Rovelto, Hope

Interviewer

Dakota Desantis

Files

Description

Hope Rovelto’s oral history offers a compelling narrative of her experiences as a queer person, illustrating her journey of self-discovery, relationships, and dedication to activism. Growing up in a Catholic family, she encountered difficulties in reconciling her queer identity with her family's expectations, particularly those of her father. Nevertheless, Hope embraced her identity and turned her challenges into activism, advocating for issues such as abortion rights, gun control, Black Lives Matter, and prison reform. Her screen-printing business in Portland, Little Chair Printing, acts as a center for her advocacy, providing support to LGBTQ+ and minority-owned businesses through discounts and partnerships aimed at elevating marginalized voices. Hope also stresses the essential need for authentic media representation of the LGBTQ+ community to promote visibility and understanding. Her reflections delve into the intricacies of queer relationships, offering insights from her previous marriage and her current satisfying relationship with her wife, Julia. She highlights the importance of LGBTQ+ spaces and businesses as crucial sources of community and identity. Furthermore, Hope addresses the ongoing impact of the broader political landscape on LGBTQ+ individuals, urging for sustained visibility, acceptance, and advocacy. Through her experiences, she underscores the intersections of personal identity, activism, and the necessity for systemic change to support and uplift the LGBTQ+ community.

Citation

Please cite as: Querying the Past: LGBTQ Maine Oral History Project Collection, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ Collection, Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine, University of Southern Maine Libraries.

Publication Date

11-25-2024

Publisher

University of Southern Maine

City

Portalnd, Maine

Keywords

Abortion rights, Arts, Black Lives Matter, Catholic upbringing, Ceramics, Coming out, Community building, Community Engagement, Creative expression, Entrepreneurship, Equality Maine, Family relationships, Fear and safety, Gun control, Haystack (Arts & Crafts Center), Inclusivity in schools, Julia McDonald, LGBTQ+ businesses, LGBTQ+ community, LGBTQ+ representation, LGBTQ+ youth, LGTBQ+ programs, Little Chair Printing, Maine Inside Out, Marriage equality, Mobile print shop, Navigating societal expectations, North Providence, Rhode Island, Norms, Out Maine, Political activism, Political climate, Portland, Maine, Prison reform, Queer identity, Relationships, Religious influence, Representation in media, Rural outreach, Screen printing, Self-discovery, Small business, Social change, Social justice, Somersworth, New Hampshire, Spiral Q, T shirt Printing, Youth Mentorship

Disciplines

History of Gender | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | Oral History | Women's Studies

Recommended Citation

Desantis, Dakota, "Rovelto, Hope" (2024). Querying the Past: LGBTQ Maine Oral History Project Collection. 144.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/querying_ohproject/144

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.