Founding
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Barry Loveland
In 1993, while serving as a phoneline volunteer and president of the Gay and Lesbian Switchboard of Harrisburg and having many conversations with LGBTQ+ youth through phone calls, Barry Loveland wanted to create a space for the LGBTQ+ youth of Central PA. Being aware that he did not want the youth group to be looked at as “recruiting” in anyway, Barry strategically looked for a straight female to be the leader. Conveniently , Barry’s co-worker at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Tom Potter, suggested his wife Sharon as that person.
Barry became the “back of house” administrator for the group, focusing on organizing and mailing information to publicize the group to school guidance counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists and the general media, with Sharon Potter leading the group and other facilitators. Barry also wrote a successful grant application to fund a workshop for school personnel, with a keynote speaker from Project 10 in Los Angeles. It was held at the Friends Meeting House in Harrisburg. He received a special award at the Fall Achievement Benefit (FAB) as one of the founders of the group in celebration of its 20th anniversary in 2013. |
Barry Loveland, 2007. Courtesy of Barry Loveland.
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Sharon Potter (1993 – circa 2000)
Born in Buffalo, NY but raised in Scranton, PA, Sharon Potter came to the Harrisburg area when she was offered a position to build an early intervention system for children with disabilities in Harrisburg City. While presenting at a [Pennsylvania] House [of Representatives] Education Committee meeting, she was moved by the speech of a young gay man and from his story wanted to find a way to help LGBTQ+ youth in the area.
Sharon Potter (L), Tom Potter (C), and Jon Warner (R) at event, circa 1995. Courtesy of LGBT-021, DCA.
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Sharon discusses coming to Harrisburg and the Education Committee meeting
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Through her husband, Tom Potter, she connected with Barry Loveland and helped to establish Bi-GLYAH, becoming the lead facilitator for about 8 years. After her time with Bi-GLYAH, she went on to pursue her MA in Human Sexuality, received a FAB Award for her work in the LGBTQ+ community, and helped establish a scholarship fund with fellow youth group leader Melinda Eash for LGBTQ+ graduating high school seniors.
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Melinda Eash (circa 1994 – present)
From Long Beach, NJ, Melinda Eash attended Susquehanna University for undergrad and Millersville University for her MA in Clinical Psychology. Her first job was early intervention in Philadelphia, but she eventually relocated to Central PA to work for The Arc of Perry and Cumberland County (CPARC) where she became the first behavioral specialist. After CPARC, she became a Clinical Lab Assistant (CLA) for Dauphin County, where she ran staff training and behavioral programs, and opened her own psychology practice in 1989 where she worked with kids and teens.
Melinda became involved with Bi-GLYAH through a teen that she worked with who was bi-sexual. She wanted to find a place where the teen could be heard, supported, and mentored, and a friend connected her with Sharon. After working with the teen and his parents, Melinda was given permission to take him to Friday night Bi-GLYAH meetings. Through attending the meetings, she became interested in the teens and their experiences in school, and the group enjoyed having here there. Melinda went on to serve as a facilitator for the group for around 20 years, and was there through the name change, location changes, and multiple executive directors. Today, she still works with the group, now known as Common Roads, but in a much more limited capacity. |
Steve Glassman (L), Melinda Eash (C), Jon Warner (R), circa 1995. Courtesy of LGBT-021, DCA.
Melinda talks about her first experience at Bi-GLYAH
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