(Courtesy of Brandon Roby/Dallas Observer)
A group of young Black professionals who go by the name “Good Culture” generated an annual event that merges art and trap music together with brunch items on the menu, after feeling uncomfortable at certain restaurants in Dallas, Texas.
The group said the idea for the event formed as a way for a group of Black men to feel comfortable eating in peace.
“We would always go to brunch and sit together and get side-eyed… We would go down to a restaurant in Uptown — a group of young Black professionals — and a lot of people would look at us like we don’t belong. So we wanted to create an atmosphere that was euphoric for the young Black professional. Yes, we love brunch. Yes, we love trap music, but we can appreciate an art show at the same time,” the co-founder of Good Culture, Kenny Reeves told the Dallas Observer.
Reeves explained that “Bangers and Brunch” is a casual and relaxed environment for individuals to enjoy.
“We’re not asking you to put on any certain type of clothes. There’s no dress code,” the co-founder explained. “There’s no one standing in front with a long list of things saying you can’t come in if you’re of a certain demographic. It’s just let your hair down and be of the culture while being in the culture.”
Reeves recalled the difficult times in the initial planning process and the obstacles the group faced.
“When we first started, we traveled and we talked to so many different venue owners that wouldn’t allow us to do it… Saying things like, ‘There’s a designated time you can have at night, but you can’t have the daytime.’ Because they didn’t see the benefit of having our consumer there,” Reeves told the news outlet. “We basically had to build our own brunch. Hire a caterer, hire a DJ, hire a bartender — from the ground up. This is the first year we’re having it at a functioning venue.”
The set of entrepreneurs just hosted this year’s brunch at Wit’s End in Dallas on Saturday, May 5, and featured hip-hop group Migos as the event’s theme. Reeves said it was meant for Good Culture to experience certain harsh realities.
“We’ve all experienced a moment where we weren’t accepted… Embrace the fact that everybody doesn’t accept you and grow in that. Then create your own platform to do what you want,” Reeves assured.