Oral History of Lilian Amaya

Abstract

Lilian Elizabeth Amaya is a first-generation American who identifies as a lesbian and currently lives in Baltimore City. Lilian is the Coordinator of Community Health and Outreach for Healthcare for the Homeless, an organization that provides comprehensive health care services and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness. Lilian has worked in the service/non-profit field for over 13 years and has also participated in grassroots activism for the LGBTQ+ community. In this interview, Lilian talks about these experiences in depth, with a focus on her position as a co-founder of IRIS Baltimore, a Latino LGBTQ+ support group in Baltimore City. Additionally, she discusses the physical and mental health resources that are available in Baltimore to help its underserved communities, and how she believes Baltimore could support its Latino community, especially those who are first-generation immigrants and/or identify as queer. This oral history was conducted by undergraduate students enrolled in Dr. Joseph Plaster’s Queer Oral History course, which was taught at Johns Hopkins University in spring 2022.