Introducing 2020 Panel, Archiving LGBT+ History

We are pleased to announce the Archiving LGBT+ History panel for the 2020 Information Without Borders conference, featuring panel moderator Rebecca Rose and panelists Meredith Batt, Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan, and Lydia Hunsberger.

Rebecca Rose is a Cape Breton-born queer femme, feminist, and freelance writer who has spent her adult life going between Halifax and Toronto. Rebecca’s writing focuses on queer and trans people, communities, and histories; misogyny; and social movements. She has a journalism degree from Ryerson University. Rebecca’s own queer activism has spanned the last decade, including involvement in Nova Scotia’s 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy group and as a founding member of the Halifax Dyke and Trans March.

Meredith J. Batt grew up in Moncton and has been living in Fredericton since September 2018. They are an Assistant Archivist at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Meredith earned a B.A. in History at Université de Moncton. They are now the Vice-President of the Queer Heritage Initiative of New Brunswick, which aims to collect the 2LGBTQ+ history of the province. Meredith is a proud New Brunswicker who enjoys biking the trails of Fredericton, reading about Queer History and listening to podcasts.

Dr. Gahagan is a Full Professor of Health Promotion in the Faculty of Health at Dalhousie University. She holds Research Associate positions with the Jean Monnet European Union Centre of Excellence, the Health Law Institute, the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute and is an Affiliate Scientist with the Nova Scotia Health Authority. Her program of health promotion research focuses on policy and programming interventions using sex and gender-based analyses (SGBA+) to address health inequities faced among marginalized populations at high risk for poor health outcomes such as those living with or affected by HIV, HCV or other STBBIs, older LGBTQ+ populations and those involved in sex work. Prior to joining Dalhousie University, Jacquie worked in public health at the municipal, provincial and national levels in relation to harm reduction, HIV/HCV prevention, and tobacco use cessation.

Lydia Hunsberger grew up in Elmira, Ontario and moved to Nova Scotia to pursue a BFA majoring in Photography at NSCAD University. Graduating in 2018, Lydia is currently a research assistant with the Nova Scotia LGBT+ Seniors archive and a second-year student in Dalhousie’s MLIS program pursuing  an interest archives, community outreach, and public programming. Lydia works primarily in acquisitions and processing, collecting and organizing materials in order to make them accessible to researchers. Lydia is excited to have the opportunity to work closely with other members of the queer community to help preserve and promote local queer history.