Asbury Park's Georgie's To Host Town Hall On Inclusivity

ASBURY PARK, NJ – Representatives from Miller Lite and Garden State Equality will be hosting a town hall on Monday, Oct. 25, at Georgie's in Asbury Park at 6 p.m.

The town hall, which will be moderated by Harmonica Sunbeam and will feature panelists Kahja Manuel, Community Organizer at Garden State Equality, Pissi Myles, accomplished drag comedian, singer, and hostess from Asbury Park, and Rhedd Rhumm, LGBTQ youth advocate and entertainer from New Jersey, is one of three events being done around the country as part of the "Open & Proud" program, an initiative by Miller Lite and Equality Federation that looks to create safe, inclusive spaces at bars for the LGBTQ community.

According to Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, Asbury Park was chosen as a town hall location due to the town's importance to the LGBTQ community.

"We chose to hold this event in Asbury due to its history with the LGBTQ community. Asbury Park has always been a place where the community can come and be themselves," Fuscarino said to Patch.

Fuscarino also wanted to ensure that the panel provided a "wide spectrum" of LGBTQ bar culture from the past until today.

"We wanted to put together a panel of people with decades of experience in the LGBTQ bar scene and provide a historical perspective of how LGBTQ bar culture has evolved and also hear from younger people who are going out to these places today because they feel safer and more inclusive," Fuscarino said to Patch.

The program includes developing and implementing inclusivity training materials for bar owners and employees at the 55,000 bars and nightclubs in the U.S. that sell Miller Lite.

Town halls like the one at Georgie's will directly influence these training materials through experiences shared at town halls across the country.

"We at Miller Lite see that everyone should be allowed to be themselves, and we know that isn't always the case for the LGBTQ community," Lauren Cassel, associate marketing manager for Miller Lite, said to Patch.

"Town halls like the one coming up in Asbury Park allow our brand to listen and learn from the community about their stories and experiences and how to make bars and nightclubs more inclusive and safe."

The town hall is from 6 to 7 p.m. at Georgie's, located on 810 Fifth Avenue in Asbury Park, with a happy hour to follow from 7 to 8 p.m. The event is open to the public, but you have to RSVP online.