Join us for a live storytelling gathering to celebrate our exhibit's debut in Grand Rapids! Our collaborative event with Itasca PRIDE will take place Saturday, May 10th, 2-3:30 pm at Old Central School.
Location: 10 NW 5th St, Grand Rapids, MN 55744 (Free parking in the lot)
We Live On: Stories of Radical Connection invites you into how queer people around the state have fostered community and connection over time. Learn about queer communities across Minnesota history with stories of Two Spirit and Indigequeer, intersex, and incarcerated queer and trans folks, HIV/AIDS history, sex work, and more. Interact with historically-contextualized archival video, audio, story transcripts, letters, art, poems, an ancestral altar, and queer ephemera as you learn about Telling Queer History’s 11 years of community-based work. Our live storytellers are Andi Fredrickson, Arnold Dahl-Wooley, and Dixie Diamond.
Share a gift with us today to support this touring exhibit. Your support will also go toward preparing our archives to be shared with major institutions, including the Tretter Collection and the Minnesota Historical Society. https://tellingqueerhistory-bloom.kindful.com/
Can’t make it? Visit the exhibit at Old Central School from May 10th through the 26th, 9-3 Saturday & Monday, 9-5 Tuesday-Friday (Closed Sunday)
Access information:
High-quality masks (KN95 or better) are required and provided at the event on May 10th and for the duration of the exhibit.
There will be two ASL Interpreters
The school is wheelchair accessible. The exhibit will take place throughout the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors, which can be accessed via elevator. Please let us know how we can help you navigate.
There is free parking available in the lot
Air purifiers will be running for at least 30 minutes before the event starts.
This is a substance-free event
The exhibit will eventually be digitized so you can visit it from home. Stay tuned as we work towards this.
Please reach out if you have other access needs, and we will do our best to accommodate! hello@tellingqueerhistory.com
Grand Rapids Storytellers
Two Side by Side Oil Paintings of Andi by Tom Page from the collection “Women with Attitude”. In the left painting, they are depicted from the chest up on a pale white/grey background with tan skin, big white glasses, a mohawk hairstyle, a white tank top, and a proud look on his face. In the right painting, she is shown against an abstract orange & purple background, draped in a big green/blue coat, holding it up against their tilted face in a playful manner. She has the same tan skin and mohawk, with smaller brown glasses.
Andi Fredrickson (Any Pronouns)
I am a bold, beautiful, badass woman, mumma, auntie, sister, and friend. To pay rent and bills, I manage the Grand Rapids Food Shelf. I love my job. I have built a community there, and I'm proud of that. I'm single; I haven't been in a relationship in 13 years. I have been out and proud since I was 18 --- in 1994, I moved to Milwaukee for college. I have been kissed by tha Universe to have experienced many, many different Pride fests... my favorite of which is Twin Cities Pride. I fought for Prop 8 in California, made calls for Vote No in MN, and traveled to North Carolina with a team to train cluster leaders for their campaign for gay marriage as well. I'm blessed, so very blessed...
Arnold is pictured in this portrait looking to his right with barely visible golden plants behind him. He has light brown skin, a goatee that is mostly brown with a white tuft, and rainbow paint streaks on both cheeks. He is wearing a dark grey open suit with a white button down underneath, a beaded pin on his lapel, a silver fish necklace, and beaded earrings.
Arnold Dahl-Wooley (he/him)
Arnold J. Dahl-Wooley is a groundbreaking advocate, storyteller, and leading voice in the movement for Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ visibility. Proudly rooted in American Indian culture, Arnold made history in 2013 when he and his husband, Matthew, became the first same-sex couple to have their marriage officially sanctioned by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe—a landmark moment for Indigenous and queer rights.
With over two decades of national speaking experience, Arnold brings fierce passion, cultural insight, and unapologetic authenticity to every stage he steps on. His work explores the sacred roles of Two Spirit individuals before colonization, the devastating impacts of colonialism on Indigenous identities, and the journey to reclaim and celebrate Two Spirit roles in contemporary society—offering audiences a heartfelt perspective on the ongoing fight for dignity, respect, and equality.
A significant part of Arnold's advocacy focuses on suicide prevention, anti-bullying, and cultural inclusion—addressing critical issues that disproportionately affect Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ youth. Through deeply personal storytelling, he reveals the resilience required to face down bigotry and the strength that comes from embracing one’s full identity. Arnold's talks are not just educational—they’re a celebration of identity and community. As part of his outreach, he offers buttons and stickers as gifts, creating small yet meaningful tokens of solidarity and connection for his audiences.
Dixie is shown at the Flame Nightclub dressed in a metallic pink set consisting of a bikini top and mini skirt, with a sparkly studded belt and pink tassels. She is wearing a fuzzy white jacket with one shoulder exposed. She has on a thick chain necklace and a bellybutton ring. Dixie has pale skin and is covered in glitter. She wears glam makeup with black eyeliner and has a moon phase shoulder tattoo. She wears a ponytail and is raising her right hand to strike a post.
Dixie Diamond (she/her)
Dixie Diamond is THE Bratz Doll Pop Diva of The North! As the Co-Show Director and drag host of The Duluth Flame, Dixie brings a unique blend of glamour and Y2K essence to every performance. Dixie has been doing drag for over 3 1/2 years, and performing has helped her fully embrace herself to live authentically. Since starting drag, she has grown into her skin and found a community she thrives in. Get ready to be dazzled by the one and only Dixie Diamond!
This work is funded in part by MHC with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.