The only mic you could feel at home when you identify as LGBTQIA. You instantly felt the magic when you walked in the door. Some of my favorite performances from Boston artists took place there.
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It was like a film was being played instantly that had nothing but smiling faces, music, dancing and poems! The 'If You Can Feel It, You Can Speak It' open mic, to me, is the equivalent to the Apollo when it comes to talent. "Hearing the news of Bella Luna closing was an emotional rollercoaster initially. You will be missed." Amanda Shea - Poet, Artist and Organizer Thank you Milky Way for everything, every month, every event, every drink, laugh and tears. Milky Way has been my foundation as an artist and activist, it was the place I honed in on my stage presence and hosting skills to become this outspoken artist. Milky Way was the new ‘Cheers’-like atmosphere where you knew everyone’s name, recognized familiar faces, and welcomed people who have stepped away from the scene for a while or those stepping out for the first time. We continued to grow each year and our name became one of the go-to spots in the city for Black artists, calling QTPOC artists to the forefront. Each mic there would be a new face needing to see a reflection of themselves, a new voice who wanted to be heard and understood, and new groups who have stumbled across our community by accident. Every month we’d be able to reconvene, celebrate and heal. For the next 10 years straight, Milky Way/Bella Luna would be the home of the ‘If You Can Feel It, You Can Speak It’ open mic. Soon after, Jha would ask if I would be her co-host and the rest is history. I accepted the invite, and the first time arriving at the Milky Way was a fulfilling and warm experience being surrounded, encouraged, and embraced by Black people. She explained how it was different, as she highlighted the values of uplifting and prioritizing QTPOC voices in a working space.
2009 was the year I first met Jha D Williams, heard her work, and was invited to an open mic that was happening twice a month at the time. "In 2009, I was new to the Boston art scene, though Boston has been all I’ve known my whole life. Ruff - Poet and Organizer of "If You Can Feel It, You Can Speak It" (Courtesy Bryan Trench/The Event Shooters) D. Ruff introduce the ground rules for the "If You Can Feel It, You Can Speak It" open mic at its 10th anniversary celebration. Where will the organizations that serve my communities host their events and fundraisers? To say this is a huge loss is only the beginning of the deep sadness and anger in my heart." Jha D Williams and D. I don’t know where I’m going to go when I want to dance till my shirt is soaked through. I don’t know where I’ll take them after this. How often have the QTBIPOC panels, mics and affordable parties been at this venue? There are few places that have mocktails on the menu, staff knowledgable about the ingredients in the food, interesting and funny bartenders from my community, and a ramp with automatic doors. I adored the staff, felt so good about the professionalism of the sound tech, and knew I could see art that mattered. The way people have their gym friends I had my Bella Luna friends. Boston’s public and social spaces, I will say with my chest, are actively aggressive to the presence of people like me: broke, black, trans, queer people. I was a regular patron as well as performer at the space. In a sentence, as a black queer and trans person, I felt genuinely safe there. "There are few outside spaces I crave actively like Bella Luna/Milky Way. Here's what they had to say about their memories of the restaurant and bar. Artists and performers of color in Boston, particularly queer and trans POC, found a second home at these inclusive spaces created at Bella Luna.
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Not only did Bella Luna serve as a place to get late-night pizza and a good cocktail, it was also home to community programs, dance parties, open mics and more. The restaurant moved into the current location at the Haffenreffer brewery complex in 2008.
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In a statement on their website, the owners wrote, "the public health hazards of COVID-19 will exist for over a year and without being able to operate at full capacity, our business is not financially sustainable."īella Luna, which originally opened in 1993 in Hyde Square as a small pizza parlor, has expanded and grown over the years. (Courtesy Bella Luna & The Milky Way) This article is more than 1 year old.Īfter nearly 28 years of business, the owners of Bella Luna & The Milky Way announced on June 18 that the restaurant won't be reopening. After 27 years, Bella Luna & The Milky Way closed permanently in June.