“Be you, be the sparkle, and have faith!” Joanie Lindenmeyer, retired Del Norte High School teacher turned best-selling author, shared stories of authenticity and resiliency as an LGBTQ+ person at the library June 19 as a kick-off to DNATL PRIDE 2025. She also spoke on the three books she wrote and co-wrote: Nun Better, Joyously Free!, and Healing Religious Hurts. Lindenmeyer was a health education teacher at DNHS for 25 years until she retired in 2018. Before that, she worked in health education at Rural Human Services for two years. She now lives in Brookings. Her talk on authenticity and resiliency comes after diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) funding was cut by the Trump Administration, impacting schools and workplaces. According to Lindenmeyer, Southern Oregon University told her that they have changed their DEI terminology to “authenticity and resilience” in order to keep their staff and continue their efforts. She said that is also what her books are about. “It’s up to us what we want to do about that,” she said. “And that’s why the books [are here] also. Read the books, share the books, and then find out where you stand on stuff and talk about it! Attend PRIDE, attend things, do what you need to do. That’s the authenticity and resilience part, and we each do it in our own way.” Over the past two years since her partner, Carol Tierheimer, died in 2022, Lindenmeyer has written about their 40-year love story, tips on supporting individuals on their “rainbow journey,” and a guide to healing from religious trauma. At age 23, Lindenmeyer joined a Catholic convent as a nun, and soon after fell in love with Sister Tierheimer. Nun Better: An Amazing Loving Story is a memoir of their adventurous life together and the uncharted path they faced as a same-sex couple. “We had to conquer all the things we had to conquer — within the church, within the convent, within ourselves — and that’s where I think a lot of resilience and authenticity was built, from those moments of doing that,” Lindenmeyer said. Writing Nun Better was a part of her grief process, she said. Her vulnerability, rawness, humor, and personal coming-out story are encapsulated in the book as well. As she did book tours for Nun Better, Lindenmeyer said the same two questions were brought to her: ”What’s going on with you and religion?” and “What’s going on in the gay world?” Lindenmeyer collaborated with the co-founder of Two Sisters Writing & Publishing, Elizabeth Ann Atkins, to write her next two books, which included extra stories that couldn't fit in Nun Better and the stories of many contributors. "Hardly anybody writes three books in two years,” Lindenmeyer told Redwood Voice. “How did I do it? I just had the guts and the courage and the connection, what I call my spiritual connection, to do it. And I had a ton of people to work with; that’s my MO. I love working with people.” Joyously Free!: Stories & Tips to Live Your Truth as LGBTQ+ People, Parents & Allies includes over 30 writers and is a resource guide on supporting others who are struggling to come out. Healing Religious Hurts: Stories & Tips to Find Love and Peace includes 17 writers, and is about dealing with the “pains and traumas that we’ve been through, whether it’s religious or gay or both.” A wide range of identities and denominations are represented in the two reads. No names are attached to the contributors’ pictures that are in the books. Lindenmeyer and Atkins agreed that “you tell your story when you want to tell it and to whom you want to tell it.” Lindenmeyer shared a recent experience to the audience where she presented her authentic and resilient self. Six months ago, she introduced herself to an older man whom she had seen many times around the port of Brookings Harbor. As she walked with him, they talked about their lives and how long they had both been married. When she mentioned that her partner was a woman, the man repeatedly said, “I hate lesbians!” Lindenmeyer explained how her relationship with her partner was monogamous and beautiful, but he repeated his comment. She continued walking and talking with him about the scenery and their surroundings. “I'm not getting riled up, I’m not combating him, I’m not being defensive, I’m not being assertive or aggressive,” she continues. “And he goes, “You know, you’re really kind, but I hate lesbians.” So we walk another 10 or 15 minutes, and he just keeps saying that — “You’re really kind.” Lindenmeyer said the interaction ended with the man realizing he had never met a lesbian before that day, and he said he will bring her up with his bible study group. He also gave her a long hug. “So why do I tell you that story?” She asked. “I think that’s me being authentic and resilient, knowing that there are always going to be people that don’t like me for who I am — don’t like you for being who you are — but somehow we have to continue to educate and provide peace and understanding. And one person at a time, we can make a difference.” Joanie Lindenmeyer proudly shows off DNATL Pride merch | Photos by Monique Camarena. Lindenmeyer also shared the stories of each accessory she received at PRIDE events and on her trips. One of her rainbow-beaded bracelets was from a young girl who shared her identity in front of her mom, another was from a man who connected with Lindenmeyer and her kindness, and her earrings were picked out by an ally who never talked about her LGBTQ+ family members before meeting her. “It’s a serendipitous moment of how we can be for people. It goes back to: be you, be the sparkle, and have faith.” Joanie Lindenmeyer will be attending more PRIDE events this summer and fall. To see her upcoming events and to purchase Nun Better, Joyously Free!, or Healing Religious Hurts, visit twosisterswriting.com and the Two Sisters Writing and Publishing bookstore.