The American LGBTQ+ Museum

EVENT DETAILS

Join us for a virtual author talk with Kaila Adia Story in conversation with author, poet, and scholar Alexis Pauline Gumbs discussing Story’s book, The Rainbow Ain’t Never Been Enuf: On the Myth of LGBTQ+ Solidarity.

In this urgent and incisive work, queer Black feminist Kaila Adia Story challenges the myth of rainbow solidarity, centering Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ people and exposing how racism, transphobia, and antiblackness persist within mainstream queer spaces. Blending theory, pop culture, and lived experience, Story invites us to imagine a more accountable and inclusive future for LGBTQ+ communities.

ABOUT LAVENDER LITERARY SOCIETY

The American LGBTQ+ Museum Book Club is a space for community and connection, bridging generations through the magic of storytelling. The selections will be a mix of popular queer history and memoir with inspiring authors and iconic guest facilitators. The pages we turn will become stepping stones for intergenerational dialogue, fostering understanding, empathy, and unity. Together, we’ll traverse the landscapes of queer culture, savoring the nuances and complexities that make our stories uniquely ours.

This isn’t just a book club; it’s a movement. Reading together becomes a powerful act of empowerment, a catalyst for change, and a testament to the resilience of the LGBTQ+ spirit. Participants will be a part of something extraordinary. In this book club, we won’t just read, we’ll weave the threads of our stories into a tapestry of strength, resilience, and pride.

AUTHOR

Kaila Adia Story, PhD is a professor in the Departments of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Pan-African Studies, as well as the Audre ‪Lorde Endowed Chair at the University of Louisville. She is the author of The Rainbow Ain’t Never Been Enuf: On the Myth of LGBTQ+ Solidarity (Beacon Press 2025) and Patricia Hill Collins: Reconceiving Motherhood (Demeter Press, 2014). She is also the co-creator, co-producer, and cohost of Louisville Public Media’s “Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture, and Black Gay Life,” a popular award-winning, 8 year running podcast. Her research examines the intersections of race and sexuality, with special attention to Black Feminism, Black Lesbians, and Black Queer identity. Dr. Story was named as an LGBTQ+ community leader and change maker as a part of NBC’s inaugural #Pride30, as well as and recently, Dr. Story was chosen as the 2022 Champion of Pride for the state of Kentucky by The Advocate. Dr. Story has also received recognition from Michelle Obama’s non-profit organization, Reach Higher for creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students in and out of higher education.

HOST

Alexis Pauline Gumbs is a Queer Black Feminist Love Evangelist and an aspirational cousin to all life.  She is/they are the author of several books, most recently Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde and the award-winning Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals. She is/they are the co-founder of the Mobile Homecoming Trust, an intergenerational experiential living library of Black LBGTQ brilliance.

GRAPHIC

Our beautiful graphic is designed by the incredible Loveis Wise (they/he), a multidisciplinary artist, designer, creative director, and Capricorn, drawing reimagined futures and playfulness in Los Angeles.

ACCESSIBILITY

This program will be presented via Zoom with live closed captioning available in English. We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. Please reach out with any questions, requests or needs to info@americanlgbtqmuseum.org.