The cover of the issue of GayLife published on Friday, August 8, 1980. The issue focused on the Cuban refugees detained at Fort McCoy (Wisconsin) after the Mariel Boatlift. Thom Higgins papers, Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul.

Photograph of Cuban refugees at Fort McCoy (Wisconsin). Published in GayLife, Friday, August 8, 1980. Original caption: "The refugees told of rape and beatings in the camp by non-gay refugees. It's important to get the gay refugees out as quickly as possible. Fort McCoy, Wisc. and Indian Gap, Pa. will close in a month. All refugees will be herded into the already crowded and most turbulent camp of all: Fort Chafee, Ark." Thom Higgins papers, Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul.

Photograph of Cuban refugees at Fort McCoy (Wisconsin) after the Mariel Boatlift. Published in GayLife, Friday, August 8, 1980. Original caption: "'Get us a job.' 'Please get us a job,' the refugees cried out as GayLife proceeded through the compound. Do you have a job for a refugee? Please call 922-5822."

A guard and a Cuban refugee inside Fort McCoy (Wisconsin). Published in GayLife, Friday, August 8, 1980. From the Thom Higgins papers, Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul.

Alan Lessik (left) and Rene Valdes (right), 2000s. Lessik met Valdes in San Diego in 2000, the same year in which Valdes left Minneapolis to begin his life on the West Coast. Valdes eventually got a job with Microsoft. Used with the permission from Alan Lessik.

Rene Valdes at Control Data (his employer) in Bloomington in 1981, at the dawn of the personal computing revolution. Valdes landed his job after fleeing Cuba in 1980 as part of the Mariel Boatlift. He devoted much of his life to the computer industry, later taking a job with Microsoft. Used with the permission of Alan Lessik.

Bruce Brockway and Rene Valdes at Bde Maka Ska in the summer of 1980. Valdez met Brockway when the latter came to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, where Valdes and other Cuban refugees of the Mariel Boatlift were being detained. Valdes and Brockway became partners and remained together until shortly before Brockway’s death from an AIDS-related lymphoma in 1984. Used with the permission of Alan Lessik.

Announcement of a meeting of sponsors of Cuban refugees at Hennepin County Government Center, July 23, 1980. Thom Higgins and Bruce Brockway, founders of the Positively Gay Cuban Refugee Task Force, organized the evening information session for people interested in becoming sponsors of Cuban refugees. From the Thom Higgins papers, Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul.

Thom Higgins and Jeanne Sanders at the Twin Cities Gay Pride Festival, June 1980. Sanders and her son Anthony Trelles accompanied Higgins to Fort McCoy that same month to meet with the Cuban refugees detained there. Used with the permission of Kristen and Anthony Trelles.

Roster of Cuban refugees detained at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, interested in finding sponsors. Created by the Positively Gay Cuban Refugee Task Force, June 12, 1980. From the Thom Higgins papers, Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul. For a closer view, open the link below.