A partnership between Brooklyn Brewery UK + Bleecker Burger + Improper in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
Remembering & reinstating LGBTQ history
Historic queer spaces have slowly been eroded from our cities, whether through austerity and the continued closure of community projects or the aggressive sale and pursuit of property in the name of development. Between 2006 and 2017 London lost 58% of its LGBTQ venues. With the loss of such vital landmarks, we risk to lose so much of the history and stories that make up queer London.
Our inaugural Rage for Good event will start with the story of the Stonewall Riots in New York in 1969, and the brave people who kicked off a modern movement. Gabe Barry of Brooklyn Brewery will share why they are a proud partner of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. From NYC to LDN, we will introduce the theme of positive community activism, which will be central to our wider campaign and hear from two community activists who have fought to save our queer spaces. Sapphire McIntosh is a comedian and writer who uses comedy as a vessel to teach people about tough or challenging social issues. Ben Walters is a writer and researcher engaged in campaigning around London's threatened LGBTQ+ spaces.
How do we create a campaign to protect these spaces? What does it mean for the LGBTQ community when they are under threat? And what more can we do, not to just save our queer spaces, but to create more of them?
Bleecker Burger in partnership with Brooklyn Brewery and Improper are opening up their space to start a conversation about positive activism. We want to share the stories of people in the LGBTQ community who are making history and ask: what can we learn from their activism? And, what actions can we all take - however big or small - to protect community spaces for the people who need them?