The salon is back — at least it will be if Dawn Meifert has anything to say about it.
Meifert, who has lately been making regular vlogs about politics she posts on YouTube called Here’s The Deal, has a passion for exchanging ideas, especially those that relate to the gay community. And in Ketel One, she has found a partner who feels just as strongly about it. The result is Cocktails and Conversations, a new drinks-and-discussion series launching this week in Dallas.
It started when Meifert, who has long worked in marketing, began discussions with the luxury vodka brand about getting involved in the gay community. “We wanted involvement deeper than happy hours and a few big sponsorships,” she says. “One idea was about creating an event where a guest speaker will come in — they might be gay or might not — but where there’s an evening that’s fun and relaxing but spurs members of the community into donating money or volunteering,” or otherwise getting involved. Not just in politics, Meifert notes, but also nonprofits and other community good works. “It sometimes seems the gay and lesbian involvement has become a little lackluster.”
The salons will be very informal, and held at the homes of locals in the communities who volunteer them. The first one, set for tomorrow evening in Oak Cliff’s Kessler Park area, will launch the series, which has the go-ahead for regular salons through May 2013 — in Dallas, but also Houston, New Orleans and possibly Austin.
Although the events are invitation-only to control the number of people who show up to a private house, anyone interested in getting involved or on the invite list can email KetelOneDallas@gmail.com, and ask to be but on the salon invite list for the next Dallas event.
Oh, and you can check out Meifert’s vlog on her YouTube channel, or just watch one of them below.
