Passing the Torch

Credits

The inspiration for this project began over two years ago when planning for Gay Games 11: Hong Kong 2023 Cultural Festival got under way. Federation of Gay Games Officer of Culture Anthony Alston, in his work with Hong Kong 2023’s Director of Culture Shawn Griffin, put out a call to those who wished to help with the presentation of a photo exhibit using 40 iconic images from the first forty years of the Gay Games.

Doug Litwin, the FGG Officer of Marketing at the time had long been the keeper of the FGG’s digital archives, and was immediately tapped to be involved. Honorary Life Member Shamey Cramer, co-founder of Team Los Angeles and former Officer of Ceremonies (2011-2016) and Officer of Development (2015-2017), whose professional career involved curating and publicizing photo exhibits quickly volunteered.

Litwin and Cramer invested nearly 200 hours reviewing and curating the tens of thousands of images in the FGG digital archives. They met with the four volunteers from the Hong Kong Culture team to visualize and plan how the forty images and Gay Games history could be displayed in a gallery-type setting.

Once that was established, Litwin and Cramer realized the potential for creating a more definitive collective history of the Gay Games. In October 2020, they began their outreach efforts to engage more than three dozen former and current executives whose lives were impacted by their participation as athletes, artists, and advocates, as well as handling the business affairs of the quadrennial event.

Thanks to graphic designer Fred Martens of martensart.com for the design of the "Passing The Torch" logo.

We are grateful to the following individuals, whose memories and images will be shared over the next forty days:

  • Anthony Alston, Seattle USA, Officer of Culture

  • Noemi Arzate, Ciudad Mexico, MEX, Azkatl Mexico Diversidad AC 

  • James Ballard, Los Angeles USA, Gay Games IV World Record holder

  • Mauro Bordovsky, West Hollywood USA, Gay Games pioneer, Co-founder, West Hollywood Aquatics, Gay Games I - X participant

  • Stuart Borrie, Kuala Lumpur MAL, Exec. Director, Gay Games VI, Sydney 2002, Tom Waddell Award Recipient

  • Mark Brown, San Francisco USA, Gay Games pioneer, Co-founder, San Francisco Arts & Athletics

  • Hlengiwe Buthelezi, Durban RSA, Founder, The AfroGames, FGG Board member

  • Charlie Carson, New York USA, Gay Games I pioneer, former FGG Board member, Gay Games I - X participant

  • Shamey Cramer, Los Angeles USA Gay Games pioneer, Co-founder, Team Los Angeles, former FGG Board member

  • Kurt Dahl, Chicago USA, former Co-President

  • Gene Dermody, San Francisco USA, former Co-President, Tom Waddell Award recipient, Gay Games I - X participant

  • Joanie Evans, London UK, FGG Co-President

  • Jochen Färber, Gay Games VIII marketing volunteer

  • Sean Fitzgerald, Vancouver Canada, current FGG Co-President

  • Jack Gonzalez, West Hollywood USA, Co-founder of Los Angeles Volleyball Association

  • Kimberly Hadley, Edmonton Canada, current FGG Co-Officer of Sports

  • Jim Hahn, San Francisco USA, Gay Games pioneer, Gay Games I - X participant

  • Richard Hogan, Sydney AU, former FGG Board member, Order of Australia Award Recipient

  • Susan Kennedy, Antioch USA, former FGG Co-President, Tom Waddell Award Recipient

  • Lisa Lam, Gay Games Hong Kong

  • Derek Liecty, Walnut Creek USA, Gay Games I Official, Tom Waddell Award Recipient

  • Doug Litwin, Sausalito USA, FGG Archivist, former FGG Board member

  • Fred Martens, Cincinnati USA, graphic designer (martensart.com) who developed the logo for this "Passing The Torch" series

  • Susan McGrievy, Los Angeles USA, co-founder, Team Los Angeles, GGI Torchbearer

  • Laura Moore, NYC USA, Co-founder, International Gay Figure Skating Union

  • Oliver Murphy, Cork IRL, Gay Games I and II Decathlon champion

  • Brent Nicholson Earle, NYC USA, founder, Rainbow Run, the Memorial Moment, Tom Waddell Award Recipient

  • Doug Orloff, Bend USA, Gay Games pioneer, West Hollywood Aquatics Co-founder, 1983 Festival Games Swim Meet Director

  • Shiv Paul, London UK, former FGG Board member

  • Rick Peterson, Seattle USA, Gay Games pioneer, former FGG Co-President

  • Jeffry Pike, Boston USA, former FGG Board member, executor, Roy Coe Scholarship Fund

  • Emy Ritt, Paris FR, former FGG Co-President

  • Juan Carlos Razo, Gay Games Guadalajara, MX

  • Dr. Michael Roth, Los Angeles, USA, Gay Games I Team L.A. swim coach

  • Kate Rowe, Sydney AU, former FGG Board member

  • Monica Sanchez, Gay Games Guadalajara, MX

  • Tony Smith, Denver USA, former FGG Board member

  • Reggie Snowden, San Francisco USA, FGG Officer of Sport

  • Jean-Nickolaus Tretter, Minneapolis USA, Gay Games pioneer, Co-founder, Team Minnesota

  • Thomas F. Waddell, MD, San Francisco USA, Gay Games founder

  • Jessica Waddell Lewinstein Kopp, North Carolina USA

  • Sara Waddell Lewinstein, Oakland USA, San Francisco Arts & Athletics, Tom Waddell Award Recipient

  • Ken Ward, Gay Games I musician with the SF Gay Freedom Day Marching Ban

  • Chris Van Scoyk, Los Angeles USA, Gay Games pioneer, West Hollywood Aquatics Co-founder

  • Kathleen Webster, Philadelphia USA, former Co-President

  • Ivan Yap, Kuala Lumpur MAL, FGG Officer of Membership, Director The Straits Games

  • Mary Zaller, Cleveland USA, Gay Games 9 Director of Development