Preserving Dignity History Project | Dignity Philadelphia

Preserving Dignity

An Archive of Queer Catholic History in Philadelphia

Dignity Philadelphia is proud to partner with the Queer and Catholic Oral History Project (QCOHP) to document and celebrate the stories of our community. With support from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Preserving Dignity project will help preserve the history and stories of our queer elders, members, and others who are the heart and soul of our organization.

For more than 50 years, we have built a community and created space for LGBTQ+ Catholics to live their faith authentically. Unfortunately, many of our stories live only in memories, boxes, photo albums, or personal conversations. Preserving Dignity is our chance to celebrate our stories and record them in our own words.

Oral history is a powerful way to show that queer Catholics have always existed. We have this incredible opportunity to officially record and archive our life stories to help future generations understand where they came from. This intergenerational experience will help to connect members–young and old–to each other and the history of our community.

How it works

Recording Oral Histories

Preserving Dignity will collect stories in the form of oral history interviews recorded by Emma Cieslik from January–March 2026. Interviews will mainly be conducted over Zoom, though there are options for in-person interviews on select dates. All interviews and materials will be carefully archived as part of the QCOHP collection, ensuring they are preserved and accessible for years to come. All are invited to share their stories! You don't need to be a certain age or have been a member for a set amount of time to be interviewed. Please email us at ohp@dignityphila.org if you are interested in being interviewed for the project.

You can watch / listen to the Dignity Philadelphia

oral history interviews already recorded!

Listen Now on Substack

Digitizing Photos & Physical Media

We will also be digitizing and saving photos, news clippings, awards, and other physical ephemera related to Dignity Philadelphia. This will mainly take place during History Day on Saturday, March 14, 2026. Folks are invited to bring photos related to Dignity Philadelphia's history, members, events, etc. to be scanned. Please see the History Day event information below, especially our tips on preparing photos to be scanned.

We have so much history & information in boxes. It's time to dust these off!

Preserving History & Providing Access

The Preserving Dignity project will build on past efforts of recording and preserving stories about Dignity Philadelphia's history, as well as the people who are part of that history. Not only will we be collecting as much as possible about the organization's history, we will save information, photos, oral history interviews and transcripts, articles, and more in a digital archive that can be accessed by trusted members of the public.

Check out our conversation with Sr. Jeannine Gramick from Dignity Philadelphia's 50th Anniversary in 2023. Always available on YouTube!

Connecting Across Divides

Beyond intergenerational storytelling, the Preserving Dignity project will be an opportunity for cross-generational relationship- and trust-building. Dignity Philadelphia has seen an increase in younger members in recent years, and this project would act as a catalyst to strengthen relationships between our longtime members and newer, younger members.

Dignity Philadelphia's history is part of a larger story. We will connect with other local LGBTQ+ organizations such as William Way, the Mazzoni Center, and Giovanni's Room. We will hold public events to share the stories of our members and of Dignity Philadelphia with the general public, with the goal of reaching a wider audience and building community.

By the end of the project, we will have recorded several in-depth oral histories, digitized important photos and documents, created resources for the wider community, and provided access to the memories, stories and histories we’ve preserved. The stories collected will add to the QCOHP archive and contribute to its mission, becoming part of a larger, communal history of LGBTQ+ Catholics. Most importantly, we will have affirmed that our lives, our faith and our stories matter.

History Day Event

Saturday, March 14, 2026
Church of St. Luke & the Epiphany, Philadelphia

When: Saturday, March 14, 2026 | 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Where: Church of St. Luke & the Epiphany | 330 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

We hope you join us in Philadelphia for our History Day event on Saturday, March 14!

During this event, members will have the chance to come together to reflect, connect, and celebrate our shared history. There will be stations to collect and scan photos, newspaper clippings, pamphlets and other meaningful materials, as well as space for training sessions on how to conduct these interviews yourself. Enjoy food and fellowship while helping to shape the future of queer Catholic life.

RSVP HERE

Agenda

This is a drop-in style event. You don't need to attend for the full day, though you are welcome to do so!

10:00 - 11:30 am: Photo Scanning Time #1

Bring in photos and documents related to Dignity Philadelphia to be scanned. There will be at least two photo scanning stations, where volunteers will ask you to fill out an intake form and then will scan your photos.
View photos, banners, memory books, and more materials documenting Dignity Philadelphia’s history.
Coffee and donuts will be available all morning.

11:30 am - 12:00 pm: Break

Catch up with friends old and new!
Volunteers will set up for lunch during this time.

12:00 - 2:00 pm: Lunch

Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions by filling out the RSVP form.

2:00 - 3:00 pm: Project Reflection & Story Time with Emma Cieslik and Kaeden Carroll

As we’re wrapping up lunch, Emma will share some reflections from the last month she’s spent recording oral history interviews with Dignity Philadelphia members!
Kaeden will lead an activity for all attendees to share their stories about Dignity Philadelphia–whether folks are newer to the community, or long time-members.
Is there a question you’ve always wanted to ask about what it was like to join Dignity Philadelphia in the early days? Are you curious to know what it’s like to be a young queer person today?
Get to know your fellow Dignity Philadelphia members and reflect on friends you’ve made in the community over the years.

