ABOUT LYDIA OTERO
I am a historian, author, and activist whose work illuminates the intersections of Mexican American history, queer activism, and urban renewal in the Southwest.
Early Life
​I was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. My memoir In the Shadows of the Freeway: Growing Up Brown & Queer released in 2019, which combines family history with historical archives, is about growing up in Tucson.
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Activism in Los Angeles
My experiences as a queer activist and blue-collar worker from 1978 to 1998 in Los Angeles form the basis of my latest book, L.A. Interchanges: A Brown & Queer Archival Memoir, published in 2023.
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L.A. Highlights
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• I worked as a electrician in IBEW Local Union 11 in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994. My labor contributed to building some of the most iconic structures in Los Angeles, such as the U.S. Bank Tower, Universal Studios’ CityWalk, and the Metro Rail.
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• I was active in Lesbians of Color from 1979 to 1982. I also attended the First National Lesbians of Color Conference in 1983 in Malibu, California.
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• I was active in Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos in Los Angeles from 1983 to 1991. I also served as President for two years, 1988-1990.
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• I was one of the original or founding members of Lesbianas Unidas in 1983 and served as co-chair multiple years. I remained active in the group until 1991.
Returning to Higher Education
After failing miserably in college in the early 1970s, I started taking classes at Cal State Los Angeles in 1990. I encountered a nurturing educational environment and encouraging mentorship. I received a BA in 1992 and MA in 1996 from Cal State Los Angeles. In 1998, I moved back to Tucson and earned a PhD in History in 2003 at the University of Arizona.
​​​​Academic Career
​From 2003 to 2020, I was a tenured professor in the Department of Mexican American Studies at the University of Arizona. In 2010, I published my first book, La Calle which provided the source material for the local Borderland’s Theater's “Barrio Stories,” a site-specific theatrical event that took place over four days in 2016, and that attracted over 5,000 attendees and showcased the power of storytelling. Watch a documentary on "Barrio Stories." In 2011, the Border Regional Library Association awarded my book, La Calle a Southwest Book Award.
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A Few Life Highlights
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• The Organization of American Historians has appointed me an OAH Distinguished Lecturer until 2027.
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• In 2019, Arizona’s César E. Chávez Holiday Coalition awarded me the Dolores Huerta Legacy Award for my activism and scholarship focusing on bringing awareness to Mexican American and local history.
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​• From 2020 to 2022, I served as the "Historian" for the Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission, which is responsible for preserving the region's rich historical heritage.
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• In 2021, I compiled the columns that resulted in the publication of Notitas: Select Columns from the Tucson Citizen by Alva B. Torres, who stands out as one of the first Mexican American women to write a weekly column for a major newspaper.
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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​My Current Chapter​
I live in my hometown of Tucson, Arizona. I feel productive, happy, and engaged here and take much pride in the time I spent in Los Angeles. I visit often and stay connected to L.A. through family, friends and history. A book project I had abandoned more than ten years ago, which aims to illustrate the dynamics of settler colonialism and Latine communities, has garnered my attention once again, and I am currently exploring where it takes me.
Gay and Lesbian Latino Unidos (GLLU)
1988 Board of Directors at GLLU's
first Bienestar office
in Sunset Junction.
Back row, left to right: Dana Gorbea-Leon,
me, Tomas Soto, Irene Martinez, Oscar de la O;
front row, left to right: Juan Mendez,
Ron Gutierrez and Louis Jacinto.
© Louis Jacinto
