2 minute read
Let's Get Social
by: Nizzie Lokman
Let's Get Social
Social and community connections night and day at the happy place—The Academy San Francisco - Social Club.
Mental health has taken a toll on humankind since the pandemic invaded our world. For too long, we have been asked to practice social distancing and limit physical interaction, creating individual isolation. Staying at home and confining ourselves within our four walls rattled our cages to be free.
Revitalizing our sense of belonging, The Academy San Francisco (academysf.com) is an LGBTQ+ social club that opens doors for community members searching for authentic human connections. Regardless of race, ethnic background, gender orientation, or any other factor, The Academy creates a happy place where everyone feels included. It is a true landmark of inclusion and diversity in the Bay Area.
Photo Credit: @theryantiscareno
Nate Bourg
Photo Credit: @theryantiscareno
A New Beginning
Nate Bourg, the co-founder of The Academy, shared his insights and defined the narrative of who they are and what they stand for. Before starting The Academy, Nate’s background was all music-related. At the time, he met his business partner, Paul Miller, while working at the San Francisco Symphony.
One day at lunch, Paul mentioned he was looking at a property that had a fascinating history and potential. Once they walked inside and started thinking about it, the idea began to form, and about seven months later, the two founders opened The Academy. The Academy. Main Room. 1920.
Photo Credit Lindsay Miller @wildlyvisible
“My experience in the months following The Academy’s opening was both exciting and challenging. Because we were building the business from nothing and had very little budget to work with, our efforts to promote and shape the narrative of who we are were largely done by word of mouth. This can be an amazing way to amplify, but it also can be difficult when people have their own slightly different interpretation,” Nate explained.
Photo Credit: @theryantiscareno
Nate realized that some people looked at The Academy as elitist or exclusive rather than a welcoming community space. With any membership-based club, this might be a universal challenge, but it is one that they have faced head-on from the start. It’s from there, The Academy found its mission with clarity—Belongingness.
Photo Credit: @theryantiscareno
Human Connection
Nate expressed, “The Academy, to me, is a place to belong and feel part of a close-knit community. It represents something that we felt was missing in San Francisco, particularly [for] the LGBTQ+ community.” The Academy’s mission is to promote genuine social interaction, contributing to our society by uniting diverse people through shared experiences.
Photo Credit: Lindsay Miller @wildlyvisible
A social club offers an alternative to a traditional nightclub. Instead, it allows its members to meet people from various communities and cultures in a relaxed environment. The founders of The Academy always stay true to their mission and vision and look to their values to guide them, no matter what they are working on.
Read more at https://issuu.com/rareluxuryliving/docs/troora_san_francisco_2021_pages/78
Photo Credit: @theryantiscareno
