ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives

Okay kiddo, let's talk about archives. You know how mommy keeps all your drawings and school projects in a special box so that we can look back at them and remember how much you've grown? Well, an archive is like a really big box where people keep important things like old letters, photographs, and documents from a long time ago so that people in the future can learn from them.

Now, let's talk about the National Gay & Lesbian Archives (or NGLA for short). This is a really important archive that has a lot of things that tell the story of the gay and lesbian community. The people who started the archive wanted to make sure that these stories and histories weren't forgotten, and that future generations could learn from them.

So, what kind of things are in the NGLA? Well, they have old photos, letters, and magazines from a long time ago, when it wasn't easy or safe to be openly gay or lesbian. They also have resources that can help people learn more about the gay and lesbian community and its history. And, the NGLA is always getting new things added to it, so that it can keep growing and telling the stories of more and more people.

Overall, the NGLA is like a really important time capsule for the gay and lesbian community. It helps us remember where we've been, and how far we've come.