David Barber
Arts publicist and longtime LGBTQ+ activist David Barber reflects on growing up near Washington, D.C., discovering his identity at an early age, and choosing to live openly rather than hide who he was. He shares his experiences as an openly gay student at the University of Notre Dame during a deeply conservative era, when LGBTQ+ students often had to find community quietly and outside official campus life. After moving to Los Angeles, David built a career in theater and arts publicity while becoming involved in LGBTQ+ political advocacy through the Stonewall Democratic Club. Looking back, he reflects on changing attitudes, family acceptance, and the importance of living authentically while helping create a more accepting world for those who followed.