In 1969, Claudia Mauro was a teenager when the riots against a New York City police raid at the Stonewall Inn marked a turning point in the chapter for gay rights in America. In 2015, Andy Munz was at the Jackson Hole Writer’s conference when gay marriage was legalized.
Munz and Mauro share memories of political activism through the decades, through the HIV/AIDS crisis and the current uncertainty of if queer rights will hold.
Andy Munz is now a theater professional. Mauro is a poet, photographer and science writer. In this conversation the pair reflect on the constant push for community, family and equal rights.
Munz and Mauro were recorded on Aug. 23, 2025, in Jackson, Wyoming, as part of StoryCorps’ 20th mobile tour, capturing the voices of everyday Americans. Stories recorded through StoryCorps are archived in the American Folklife Collection at the Library of Congress.
