Inside America's First Queer Asian Museum: Preserving Stories the World Almost Lost

In this episode of the Skittle Squad Podcast, we sit down with Leo Anderson, founder of the Queer Asian Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, to discuss the powerful mission behind preserving queer Asian history, culture, and activism.What began as a personal effort to safeguard LGBTQ+ artifacts from organizations being shut down across Asia has become an internationally recognized museum preserving thousands of irreplaceable pieces of queer history.Leo shares how this incredible project came to life, why preserving these stories matters now more than ever, and what visitors can expect when stepping inside this one-of-a-kind space. This conversation explores identity, activism, cultural preservation, resilience, and the urgent importance of visibility.In This Episode  - The origin story behind the Queer Asian Museum- How over 2,000 artifacts and 900+ books were collected- LGBTQ+ advocacy challenges happening across parts of Asia- Why St. Pete became home to this historic museum- Rare artifacts, pride memorabilia, and preserved queer history- The museum’s virtual reality preservation experience- Leo’s international work protecting endangered LGBTQ+ cultural spaces- How technology is helping preserve queer history for future generations- Why cultural preservation is an act of resistancePLUS: Paul and David debate dating struggles, relationship confusion, and recruiting go-go boys for St. Pete PrideThis is an emotional, eye-opening, and inspiring conversation you won’t want to miss. Visit the Queer Asian Museum:1006 Central AveSt. Petersburg, Florida Learn more / support: QAM.org