OLYL | Intergenerational Pen Pal Program
The American LGBTQ+ Museum, in partnership with "Old Lesbians" filmmaker Meghan McDonough, is launching a new initiative called OLYL: Exchanging Wisdom Across Generations which aims to build intergenerational exchange through letter-writing between lesbians and sapphics.
ORIGIN STORY
This idea grew out of screenings of the short documentary Old Lesbians, including the American LGBTQ+ Museum’s “Old Lesbians X Young Lesbians” event in New York City in July 2024. During these screenings, we witnessed beautiful intergenerational connections unfolding in the audience, on the panel, and after the event. We have so much to learn from each other and so few spaces to meaningfully connect. So we’ve designed this project to nourish these connections and hope you’ll be a part of it!
HOW IT WORKS
Our pen pal exchange is open to all lesbians, queers, and sapphics. We pair pen pals based on mutual interests and generation (meaning we try to pair lesbians of different generations with each other). Once you sign up, if you choose physical letters as your form of communication with your pen pal we will send you a how-to kit on sending letters with materials to get you started.
Please Note: OLYL: Exchanging Wisdom Across Generations is not intended to be romantic. The program is designed for people who are looking to connect with and learn from lesbians and queers of different generations.
If you are interested in building an intergenerational community via letter, email, or zoom, sign up to be matched with a pen pal via the form below.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Veshalini Naidu (they/them) is a queer, disabled, Malaysian Indian justice-based multidisciplinary artist, designing for advocacy groups and non-profits such as Oxfam Novib, IWRAW, and Amnesty International Malaysia.
PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT PROVIDED BY AARP
This program is made possible in part by the generous support of AARP, a founding sponsor of the American LGBTQ+ Museum. Their commitment helps us preserve our histories and create spaces for dialogue, joy, and intergenerational connection.