3:00 - 3:30 pm: Break / Record History Videograms

After our reflection and reminiscing following lunch, attendees will have the opportunity to record videograms in our video booth! Think of a photo booth, but for videos!
Folks can record a short reflection about what it’s meant to participate in / learn about the Preserving Dignity project so far, as well as share a story about members who have passed away and whose stories we also want to preserve as part of the project.
The video booth will be available until the end of the event.

3:30 - 5:00 pm: Photo Scanning Time #2

More time to scan photos and physical media relating to Dignity Philadelphia.
If you can’t get to the event during the designated photo-scanning time, we will be able to accommodate a limited number of people scanning during lunch and the afternoon activity.

5:00 pm: End of Event & Clean-Up

Prepare for History Day & Sign up to Volunteer

Preparing photos to be scanned
We invite you to begin gathering any photos, documents, or memorabilia you may wish to share to help document our past and prepare for our upcoming events. As you look through albums and boxes, please take a moment to note what you remember about each item. For example: who is pictured, where it was taken, and about when. Group photos from the same event together whenever possible. If you can, place a sticky note on each photo or item with names, locations, dates, and a few words about its significance. This will help ensure that our stories are preserved accurately and allow us to be more efficient in our collecting.

Our History Day event will be a community effort and will require volunteers to assist in making the day as smooth as possible for everyone. Volunteer shifts will be 2 - 3 hours long. Roles include:

Food & Drink Station Manager: help keep refreshments stocked and the space clear
Meeter & Greeter: assist participants, answer questions, and offer support where needed
Digitization Station Manager: help with scanning photos and documents
Set-Up & Take-Down: prepare the space before the event and restore it afterward

Get Involved

Whether you’re an original member, a first time attendee, or a former presider, you are part of our history. You are invited to join us in preserving the past and ensuring LGBTQ+ Catholics in the future know they are not alone.

The Preserving Dignity project has many opportunities for volunteers to plug in and help make this effort a reality.

If you are interested in being interviewed or in volunteering, please email the project organizers at ohp@dignityphila.org.

Sign up for updates on the Preserving Dignity History Project. Fill out the form below to be added to an email list dedicated to updates about the project.

Meet the Team

She/They

Kate Carroll

Kate is the current Board President of Dignity Philadelphia. In 2023, she led the planning of Dignity Philadelphia’s 50th Anniversary, raising thousands of dollars to support the chapter, welcoming guests from across the country, and recording a conversation discussing the early days of the chapter with the guest of honor, Sr. Jeannine Grammick. In 2025, Kate represented the Philadelphia Chapter as a panelist at the DignityUSA National Conference in Dublin, OH. As one of the original organizers of Preserving Dignity, Kate wrote the successful grant application funding the project.

She/Her

Emma Cieslik

Emma is a queer, disabled museum worker and public historian based in the Washington, DC area. She is the founder and director of the Queer and Catholic Oral History Project, recording and preserving experiences at the intersection of queer identity and Catholicism in every form it takes. She also conducts oral history research among LGBTQ+ communities of faith across the country, serving as public historian for the Pride Interfaith Service in Washington, DC.

She/Her

Mary Elizabeth Marquardt

Mary Elizabeth is a PhD student worker at Emory University studying religion, race, and legal history in the U.S. South. She focuses on 20th century interactions between churches and the state, with a special interest in religious schools and taxation. She is a divinity school graduate whose prior archival and oral history research relates to Catholic schools, charism, religious orders, and community organizing. A native Atlantan, Mary Elizabeth is glad to be based back in her home city after studying in New Jersey and Connecticut.

She/Her

Nicole Mittelstadt

Nicole is a hospitality marketing professional based in Las Vegas, Nevada.Originally from the Midwest, she and her husband have been living out west for nearly 7 years. In their free time, they enjoy spending time reading, hiking, and traveling the world. As a lifelong practicing Catholic, Nicole is excited to be part of the organization and project management of the Preserving Dignity project to celebrate, record and archive the stories and memories of Dignity Philadelphia members.

she/her he/him

Max Pins

Max is a Dignity member passionate about LGBT+ Catholic history. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelors in History, Women and Gender Studies, and Spanish in 2023. Her passion for history motivated her to continue her education and she earned a Masters in History with a concentration in LGBT+ history in 2024. While at Loyola Max volunteered with Gerber/Hart, a LGBT+ archives, and worked for Loyola’s Women and Leadership Archives. She is excited to bring her historical knowledge and archival experience to Preserving Dignity. After getting her Masters, Max moved to Philadelphia and is currently a fellow with Made By Us, creating programming that will inspire young people to learn history and be involved in their communities. In her free time Max loves exploring Philadelphia’s museums and parks.