Queer History Happened Here

Making Queer History in the Haight Visible

This project is the first of its kind for Eye Zen, as we work to create permanent fixtures of queer visibility in San Francisco’s history Haight-Ashbury.

In the current political climate, it is more important than ever to not only stand for LGBTQIA+ rights, but to battle erasure, and honor the powerful, beautiful- and at times, tragic stories, of all of the queens, dykes, gay and trans folks who came before us.

Queer History Happened Here #QHHH is a series of QR codes displayed in shops within the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. They link to stories and images that tell the rich history of people and places within the Haight, whether a list of the historic gay bars, or an interview with Peggy Casserta - owner of Mnaidska and creator of the legendary bell-bottom jeans.

This project is in tandem with Walk With Me, a self-guided audio tour of the Haight’s queer counterculture, that is set to launch in Summer 2026.