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Linda Ellis papers

 Collection
Identifier: Q193

Scope and Contents of the Papers

The Linda Ellis papers, 1920, 1993-2017, consist of correspondence, meeting minutes, photographs, promotional materials, flyers, news clippings, t-shirts, financial records, pins, and artifacts. The bulk of the material comes from Ellis's work with the Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative.

Dates

  • Creation: 1920, 1993-2017

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research use. Access to materials containing personal or sensitive information is restricted for 75 years from the date of creation.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Georgia State University is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research, subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. Georgia State University may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.

History of the Health Initiative

The Health Initiative was created in 1996 as the Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative (ALCI). Denny Doucher and a group of friends founded ALCI after Denny was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, Denny encountered a predominantly heterosexual and often homophobic system of care with little or no support for her, her partner, or her caregivers. ALCI provided lesbian-friendly support groups and took on the Atlanta medical establishment, offering education to open the hearts and minds of the medical community and identifying gay-friendly healthcare providers. Doucher lost her battle with cancer but thanks to her work and that of her friends, far fewer women today report difficulty in finding lesbian-friendly healthcare. Each year, the Health Initiative honors Doucher’s life by bestowing the Healing Angel Award to a community or healthcare leader who has made a positive difference in the lives and health of the LGBTQ community.

As the needs of the community shifted, the organization has evolved and expanded. As more data pointed to the role lifestyle choices played in risk factors for cancer and other diseases, the Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative became the Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative (ALHI). ALHI built upon ALCI’s foundation of support and advocacy to offer education and programs that support wellness and disease prevention through healthier lifestyle choices, including the establishment of the Health Fund. In 2011, the scope of the mission expanded again to address the growing body of evidence that access to care is a significant risk factor—one that disproportionately affects the entire LGBTQ community. To better represent this broader scope of work, the Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative became The Health Initiative. Today, as The Health Initiative, the organization builds upon Doucher’s strong foundation of support, advocacy and education by working to improve access to care and wellness for LGBTQ community members throughout the state.

The Health Initiative beacame administratively a part of Atlanta's Phillip Rush Center 2018.

Biography of Linda Ellis

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Linda Ellis worked as a therapist, health advocate, and leader in the LGBTQ community in and around Atlanta Georgia. She earned a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Georgia and a Master of Divinity from Emory University. She served as the Executive Director of the Health Initiative for 17 years, leaving to continue to work as a licensed therapist.

Extent

3.1 Linear Feet (in 10 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Linda Ellis papers, 1993-2017, consist of correspondence, meeting minutes, photographs, promotional materials, flyers, news clippings, t-shirts, financial records, pins, and artifacts. The bulk of the material comes from Ellis's work with the Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative. Linda Ellis is a psychotherapist and former executive director of the Health Initiative (formally the Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative).

Arrangement Note

Arranged by format in three series.

Related Materials

Related Materials in this Repository

  1. Linda Ellis oral history interview, September 8, 2021
  2. Linda Ellis oral history interview, September 27, 2021

Processing Information

Processed by Alex Berry at the file level, Fall 2021.

Title
Linda Ellis:
Subtitle
A Guide to the Papers at Georgia State University Library
Status
Completed
Author
Hal Hansen and Alex Berry
Date
June 2022
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
100 Decatur St., S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
404-413-2880
404-413-2881 (Fax)