Librarians Catherine Bellamy (she/her) and Alan Woo (he/him) discuss their experiences as 2SLGBTQ+ librarians planning Surrey Libraries’ first drag queen story time event in 2017. They also share about other initiatives they led that fostered inclusivity, including creating Surrey Libraries’ first Pride Alliance, ordering 2SLGBTQ+ books to expand the collection, and community outreach.
Content warning: The topics discussed in this interview may be distressing. Viewer discretion is advised.
Views expressed in the interview are those of the interviewee and interviewer.
Amplifying Voices is a Surrey Archives Oral History Project partially funded through Heritage BC’s 150 Time Immemorial Grant Program. This project aims to preserve and honour the lived experiences of communities who are underrepresented in the stories we tell about Surrey’s past. This interview is part of a series conducted with members of the local 2SLGBTQ+ community and advocates.
Surrey Archives is situated on the unceded and ancestral lands of the Salish peoples, including the q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), and se’mya’me (Semiahmoo) Nations.
Surrey Archives is the official repository for the City of Surrey, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and making accessible, archival records that document the history and development of Surrey. For more information, go to www.surrey.ca/archives.