Our 40th Anniversary!
Common Bond, Albuquerque’s oldest LGBTQ+ organization, has reached a new milestone. We’re now celebrating our 40th Anniversary!
The first public organizing meeting was held on September 27, 1981 at the First Unitarian Church (corner of Carlisle and Comanche). The purpose was to elect an initial board of directors, distribute a questionnaire to gauge community interest in various social and political activities, and then have a fun social gathering for like-minded folks.
One of Common Bond’s first actions was to start a monthly newsletter, Common Bond Ink. An early edition contained this description: “Common Bond is a new non-profit organization here in Albuquerque. Our goal is to provide more activities for the gay and lesbian community and to help create a sense of community. The members of Common Bond elect officers and a board of directors which runs most of the business of the organization. All the work is done by members who volunteer their time for the programs and activities which Common Bond sponsors.”
Attorney Steve Slusher, Common Bond’s first President, was pressing for greater visibility of the gay and lesbian community. He believed that “only through (full) exposure can acceptance be obtained, and that no longer others would ignore the Gay and Lesbian community without full acceptance with any room for rejection.”
Common Bond rented a series of storefront meeting spaces in the vicinity of Central Avenue and Nob Hill. The last and largest was on Silver Avenue SE, a half block east of Morningside. An early member of Common Bond recently recalled “It was a space to find others like us to discuss our developing feelings, to shine a light on emotions we dared not discuss with those in our families or others close to us. We could finally put words with feelings and help others understand.”
Over the years, Common Bond has served as an incubator for many other community organizations and events including New Mexico Gay Rodeo Association, Rainbow Roadrunners Car Club, New Mexico Outdoors, the New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus, the Caught in the Act variety shows, New Mexico AIDS Services, Duke City Business and Professional Association, Albuquerque Lesbian and Gay Speakers Bureau, PFLAG Albuquerque, SAGE Albuquerque, and Albuquerque Pride.
Come Back to Learn More!
We invite you to visit this page frequently as we will be continue to post additional articles about Common Bond’s journey over the past 40 years. In the meantime, please read:
The first public organizing meeting was held on September 27, 1981 at the First Unitarian Church (corner of Carlisle and Comanche). The purpose was to elect an initial board of directors, distribute a questionnaire to gauge community interest in various social and political activities, and then have a fun social gathering for like-minded folks.
One of Common Bond’s first actions was to start a monthly newsletter, Common Bond Ink. An early edition contained this description: “Common Bond is a new non-profit organization here in Albuquerque. Our goal is to provide more activities for the gay and lesbian community and to help create a sense of community. The members of Common Bond elect officers and a board of directors which runs most of the business of the organization. All the work is done by members who volunteer their time for the programs and activities which Common Bond sponsors.”
Attorney Steve Slusher, Common Bond’s first President, was pressing for greater visibility of the gay and lesbian community. He believed that “only through (full) exposure can acceptance be obtained, and that no longer others would ignore the Gay and Lesbian community without full acceptance with any room for rejection.”
Common Bond rented a series of storefront meeting spaces in the vicinity of Central Avenue and Nob Hill. The last and largest was on Silver Avenue SE, a half block east of Morningside. An early member of Common Bond recently recalled “It was a space to find others like us to discuss our developing feelings, to shine a light on emotions we dared not discuss with those in our families or others close to us. We could finally put words with feelings and help others understand.”
Over the years, Common Bond has served as an incubator for many other community organizations and events including New Mexico Gay Rodeo Association, Rainbow Roadrunners Car Club, New Mexico Outdoors, the New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus, the Caught in the Act variety shows, New Mexico AIDS Services, Duke City Business and Professional Association, Albuquerque Lesbian and Gay Speakers Bureau, PFLAG Albuquerque, SAGE Albuquerque, and Albuquerque Pride.
Come Back to Learn More!
We invite you to visit this page frequently as we will be continue to post additional articles about Common Bond’s journey over the past 40 years. In the meantime, please read: