Join us for a guest lecture by chef and cultural producer Ora Wise, who will guide us through an exploration of the radical politics of pleasure. When you live in a world designed to deny your existence, taking up space with your joy isn’t frivolous — it’s necessary.

From Audre Lorde’s articulation of the power of the erotic to adrienne maree brown’s collected voices of Pleasure Activism, queers have always cultivated traditions of joyful resistance and militant joy. This work rejects both the puritanical bullshit that demonizes pleasure and the capitalist systems that commodify it. The question is: to what end?

Ora’s approach bridges the false divide between “hard” activism — organizing, protesting — and “soft” activism — beauty, care. Through a process of communal learning and reflection, we’ll consider how pleasure can be political, ethical, accessible, and generative — not an escape from struggle, but essential fuel for sustained resistance.

This event is in partnership with Queer Aperitivo, co-created by Ora, who will nourish us with exceptional snacks and refreshments.

A portion of ticket sales will benefit the Food Security Program run by FIG NYC and Colectivo Intercultural Transgrediendo for their queer/trans immigrant community in Queens.

• 7:30-8:00pm - Arrival and Mingling; Snacks and donation-based bar available
• 8:00-8:30pm - Introduction and Lecture
• 8:30-9:00pm - Discussion
• 9:00-10:00pm - Mingling; Snacks and donation-based bar available

Adam Nye is the founder and host of Living Room Lectures. As an educator and nonprofit leader, Adam’s expertise is in informal learning and community engagement across schools, museums, and cultural spaces. Adam also co-hosts a Queer Cinema Club.

Ora Wise is the co-creator of Queer Aperitivo and co-founder of FIG, a grassroots network of food, farm, and hospitality workers engaged in community healing and fighting fascism through food sovereignty and mutual aid.

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