Source: SF Chronicle
There is a photo of Felipe Elizondo as a smiling 5-year-old boy, and a photo of him as a young man on his way to serve in Vietnam. Then there are the photos of Elizondo after he became a she.

"I'm a transsexual woman who had surgery in 1974 to go from male to female," said the 61-year-old Elizondo, whose first name is now Felicia. "I'm here because I'm a pioneer, a legend and a diva."

Diagnosed with HIV in 1987, she also has been recognized for her years of AIDS activism.

Elizondo was among dozens of men and women who brought their photo collections and stories to the Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library on Sunday to contribute to San Francisco's gay archive. The stories they shared were joyous and sad, illuminating their pride in their community and the struggle for acceptance.

The one-day blitz to gather photos for San Francisco Public Library's gay archive brought together 28 volunteers and more than 50 donors. Two photographers worked in a back room, taking pictures of the images to be archived.

The photos will become a part of the public library's inventory, and another set will be archived at the Harvey Milk branch. There are plans for an eventual photo exhibit.

"We're getting the photos, and we're getting the history," said city archivist Susan Goldstein. "We're hearing: 'This is my family. They didn't talk to me because I was gay'; 'This is when I was in the military'; 'This is when I came to San Francisco.' It's a great cross section."