The Lay Out: A Celebration of Black Joy in Brooklyn
On a sunny Sunday afternoon at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, just days before Juneteenth, large crowds of people were lounging on brightly colored picnic blankets and under tents atop the hill, making them hard to miss. With R&B and hip-hop filling the breezy air, this was just the early vibes of the Lay Out, a series of summer park gatherings that its creator says exists “to center Black joy.” By 5 p.m., the park would be swelling with mostly Black attendees dancing and drinking together, playing games and enjoying one another’s company for a day of rest.
“It’s my favorite event of the summer: I’m a picnic girlie, and I just like all the Black people,” said Toni Leotaud, 31, who lives in Brooklyn. “I know I’m going to see mad people that I know.”
Now in its fifth year, the Lay Out has become one of the main attractions in Brooklyn each summer, especially its celebration of Juneteenth. Emily Anadu, the event’s chief executive and one of its founders, said the idea for the Lay Out came about in 2020, inspired by coronavirus pandemic restrictions and the protests that broke out that summer after the murder of George Floyd. One demonstration near her home in the Fort Greene neighborhood left a police van engulfed in flames. She woke up the next morning to help with cleanup around the park but was surprised by what she saw.
“Having lived in New York City for nearly 20 years and in Fort Greene for most of them, Ms. Anadu recalled how it was once normal to see an abundance of Black people. During the early months of the pandemic, as she spent hours walking through the park, it became viscerally clear to her just how much the demographics had changed.
Days after the protest, Ms. Anadu set out to organize a park gathering where Black people could comfortably “take up space” in what had once been a mostly Black neighborhood. Over about three days of planning, she consulted with a few friends in a group chat about her idea, and through word of mouth and online promotion, the first Lay Out took place on Sunday, June 7, about a week after the protests.
She said more than 500 people had been at that first event, adding that it was a bit nerve-racking to have so many attendees, given the social-distancing guidelines. But the event was outside, Ms. Anadu reasoned, and the size of the crowd was a testament to just how much “we needed each other.”
On Sunday, the Lay Out returned with different sponsored activities, including tennis workshops, mini basketball games, Black-owned businesses, and a nearby after-party. Attendees shared their favorite moments and what keeps bringing them back to the event.
Leigh Brant, recalling a memorable moment from last year, said, “Last year, in the middle of a set, they started playing Keyshia Cole, and a circle formed around a man who was proposing. And everyone stood in a circle around them and was singing ‘Love.’ It was beautiful.”
Daniel Jones, who has been attending the Lay Out every Juneteenth, said, “Do you not see this? The culture, the music, the vibes — they got food down there. It’s just the energy is always on 10.”
Fatou Ndiaye, visiting from Lisbon and selling food at the event, said, “The beautiful people. It’s just nice to see beautiful Black people enjoying themselves and just being who we are.”
The Lay Out is not just a gathering; it is a celebration of Black joy, community, and freedom. As one attendee, Alexyz Kemp, put it, “It’s the blackest my neighborhood looks, but also I run into old friends and I get to see future generations and how they’re hanging out, seeing how they’re trying to make their voice heard and impact the community.”
Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, holds a special significance for the attendees of the Lay Out. Rony Byas Jr. expressed, “It’s a holiday for Black people to get together and just be cool. July Fourth isn’t really our day — we weren’t necessarily free, and I feel like this is Black people’s July Fourth.”
The Lay Out is not just a party; it is a space where Black joy is celebrated, where community is built, and where freedom is cherished. As attendees continue to gather each year, the Lay Out remains a beacon of light and hope in a world that often seeks to dim the joy of Black lives.
