Just a few weeks before COVID shut down the country, my wife Liz and I took our 7 and 9 year old daughters to the 50th Anniversary of The Loft, the iconic invitation-only party that contributed to the rise of disco, hip hop, and house music.
Since its founding four months before Stonewall, attendees of The Loft have come from different classes and backgrounds, with about 60% being black and 70% gay, and a radical egalitarianism.
The Loft is non-profit and has never held a liquor license. Once inside, you don’t pay for the coat check. A buffet meal is served at some point, and water, lemonade, fruit, and snacks are available throughout.
David Mancuso, The Loft’s founder, explained that he, “wanted a situation where there are no economic barriers, meaning somebody who didn’t eat that day or only has a few dollars in his pocket can eat like a king. […] There’s no difference if you have a lot of money, or a little.”
In the face of today’s challenges, building genuinely diverse, positive, vibrant, and resilient communities is one of our most urgent tasks. I think The Loft presents one practical model to adopt practices from.
Read on for more: https://redtailsound.com/the-loft/ and join us at the Junkyard Social Club on Valentine’s Day from 4 to 6:00pm!
