Once Removed - Series
LGBTQ people in the Upper Midwest and their families
Are you a person who identifies as LGBTQ from the Upper Midwest?
Would you like to share a story about yourself OR an LGBTQ member of your family (given or chosen)?
Would you like to learn more about LGBTQ members of your family?
Hello! My name is Paul Kruse. I’m a gay man and a playwright / media artist who grew up in La Crosse, WI. I want to talk with other LGBTQ folks from the Upper Midwest about LGBTQ identities and their experience of family—this includes families of origin, biological families, and/or chosen families. Stories can be about yourself, someone you know very well, or someone that you want to learn more about.
My goal is to help other LGBTQ folks feel more connected to the places and people that made them who they are, while recognizing that many of us experience harm in those same places and spaces.
I would like to talk to people of many different ages, genders, racial identities, abilities, and so on—all are welcome!
Uncovering these stories in my own family has been very healing. I hope this will also be true for other folks. You can learn more about my story here: https://www.paulwkruse.com/once-removed.
Conversations will be audio recorded and shared with the community where they were told. Some of these stories might become part of a play or audio piece in the future—with permission. I am able to offer a $100 stipend to anyone I interview for this project thanks to the generous support of MRAC and the Artist-in-Residence program at Unity Unitarian Church in St. Paul, MN.
If you are at all interested, please email me at:
Please share your name, a little bit about yourself, and a little bit about the story or person you’d like to talk about.
We can set up a time to meet over zoom or in person!
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
