I'D LIKE TO TELL MY STORY
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John Barnes
One of Tucsons AIDS First Responder
John shares his personal story as one of Tucson’s first responders to the AIDS crisis and his involvement in the early organizations as a hospice worker.
Tucson Queerstory is an archive of personal stories of LGBTQ+ people living in the Metro Tucson area. We are looking forward to your experiences. Got a coming out story you'd like to share? We here! How about a major event that had an impact on you growing and living in Tucson? We here! And we're QUEER!
The following guidelines will help you consider what is important for you to convey in your story.
1. Identify what you want to shareDecide what aspects of your story you may want to avoid or be cautious about discussing and what you feel comfortable sharing. Getting clarity about this will help set the state for an emotionally safe process.
2. Introduce yourselfHelp listeners get to know you by sharing a little bit about yourself.
3. Provide contextYou may want to include basic information to include any details that you believe are important to help build or situate your story in time and place.
4. Prepare to tell your storyIn thinking about your experience(s), you may find it hard to find words for what you experienced. Consider making a list of important moments, detailed memories associated with these experiences. Possibly avoid graphic details and focus on your feelings. By doing this you honor your experience for yourself and the listener.
5. Streamline your storyThink about the most important things you’d like your listeners to know. For instance, was there a specific moment or turning point in your experience? How do you feel ‘it’ changed you?
6. Share your own lesson(s) or what you learned (optional)
7. Don’t OUT people's sexual orientation or how they identifyIt’s important to remember that this is your story, and others might not be privy to your interpretations, or memories. Leave other people’s real names out of your story. (If you have questions about this, you may discuss it with the person recording your story.)
8. Don’t worry about stumbling over your words.
1. Identify what you want to shareDecide what aspects of your story you may want to avoid or be cautious about discussing and what you feel comfortable sharing. Getting clarity about this will help set the state for an emotionally safe process.
2. Introduce yourselfHelp listeners get to know you by sharing a little bit about yourself.
3. Provide contextYou may want to include basic information to include any details that you believe are important to help build or situate your story in time and place.
4. Prepare to tell your storyIn thinking about your experience(s), you may find it hard to find words for what you experienced. Consider making a list of important moments, detailed memories associated with these experiences. Possibly avoid graphic details and focus on your feelings. By doing this you honor your experience for yourself and the listener.
5. Streamline your storyThink about the most important things you’d like your listeners to know. For instance, was there a specific moment or turning point in your experience? How do you feel ‘it’ changed you?
6. Share your own lesson(s) or what you learned (optional)
7. Don’t OUT people's sexual orientation or how they identifyIt’s important to remember that this is your story, and others might not be privy to your interpretations, or memories. Leave other people’s real names out of your story. (If you have questions about this, you may discuss it with the person recording your story.)
8. Don’t worry about stumbling over your words.
Please select how you would like to contact us regarding your story. We will respond with an email and/or call.