27.ISBN0803271263.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^abLillian, Faderman(2012).Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America.Columbia University Press. p. 352.ISBN9780231530743.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^abcSummers, Claude J. (2014).Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage.Routledge.ISBN9781135303990.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^Stein, Marc (2012).Rethinking the Gay and Lesbian Movement.Routledge.ISBN9781136331572.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^National Gay Task Force (1978).Our right to love: a lesbian resource book.Prentice-Hall.ISBN9780136444015.Retrieved30 July2017.
- ^"Cameron (Barbara) Papers".oac.cdlib.org.Retrieved2022-10-24.
- ^"Barbara May Cameron's 69th Birthday".Google.May 22, 2023.RetrievedMay 21,2023.
- ^"Barbara Cameron".Robert Giard Papers.Retrieved30 July2017.