Robert Kesten serves as the president and CEO of the Stonewall National Museum, Archives, and Library in Florida, which has one of the largest queer archives in the country. He calls himself “the collector and sharer of our community's stories, history, and culture.”
The archivist has worked for decades in human rights, from the breakup of the Soviet Union to the Arab Spring. He’s also produced and written a documentary on the Holocaust, produced concerts at top venues in the U.S., and has even briefed the White House.
Kesten’s philosophy that helped him accomplish so much is simple: “I will never ask someone to do something that I will not do myself.”
With Ron DeSantis as governor during a Donald Trump presidency, Kesten says funding cuts have been an obstacle. However, the organization continues to thrive. “We as a community hold our destiny in our own hands. That is a great responsibility, but it is also a real privilege,” he says. @stonewallarchive
