Black gay clubs in los angeles

I was researching her because I offered to direct a two minute piece because she was being honored for her community service. The very first day I met her, I was shaking my head, thinking, Gosh, how am I going to fit all of this into two minutes? How did you feel when you were approached to star in your own documentary, Jewel?

Jewel Thais-Williams: I did think of writing a book one day, but never thought that I would see myself on the big screen. It was very humbling and quite unexpected. What made you want to set up the Catch in the first place? Thais-Williams: I wanted a place where everybody could feel safe and have a good time. In the early s, there was definite division between where blacks could go and where people of color in general could go to party in our community.

This separation of races and class was something that I thought should be addressed, and also, personally, it came at a time when a recession was going on and a real need for people to enjoy themselves. The stars all lined up for me to open a little corner nightclub [and for it] to [become] one of the largest dance clubs in the country.

Too many of the LGBT kids were ostracized by their parents, churches, by their peers.

‘Everybody Could Feel Safe’: Remembering LA’s Revolutionary Black Gay Nightclub

You might have to change clothes before you went back to your neighborhood or home, depending on how you were dressing that night, but [people] could come to the Catch and be themselves and find out how beautiful that could be. What would you say was the biggest challenge running the Catch?

Thais-Williams: The biggest challenge was to stay open. The authorities, the bureaucrats, the neighbors, religious, building and safety folks, you name it [were trying to shut us down]. In my 42 years, we had two, three [police] citations. One of them had to do with the music being too loud and so I was served with this summons and charged with a weapon used as being my stereo equipment.

I had to keep calling and writing and begging for some explanation as to who started the fire. The answer that I got back from the fire chief after about six months of trying was that it was MO. Did you ever feel discouraged or feel like it was too difficult to run a club in this atmosphere? I will not be forced.

We are obeying all the laws. I could not let it happen. Can you talk a bit about why the Catch closed? How do you feel about this all coming to an end? Thais-Williams: I have mixed emotions, of course. Times have changed. The need was not—it might have been there a little bit but not nearly—as great when I first started, of course.

Folks are allowed to go any and everywhere that they want to.