Yolanda Retter

Yolanda Retter
Born	December 4, 1947 New Haven, Connecticut
Died	August 18, 2007 (aged 59) Van Nuys, Los Angeles
Nationality	Latin-American
Occupation	Librarian
Known for	lesbian activist

Yolanda Retter (December 4, 1947 – August 18, 2007) was an American lesbian librarian, archivist, scholar, and activist in Los Angeles, California, United States of America.^[1][2] Retter attended Pitzer College in Claremont, California and graduated in 1970 with a degree in sociology.^[3] In the 1980s she completed Masters degrees in library science (1983) and social work (1987) from the University of California, Los Angeles and in 1996 she received her Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.^[4]

Retter spent much of her life's work focused on From 2003 to the time of her death, Retter served as the head librarian and archivist of the Chicano Studies Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles.^[5]

Yolanda passed away after a short battle with cancer surrounded by women she chose, including her partner of thirteen years: Leslie Golden Stampler.^[3]

Publications

• "Childcare." Encyclopedia of Feminist Theories. ed. Lorraine Code. New York: Routledge, 2002.
• Gay and Lesbian Rights in the United States: A Documentary History with Walter Lee Williams (Eds.). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2003.
• Great Events in History: Gay Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Events. with Lillian Faderman, Horacio Roque Ramirez, et all (Eds.). Pasadena: Salem Press, 2006
• Identity Development of Lifelong vs. Catalyzed Latina Lesbians. M.A. Thesis. University of California Los Angeles, 1987.
• “Lesbian Activism in Los Angeles (1970-1979),” Queers in Space: Communities, Public Places, Sites of Resistance. eds. Anne-Marie Bouthillette, Gordon Brent Ingram, and Yolanda Retter. Bay Press, 1997.
• "Los Angeles." Encyclopedia of Lesbian Histories and Cultures, ed. Bonnie Zimmerman. NY: Routledge, 2000. 479-480.
• On the Side of Angels: Lesbian Activism in Los Angeles, 1970-1990. Ph.D dissertation, University of New Mexico, 1998.
• "Sisterhood is Possible." Time It Was: American Stories from the Sixties. eds. Karen Manners Smith and Tim Koster. London: Pearson, 2007.
• "Lesbians." Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States. New York: Oxford, 2005.
• "Martinez, Betita." Encyclopedia of Activism and Social Justice. eds. Gary L. Anderson and Kathryn G. Herr. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2007.
• "Preservation of LGBT History: The ONE Archive." Pathways to Progress: Issues and Advances in Latino Librarianship. eds. John L. Ayala and Salvador Güereña. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2012.

Lesbian News articles by Retter

• "Activist and Tenant's Rights Attorney Lisa Korben Dies at 55." Jun. 2005, Vol. 30, Issue 11, p. 15.
• "ACW Founder Brenda Weathers Dies." May 2005, Vol. 30, Issue 10, p. 17.
• "Alice Dunbar-Nelson." Dec. 1998, Vol. 24, Issue 5, p. 60.
• "Barbara Gittings (1932-2007)." Apr. 2007, Vol. 32, Issue 9, p. 5.
• "Djuna Barnes." Jan. 1999. Vol. 24, Issue 6, p. 52.
• "Dyke March: A Herstory." Jun. 1999. Vol. 24, Issue 11, p. 29.
• "Festivals: Born from Womyn's Music." [cowritten with Renee McBride] Aug. 1995, Vol. 21, Issue 1, p. 31.
• "Herstory: Catalina de Erauso." Jun. 1998, Vol. 23, Issue 11, p. 68.
• "Herstory: Deborah Sampson." Nov. 1998. Vol. 24, Issue 4, p. 52.
• "Herstory: Elaine Noble." Sep. 1998, Vol. 24, Issue 2, p. 52.
• "Herstory: Eva Le Gallienne." Jan. 1998, Vol. 23, Issue 6, p. 56.
• "Herstory: Lillian Wald." Apr. 1998, Vol. 23, Issue 9, p. 56.
• "Herstory: Mary Lewis." Feb. 1998, Vol. 23, Issue 7, p. 56.
• "Herstory: Mina Meyer and Sharon Raphael." Mar. 1998, Vol. 23, Issue 8, p. 56.
• "In Memoriam of Johnnie Phelps." May 1998, Vol. 23, Issue 10, p. 64.
• "[In Memoriam] of Alla Nazimova." Jul. 1998, Vol. 23, Issue 12, p. 52.
• "The Ladies of Llargollen." Mar. 1999, Vol. 24, Issue 8, p. 64.
• "Lesbian Los Angeles." March 1995, Vol. 20 Issue 8, p. 62-63.
• "The LNs Herstory is the Chronicle of Our Story." Aug. 1999, Vol. 25, Issue 1, p. 29.
• "Ruth Ellis." Feb. 1999, Vol. 24, Issue 7, p. 56.
• "Sarah Josephine Baker." Apr. 1999, Vol. 24, Issue 9, p. 52.

References

1. Woo, Elaine (29 August 2007). "Obituary: Yolanda Retter, 59; controversial activist for lesbian, minority rights". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
2. "Obituaries - Yolanda Retter Vargas". American Libraries. American Library Association. 38 (9). 2007. ISSN 0002-9769. JSTOR 27771345. (registration required (help)).
3. "In Memoriam Yolanda Retter '70 Activist, Archivist and Scholar" (PDF). The Participant: Pitzer College Magazine for Alumni and Friends: 49. Fall 2007.
4. "The Bay Area Reporter Online | Memorial set for lesbian scholar Yolanda Retter Vargas". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
5. "Gay Latina leader Yolanda Retter Vargas dies". 2007-08-23. Retrieved 2016-10-14.

External links

• Cordova, Jeanne and Ballen, Lynn Harris. (2007, August 22). Memorial to Honor Yolanda Retter, Activist Scholar. Online Tangent: Rogues Gallery. Retrieved 2014-4-19.
• Rest in Peace, Yolanda Retter. (2007, September 15). Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS). Retrieved on 2014-4-19.
• Online Archive of California. (2009). Finding aid of the Lesbian Legacy Collection Subject Files. Retrieved on 2015-3-8.
• University of California Los Angeles. (2015). Chicano Resource Center Spotlights Latina/o LGBT Initiative. Retrieved on 2015-3-8.
• University of California Los Angeles. (2015). Welcome to the UCLA Chicano Resource Center. University of California. Retrieved on 2015-3-8.
• Woo, Elaine. (2007, August 29). Yolanda Retter, 59, controversial activist for lesbian, minority rights. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2014-4-19.
• Student Profile--Yolanda Retter. (1970). The Participant: Pitzer College Community Quarterly.4.4. Retrieved on 2016-10-14.