Mission

To collect, preserve and make accessible the LGBTQ+ History of the Greater Palm Springs Area and the Coachella Valley.

Vision

To focus on documenting and preserving the history of the LGBTQ+ community of the Greater Palm Springs Area, and sharing that history with LGBTQ+ individuals, organizations, allies and the public.

History

Why were gays & lesbians drawn to Palm Springs? Was it for the beauty of the desert, the winter weather, or the tendency to live and let live? Who were they? Were they only Hollywood celebrities? And what about the people who started LGBT businesses and organizations that helped make the Palm Springs area the welcoming place it is for the LGBTQ+ community now? Lots of questions and few answers, or at least in any one place or from any one source!

So it seemed obvious that it was time to begin collecting, preserving, and archiving the local LGBTQ+ history; not only for today’s community, but future generations as well.

In 2019, David Gray, a retired public relations professional, Julie Warren, Library & Public Services Manager of the Palm Springs Public Library, and Jordan Hammon, Archivist with the Palm Springs Historical Society, gathered together a group of LGBT community leaders to discuss the idea.

Working with the Founding Committee, the Archives was formed, and began building a timeline of local LGBTQ+ events, documenting information about LGBT businesses and organizations, was gifted some historic items, and began reaching out to the community.

Since then the Archives has continued to grow, hold exhibitions, programs, and share the LGBTQ+ History of the Desert.

Founding Committee Members

David L. Gray, Co-Founder – Retired Public Relations Professional
Julie Warren, Co-Founder – Palm Springs Public Library
Jordan Hammon, Co-Founder – Palm Springs Historical Society
Renee Brown – Palm Springs Historical Society
Jack Bunting – DAP Health
Ron deHarte – Greater Palm Springs Pride
Gary Ewer – LGBT History Collector
Brad Fuhr – Gay Desert Guide
Denise Goolsby – City of Palm Springs
Michael Green – Desert Gay Tourism Guild
Lisa Middleton – Palm Springs City Council
Candice Nichols – The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert
David Powell – Desert Business Association

Board Members

• David L. Gray
  Co-Founder & Co-Director
  Retired Public Relations Professional
• Julie Warren
  Co-Founder & Co-Director
  Palm Springs Public Library
• William vanHemert
  Secretary
  DAP Health
• Bob Machado
  Treasurer
  Compass Rose Financial Planning
• Jimmy Boegle
  Board Member
  Coachella Valley Independent LLC
• Thomas E. Brown, PhD
  Board Member
  Retired Archivist
• Paul D. Cain
  Board Member
  Author
• Ron deHarte
  Board Member
  Greater Palm Springs Pride
• Brad Fuhr
  Board Member
  Gay Desert Guide
• Denise Goolsby
  Board Member
  City of Palm Springs
• Michael Green
  Board Member
  Desert Gay Tourism Guild
• Mark Lechter
  Board Member
  Attorney
• Lisa Middleton
  Board Member
  Palm Springs City Council
• David Powell
  Board Member
  Desert Business Association
• Ronni Sanlo
  Board Member
  Retired Professor