The idea of building community has been at the forefront of my life for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been the friend who hosts: dinner parties at my friend’s house in high school, TV watch parties at my dorm in college and now family-style meals and cocktail parties at my loft in Brooklyn. No matter where I've lived, bringing together a group of people who are being their most authentic selves has been critical to my professional growth and mental wellness. This is also the approach I take when it comes to celebrating Pride month.

My earliest Pride experience was attending a Pride parade in my hometown of Detroit in the summer of 2017. This day continues to loom large in my mind because at the time, my parents weren't aware of my queer identity, and quite frankly, I was afraid of them finding out. I vividly remember feeling butterflies in my stomach as I got ready to go to the parade. Looking back now, I understand that this anxiety was rooted in my lack of exposure to spaces that genuinely embraced queerness and celebrated people like me. Walking through the entrance of that parade, I immediately felt a sense of love and community. Growing up, I didn't see any queer representation, let alone have any role models that were Black and queer, so I never felt that there was space for me in the world. Since then, I have worked on embracing who I am and strived to be a leader and friend to those in the queer community and beyond.

In keeping with that spirit, this Pride month I’m inviting my friends over to play board games and eat our favorite party foods, including my Eggplant Parm Sliders. While we're always committed to making time for each other and not letting the busyness of everyday life get in the way of filling each other's cups, it feels especially important during Pride.

I love hosting a game night because it involves three of my favorite things: friendly competition, small bites and an excuse for everyone to connect to their inner child. A low-stakes game night is the perfect time to get creative and try something new and bold in the kitchen, like my Eggplant Parm Sliders. They require minimal effort and are ideal for feeding a crowd since they’re utensil-free. Serve the components on a large platter and let guests build their own sliders — it makes everything feel super casual and frees everyone up to eat and mingle at the same time.

I also make it a point to invite guests into the kitchen to cook with me on game nights. Not only do they love feeling included, but it also means there’s less work for me as a host and more opportunity to create new memories with my friends. So this Pride Month, dust off your favorite board game, spend a little quality time with your friends in the kitchen and host a game night to remember.

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