Leshner, Steven

This is a photo of a distant view of Steven Leshner and a person holding a rainbow flag at an event in Washington, DC around 1990. This picture is found on page 40 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of an up close view of Steven Leshner (left) with a person holding a rainbow flag at an event in Washington, DC around 1990. This picture is found on page 39 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of a group of members standing outside Dignity/Central PA's 20th Anniversary Celebration, held in July 1995 at the Hotel Hershey in Hershey, PA. Members included in the photo are Barry Loveland (front left), Richard Hause (center), and Steven Leshner (far right). This picture is found on page 38 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of Steven Leshner (right) receiving the award "Member of the Year," presented by Richard Hause (left) at Dignity/Central PA's 20th Anniversary Celebration at the Hotel Hershey in July 1995. This picture is found on page 38 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of Steven Leshner (in back) with two members at Dignity/Central PA's booth at the Pride Festival of Central PA, held on July 30, 1995 at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg, PA. This picture is found on page 36 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of a group of members sitting at a picnic table during Dignity/Central PA's 20th Anniversary Picnic, held in July 1995 at Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Gardners, PA. Included in the photograph are Steven Leshner (far left) and Barry Loveland (far right). This picture is found on page 35 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of Steven Leshner sitting with other group members in lawn chairs during Dignity/Central PA's 20th Anniversary Picnic, held in July 1995 at Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Gardners, PA. This picture is found on page 34 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of Steven Leshner (right) and two other members standing at the Dignity/Central PA booth during the Pride Festival of Central PA, held on July 31, 1994 at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg, PA. This picture is found on page 33 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of Steven Leshner sitting at Dignity/Central PA's booth during the Pride Festival of Central PA, held on July 31, 1994 at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg, PA. This picture is found on page 33 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of Steven Leshner (left) and Richard Hause (right) at an event in Washington, D.C. around 1990. Two copies of this picture are found on pages 7 and 39 of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is a photo of Steven Leshner (left) and two unknown men at an event around 1995. This picture is found on page 7 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

Dignity/Central PA's is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry.

This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

This is an interview with Steven Leshner of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He conveys his struggles of coming out in the 1970s and being a gay man in central PA through a series of anecdotes. Steven also talks extensively about his work at Dignity and his relationship with Jerry Brennan. While Steven was not active in S.C.A.A.N. (South Central Aids Assistance Network), he was involved in a group that later became S.C.A.A.N. Also of note, Steven talks about his first time with a man, life as a male nurse in the 1970s and 80s, growing up Jewish, Jerry Brennan’s death, attending Pride festivals in NYC, and being a single gay man in Harrisburg.

Steven Leshner became a member of Dignity/Central PA, a Catholic organization for LGBTQ+ individuals that has been active in the Harrisburg, PA area since 1976, in the 1970s, where he participated in events and activities, as well as became part of the social committee. The materials in this collection document the activities of this group. Leshner is still active in the Dignity community today.

This is a story circle with Barry Loveland, Richard Hause, and Steven Leshner discussing the life and work of Jerry Brennan. They begin with the discussion of Jerry’s childhood religion and his attendance of St. Bernard’s Seminary in Alabama. Barry, Richard, and Steven also discuss Jerry’s charitable works, including being a founding member of Gay Community Services, Gay Switchboard, and finally in the local Dignity chapter. The men attempt to nail down Jerry’s personal life, from childhood to adulthood, although since he rarely talked about it they are only able to piece together clues from the time they knew him. They also discuss Jerry’s social activism and involvement in both the Black Civil Rights Movement and the local gay community. Barry, Richard, and Steven go off on a pleasant tangent discussing comedians and speakers that Jerry had come to Harrisburg. The men finish reminiscing about Jerry by discussing what little they knew about his love life.