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Finding Aid to the Hank M. Tavera Papers, 1952-2000
CS ARC 2002/4
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Table of contents
Collection Title: Hank M. Tavera papers
Date (inclusive): 1952-2000
Collection Number: CS ARC 2002/4
Creators :
Tavera, Hank M.
Extent:
Number of containers: 52 cartons, 4 boxes, 6 tubes, 8 oversize folders
Linear feet: 67
Repository: University of California, Berkeley. Ethnic Studies Library
30 Stephens Hall #2360
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-2360
Phone: (510) 643-1234
Fax: (510) 643-8433
Email: esl@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://eslibrary.berkeley.edu
Abstract: The Hank M. Tavera Papers, 1952-2000, reflect a lifetime of work as a Chicano, HIV/AIDS, and gay activist; notably, Tavera's
role as co-founder of The California and National Latina/o Lesbian and Gay Organization (LLEGO), co-authoring the multi-cultural
plan for Dignity, and his work at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and San Francisco City Clinic. Tavera's involvement in
numerous cultural and artistic organizations and activities are also represented in the collection, particularly in annual
productions of AIDS Theater Festivals; the Latino/a AIDS Theater Festivals; Performing Arts Shows of Latino/a Gay, Lesbian
Bisexual and Transgender Artists; directorship of several plays; and his official roles in Teatro Nacional de Aztlán (TENAZ)
and California Theater Council (CTC). The collection consists of correspondence, organization materials, business records,
writings, personal papers, teaching materials, proposals, programs, newsletters, photographs, audiocassettes, posters, newspaper
clippings, and ephemera.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English and Spanish
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Collection is open for research.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Chicano
Studies curator, Ethnic Studies Library, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-2360. Consent is given on behalf of the
Ethnic Studies Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright
owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the
original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
[Identification of item], Hank M. Tavera Papers, CS ARC 2002/4, Ethnic Studies Library, University of California, Berkeley.
There are no alternate forms of this collection.
Hank Tavera Papers, 1972-1993; Stanford University Libraries, Department of Special Collections, Green Library; Collection
Number M1118.
Posters have been transferred to the Chicano Studies Poster Collection. Posters directly related to Tavera's professional
activities remain in the collection.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Client Services Dept
AIDS (Disease)--Patients--Services for--California--San Francisco
HIV (Viruses)--Patients--Services for--California--San
(continued) Francisco--Directories
Safe sex in AIDS prevention
Client-centered psychotherapy
AIDS (Disease)--United States
HIV (Viruses)--United States
Mexican Americans--Societies, etc.--California--San Francisco Bay Area
Mexican American theater--California
Theater--California
Performing arts
AIDS (Disease)--Congresses
Gay men--California--Societies and clubs
Gay men--Congresses
Gay men--United States
Teatro Nacional de Aztlán
Latino/a Lesbian y Gay Organization
360
The Hank M. Tavera Papers were given to the Ethnic Studies Library by Kehau Wessel and Vladimir Maldonado on September 20,
2002.
No additions are expected.
Arranged to the folder level.
Collection processed by Janice Otani
Hank M. Tavera (1944-2000) was a Chicano gay activist and cultural worker originally from East Los Angeles, who lived in San
Francisco's Mission District since 1979. He worked at the front line of the AIDS epidemic at San Francisco City Clinic as
an HIV/AIDS intervention specialist.
Included among his many achievements was having been co-founder of LLEGO (Latina/o Lesbian and Gay Organization) California
and National LLEGO, two organizations whose purpose is to empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities.
He co-authored the Multicultural Plan for Dignity/San Francisco, served as a voting delegate to LIFE (California's LGBT and
AIDS lobby in Sacramento), and was artistic director of the AIDS Theater Festival each year as part of the National AIDS Update
conference.
Between 1986-1990, Tavera was the Client Services Director at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation where he established a bilingual
multicultural and women's services program. He was elected Chair of the Third World AIDS Advisory Task Force which spawned
other Black, Latino, and Asian coalitions. He organized the first rally in San Francisco on needle exchange and was a co-founder
and volunteer for the mission team of Prevention Point Needle Exchange for five years.
Tavera had his political and artistic roots in the United Farm Workers grape boycott and the Chicano theater movement. He
was a former actor with Teatro de la Esperanza (Santa Barbara) and a director of plays with Teatro Gusto (San Francisco).
As past board chair of Teatro Nacional de Aztlán (TENAZ), he coordinated its 11th International Chicano Latino Teatro Festival
in 1981. He directed several Latino plays, including "The Leash" (1981), "Reunion" (1983), "The Watermelon Factory" (1992),
and "The Black Cat" (1995). He was also artistic director of the Performing Arts Shows of Latina/o Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
and Transgender Artists for nine consecutive years at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts.
Recognition of his commitment to his life's work includes the Excellent Leadership Award from the Third World Counselors Association
of California (1989), "Bay Area Angel Honoree" by the American Conservatory Theater (1994), and an Outstanding Community Service
Achievement Award from AGUILAS, San Francisco (1996). In October 1997, he was presented with the first Premio Cultura award
from National LLEGO at their Quinto Encuentro in San Juan, Puerto Rico and in March 1999 he received the Pax Bonum Award from
Dignity/San Francisco.
(from the collection)
Scope and Content of Collection
The Hank M. Tavera Papers, 1952-2000, reflect a lifetime of work as a Chicano, HIV/AIDS, and gay activist; notably, Tavera's
role as co-founder of The California and National Latina/o Lesbian and Gay Organization (LLEGO), co-authoring the multi-cultural
plan for Dignity, and his work at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and San Francisco City Clinic. Tavera's involvement in
numerous cultural and artistic organizations and activities are also represented in the collection, particularly in annual
productions of AIDS Theater Festivals; the Latino/a AIDS Theater Festivals; Performing Arts Shows of Latino/a Gay, Lesbian
Bisexual and Transgender Artists; directorship of several plays; and his official roles in Teatro Nacional de Aztlán (TENAZ)
and California Theater Council (CTC). The collection consists of correspondence, organization materials, business records,
writings, personal papers, teaching materials, proposals, programs, newsletters, photographs, audiocassettes, posters, newspaper
clippings, and ephemera.
Tavera's continued commitment to the community is evident from the number of event and organization materials represented
in the collection, such as the Third World Counselors Association, National HIV/AIDS Update Conferences, and Stonewall 25
in New York City.
The collection contains materials that provide a chronology of Tavera's employment as a teacher with St. John Bosco High School
and Santa Barbara City College; advisor at University of California, Santa Barbara; counselor at La Casa Counseling Services,
Santa Barbara; Client Services Director at San Francisco AIDS Foundation, and counselor at San Francisco City Clinic.
There are also personal papers that include biographical information, correspondence with family and friends, writings, theater
production materials, photographs, appointment calendar books, educational materials, and miscellany.