Rainbow History adds archives of pioneering D.C. LGBTQ Latina/o advocacy group

January 14, 2023

Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, associate professor of sociology at American University and AU student Emma Busch, worked on processing a collection of archives from the Latina/o LGBTQ organization ENLACE, donated by the organization's former president Leti Gomez (right). The physical collection is in the the RHP Collection at the DC History Center; digital access is available through American University Library. Photo: DC History Center.

Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, associate professor of sociology at American University and AU student Emma Busch, worked on processing a collection of archives from the Latina/o LGBTQ organization ENLACE, donated by the organization's former president Leti Gomez (right). The physical collection is in the the RHP Collection at the DC History Center; digital access is available through American University Library. Photo: DC History Center.

Rainbow History Project and American University have collaborated to make available an archive of primary source documents donated by former ENLACE president Letitia “Leti” Gomez. ENLACE—“link” in English—was a pioneering Latina/o LGBTQ organization, the earliest such group in Washington, D.C., founded to fight discrimination and create a new political base.

The physical documents are now part of the RHP collection held at the DC History Center.

Read more about the ENLACE collection:

In recognition of her leadership in ENLACE and more, Rainbow History Project named Leti Gomez a Community Pioneer in 2007.