We had the good fortune of connecting with Lavender Lounge, an Atlanta-based DJ collective. Hope you will enjoy our conversation with Brett Ellis, Ryan Camon, and Patrick Aderibigbe below.

Hello Lavender Lounge, how does your business help the community?
Lavender Lounge was created as a social safe haven, where queer people of color can be their authentic selves. Recently, many of our go-to places in Atlanta have closed. Even in our queer spaces, we have experienced a divide (i.e. status, money, looks, etc.). We create spaces where everyone can connect and enjoy the community, through genuine social interactions. We created our business to add to the diversity of Atlanta’s queer social scene, filling the void with experiences that appeal to people with varied interests.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

We are each professionals in our own respective lanes and use those experiences to help elevate our business. What sets us apart is our dedication to creating a sense of community through our events. It’s the intentionality that sets Lavender Lounge apart.

The biggest lesson that we have learned is not to underestimate the support from our community. Every person that learns about our goal and mission, immediately connects to what we’re trying to build. It has been so affirming to see people excited about what the Lavender Lounge is doing.

What we want people to know about Lavender Lounge is that when you attend one of our events you will hear music you haven’t heard, you will have experiences that you have never had, and if you come with an open mind you will leave with some new friends.

If Lavender Lounge had a friend visiting, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
It’s very on brand for us to plan an entire itinerary for our friends when they visit. High Frequency Friday at the High Museum, on the first Friday of the month, is always a vibe. We’d likely go to Colony Square in Midtown and The Works in the Upper West Side to eat since there are a variety of different restaurants at both. Virgils in Midtown is a black & gay owned establishment that has good food and turns their upstairs to a bar & lounge at night. Depending on the week we may even suggest Trap Sushi or Controllerise for the gaming and anime vibes.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserves additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a challenging question because there were so many inspirations for starting the Lavender Lounge. We want to give our shout out to Bulldogs Bar. We are inspired by the resiliency, staying power, and dedication to creating fun and safe spaces for queer people. Bulldogs bar does not get the credit it deserves, but they create a space where everyone is equal and celebrated. They also unapologetically celebrate queerness, from the art on the wall to the music that they play. We have all had legendary nights at Bulldogs so we want to shout them out for being a part of all of our stories.

Website: https://lavenderlounge.live/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/lavenderloungelive

Other: SoundCloud– https://soundcloud.com/lavenderloungelive?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Image Credits
@thekeilanscott, @iamjadeforest, @carolmonteirophotos

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.