please join me in welcoming mark robert schneider. [applause] >> i would like to thank the historical society for igniting -- inviting me and gavin. this is a magnificent place for historians to work and is a pleasure for me to work on the book. i would like to thank you for coming. as duke ellington used to say, i would add, would just give up if we didn't have a chance to speak. okay. so three major themes in this book. the way i knew gerry studds, i never met him personally but i knew of him during the 1980s because i was an activist in central america and issues and gerry studds was the congressional champion of peace in central america. one of the themes i will be talking about tonight is that. he was most known in his district for being a champion of environmental issues and a voice for fishermen, especially in the early part of his career. finally, after he came out, the reason for writing the book is he is america's first openly gay congressman and after coming out he spoke out on the important issues of the time. i will work