Conservation “On the Natch” at the Alcoholism Center for Women
At the Alcoholism Center for Women (ACW), women regain their lives and claim their space in the world. They also take care of two century-old homes in one of L.A.’s oldest neighborhoods. Brenda Weathers founded ACW in 1974 to give women—primarily lesbians, mainly women of color—a place to heal. Miracles have taken place there for nearly half a century. Recent grad Lindsay Mulcahy has spent the past few years delving into ACW’s rich history, which she shared with us last year (Sisterhood Is Beautiful, Season 1, Episode 7). In this new episode, she returns to talk about a public history project centering the women of ACW, and how recovery and conservation are more alike than we might think.
Carolyn Weathers cleaning a window at ACW, circa late 1970s. Carolyn Weathers private collection.
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Lindsay Mulcahy is Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator for the Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit that works through advocacy and education to preserve historic places throughout L.A. County. She holds a dual Master of Heritage Conservation and Urban Planning degree from the University of Southern California. Through storytelling and coalition work, she works to illuminate the deep relationships between land, cultural heritage, and community self-determination. |
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Podcast co-host Cindy Olnick recently interviewed Jonathan about his thesis and career since. Cindy is a communications pro who loves L.A. and thinks historic places are magical. |
Want to know more about some of the ideas and places mentioned in this episode? Check out:
[Thesis] Conservation ‘On the Natch’: Maintenance and Remembrance at the Alcoholism Center for Women
Sisterhood Is Beautiful (first ACW episode)
The Sustainers: Being, Building, and Doing Good through Activism in the Sacred Spaces of Civil Rights, Human Rights, and Social Movements, by Catherine Fleming Bruce
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the USC Libraries
