Anyone who has gone to SDCC can attest: it’s fun, exciting, chaotic, expensive, expansive, and busy. During the day, it’s all panels, giveaways, exclusive news leaking and being revealed, crazy amounts of BO, and convention staff yelling about places you can’t sit. When the sun goes down, parties start up across downtown, and some of them are the stuff of legend: The All-American Rejects at the Fandom Party one year, the iconic EW and IGN parties, and secret parties that, if you know, you know.
However, one party has always stood apart from the others: Blerd & Boujee.
In an age where Black superhero series are getting renewed and then cancelled, diverse voices in media are becoming fewer by the day, and being a minority is increasingly under attack, Blerd & Boujee is special. The first party was in 2019, and ever since, it has grown in size and popularity. That first year, it was on a boat, and D-Nice was the DJ! This year, it was DJ Hella Yella, who had people on the floor all night long, especially after a long Saturday at the con.
Blerd & Boujee is a celebration of what it means to be a Blerd and a chance to connect over art, comics, film, animation, and television while showing off your best dance moves on the floor. For some, it’s an opportunity to let their hair down, randomly meet their favorite actors or creators, or dance the night away. And I love that! For me, it’s all that, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to connect with community and purpose. I always come away feeling inspired.
One minute, I look up, and I’m meeting Marc Bernardin; the next, I turn around, and Sam Richardson is there. That’s just the kind of night Blerd & Boujee can be. You go to take a seat and when you look up, it’s so powerful and endearing to see everyone in attendance overjoyed, relaxing, taking photos in the photobooth area, or just catching up. Blerd and Boujee feels like a moment in time in the middle of the year to celebrate each other and be seen, if just for a moment.
The vibe is always laid back, and you can feel positivity, exuberance, and the spirit of togetherness emanating from all parts of the room. That feels particularly important right now. Everywhere we look, those of us who are of a different skin tone, nationality, language, or background are being marginalized by our President, the government, or studios telling us our voices and faces don’t matter, or even that we don’t sell overseas.
In reality, it’s our cultures and backgrounds that have contributed to what this country is. Just after SDCC, the public learned that Wonder Man had been cancelled despite being renewed, earning a lead actor Emmy nomination, and receiving praise from fans who called it some of Marvel’s best work.
At Blerd & Boujee, I always feel lucky to be invited and attend because I know it’s a place where I can be myself, have a good time, meet new people, and reconnect with friends and colleagues. If you ever get the invite and confirmation to attend, I highly recommend going. You’ll have a great time and come away with memories fit for a lifetime.