How ‘The Lay Out’ Is Consistently Making New York Summers Ones To Remember

Being “Black outside” is personified by The Lay Out.

In 2020, our worlds were turned upside down. The COVID-19 pandemic forced us into a level of isolation and uncertainty we had never faced before. Then, the senseless murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd made “just being” seem like a radical act for Black people.

For Emily Anadu, the confinement and racial tension became too much too bare and unfortunately didn’t escape her as she took her daily walks in New York’s Fort Greene Park.

“I remember, even before George Floyd’s murder, that I would take these, like, two to three-hour walks in the park, and I would feel like, ‘Wow, I don’t belong here,'” she told Blavity in a recent interview.

The Houston-born, Nigerian American admitted that she would often feel “othered” in the park due to its changing economic and housing landscape that didn’t reflect the community that drew her to the once predominantly Black area.

Feeling the void of a positive community and a safe space to congregate, Anadu’s wheels began turning. With the help of her friends, The Lay Out brand was born in less than 18 hours and had social media accounts to prove it.

Just 12 days after its launch, The Lay Out hosted its first event, a Juneteenth gathering that drew over 500 people.

“Joy is also one of the strongest forms of resistance. When we celebrated Juneteenth for the first time, it was crazy because it filled a need for people and me,” she said. “My heart and my soul just needed it, but it was obviously something that a lot of other people needed as well.”

Since 2020, The Lay Out has transformed from a large family reunion in the park to multiple events across the city that cultivate the community Anadu was searching for.

There’s the Wash Out, a Crown Heights laundromat takeover that turned the mundane task of doing laundry into a neighborhood meet-and-greet, the Make Out, a workshop and co-working event and the Knock Out, a group boxing class.

“I like the idea of people having deeper conversations and getting to know each other,” she explained when speaking about smaller events. “And New York is a place where, even though there are a lot of people, it’s really easy to feel lonely. And so these smaller series, for me, have just strengthened the overall community because they’ve introduced people differently when we’re all together.”

Regardless of how peaceful The Lay Out is, as with any form of resistance, Anadu has experienced some pushback. She recalled the moment the members of the 88th Precinct of the NYPD crashed a gathering in the park and attempted to intimidate event-goers with unwarranted surveillance.

“I don’t think Black bodies, and particularly Black bodies who are gathering for nothing more than joy, need to have the energy that is created,” she said. “That hostility usually creates an air that welcomes other issues”

To combat “hostility” and “unwelcomed policing,” Anadu has been backed by organizations such as the Fort Greene Park Conservancy and other New York City Parks Department sectors to provide private Black-owned/led security and emergency services.

The Lay Out also promotes economic empowerment within the Black community through initiatives like BuyBLK. ByBLK., a marketplace for Black creators and makers. This marketplace, which has over 500 brands participate, is integrated into The Lay Out’s events, allowing attendees to support Black-owned businesses directly.

Anadu is also intentional about ensuring that large corporate brands she collaborates with understand The Lay Out aims to amplify Black businesses and people.

One of her most prominent partnerships is with Diageo, home to some of the well-known spirit brands on the market.

“We hosted ‘The Joy Hour’ with Crown Royal to kick off the night and raise a glass to Black excellence.” Anadu said. “Everything about the event, enabled by the partnership with Diageo, allowed us to emphasize collaboration over competition. Two Black-owned bars, one at ‘home’ and one visiting, could collaborate seamlessly to support each other. Even the DJs played collaboratively all night, with no set times and a continuous flow of ‘back-to-back’ songs. It was exciting to have Diageo and its brands with us as we put on the first official edition of The Let Out after-party, celebrating The Lay Out’s fifth annual Juneteenth celebration. They are dedicated to supporting underrepresented communities and advancing social initiatives.”

Along with the safe space where you will catch all walks of Black life and activities such as Black men napping in the sunlight, an engagement, or a young woman completing a twist-out on a full head of locs amongst 3,000 people, The Lay Out is a more than just a park gathering.

It has grown to be a physical representation of Black joy, Black economic empowerment and Black community. Its evolution from a spontaneous gathering to a movement underscores the power of Black led collective action and the importance of creating spaces for marginalized communities to thrive.