‘Pride Cafe’, aimed at supporting the LGBTQIA+ community with livelihood opportunities and helping them gain positive visibility in society, was launched in Bengaluru on Monday.
The café, an initiative by Solidarity Foundation, Amadeus and WeWork, was inaugurated by theatre personality Arundathi Nag and drag queen Alex Mathew.
This was followed by a panel discussion with stakeholders on creating safe and inclusive spaces for the community.
“It is imperative for society to accept individuals from different walks of life. Children should be educated about the queer community, which can create opportunities for members of the community to mingle with society and create possibilities in the future,” Arundathi said.
“A large section of the society is ignorant about the community. Pride Cafe is a great way to educate people. It is a blueprint for social inclusivity and social innovation,” Mathew said.
The cafe will be stationed at the WeWork Galaxy premises and will offer breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages prepared by members of the community.
Cafe employees will get formal training in English, computer use, finance, mental well-being and in developing hospitality skills.
“Initially, we planned on stationing a food truck in a public space, but we did not get the space we needed. Pride Cafe is testimony to the hard work of several organisations and individuals who brought this idea to reality,” said Shubha Chacko, executive director of Solidarity Foundation.