Katherine M. Fobear

“Cuentos de Mariposas” (Butterfly Stories) centers the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ Latinx immigrants, asylum seekers, and elders in California’s Central Valley. Through a series of storytelling circles and participatory photography workshops, the project explores themes of belonging, migration, memory, and “active subjectivity” (Lugones, 2005) as they emerge within this unique landscape. By spotlighting voices that have long been overlooked, “Cuentos de Mariposas” uncovers the rich and resilient histories of LGBTQ+ Latinx and Spanish-speaking communities. It honors queer kinship forged in everyday spaces through house parties, Lotería games, Latiné dance nights, and shared meals. Participants will be trained in the tools of storytelling and participatory photography. Their work will culminate in a public exhibition at Dulce Upfront, a queer collective art space in Fresno, where photographs and excerpts from their stories will be shared with the broader community. These collected narratives and images will also contribute to a forthcoming book project, “Girl of the Golden West,” which documents and celebrates LGBTQ+ history in the Central Valley.