Diane Hansen

Tucked into the foothills of the Rockies, Colorado Springs holds a complex and powerful story, one often told through a narrow lens. The Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ Oral History Project shifts that perspective entirely, turning the microphone over to the people who lived it. This isn't a polished historical overview, but a living archive of intimate conversations. You'll hear directly from longtime LGBTQ+ residents, their voices carrying the weight and warmth of personal memory. They share stories of creating community in unexpected places, of resilience in the face of being labeled a national battleground during the culture wars, and of the quiet, daily triumphs that often go unrecorded. This podcast prioritizes narratives from underrepresented queer and trans communities, ensuring the full tapestry of the city's identity is preserved. Each episode feels like sitting down with a neighbor who has seen the city transform, offering a crucial, firsthand account of the struggle to simply make a home. Listening feels like an act of preservation, honoring a past that actively shapes the present. Through these personal histories, the project builds a more complete and human understanding of a place and its people.