How can we use food to refocus the global narrative around the Trans community away from that of hostility and towards one of care and celebration? What role does food play in building and sustaining the Trans community? How can food-making spaces nurture the social bonds that empower Trans people to create, dream, and rejoice?
Moderated by Dubbs Weinblatt, this conversation brings together Telly Justice, Gabrielle Inès Souza, Luna Vela, and Skylar Mosca as they discuss what it means to move through the world as Trans people and how food is pivotal to their careers, from the joy of cooking as self-expression to the necessity of food access for survival.
Tickets include access to Flavor: The World to Your Brain from 6 to 7 PM, bites from Dacha 46, cocktails from Anytime Spritz, and N/A cocktails from Aplós.
If you identify as Trans or genderqueer/nonbinary and work in food, please reach out to operations@mofad.org for reduced admission.
CHEF TELLY JUSTICE is a proud Trans Woman who has been working in the food industry for over a decade and a half. After having worked at all levels of dining- from anarchist vegan cafes to Michelin starred restaurants- Telly has devised a food philosophy that puts people and relationships first, ego last. Expect deliciousness, thoughtfulness and intentionality, Queerness, and fun as the key touchstones of her menus. Her flagship restaurant HAGS in the heart of the East Village features flamboyant tasting menus as well as fun and inclusive Pay What You Can meals. Neither menu styles are to be missed!
GABRIELLE INÈS SOUZA is a dedicated leader committed to uplifting marginalized communities. As the Executive Director of The Okra Project, she spearheads initiatives that address food insecurity, housing assistance, and mental health support for Black transgender people. Under her leadership, The Okra Project has expanded its impact, securing resources to provide consistent programming that meets the urgent needs of the community. With a focus on sustainability, safety, and holistic care, Gabrielle works to ensure that The Okra Project remains a vital force in combating systemic inequities while fostering empowerment, dignity, and lasting change.
SKYLAR MOSCA is a trans nonbinary chef who hails from Missouri. They are currently the Executive Chef of Sailor in Ft. Greene, and helped Chef April Bloomfield and owner Gabriel Stulman build the restaurant from its beginning. Skylar debuted their restaurant concept Butch·er with a pop-up hosted by The Lineup, and were featured in StarChef's 2025 New York Rising Stars Issue. They have worked in the New York City food scene for 11 years, with their foundation starting at the Spotted Pig with Bloomfield. They were the opening CDC at The Commerce Inn under Chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, and also served as CDC at The Loyal under Chef John Frasier. They are passionate about creating community and providing mentorship to queer and trans chefs through their work. @skylarmoscanyc
LUNA VELA is a chef, molinera, and anthropologist from Northern Mexico, now based in Austin, TX. She is the founder of Neighborhood Molino, a community mill and cultural space dedicated to preserving native food traditions through a queer, intuitive lens. Her work honors the richness of Mexican and Tejana foodways while creating spaces of connection, healing, and joy for queer and trans communities. Luna collaborates with restaurants, chefs, and Native- and queer-led organizations across borders, and previously served as Director of Masa and Fermentation for several award-winning restaurants across Texas.
DUBBS WEINBLATT (they/them) is the Founder and CEO of Thank You For Coming Out, which inspires authenticity and belonging by uplifting, centering, and celebrating LGBTQIA+ stories and identities through DEIB trainings and workshops, their podcast, improv show, and other forms of art and storytelling. They are the Co-Founder and Executive Producer of Craft Your Truth, an organization that encourages LGBTQ folks to use any kind of performance art as a way to express their stories and connect with their community around them.
Special Thanks To
Dacha 46 is a Brooklyn-based traveling pop-up from NYC chef couple Jessica & Trina Quinn. We explore Eastern European cuisine through the lens of the Queer Jewish experience—reclaiming culture with pride, flavor, and joy. Jessica is a first-generation Soviet Jew whose family made a home in Brighton Beach in the '80s. Dacha 46 honors that legacy while reimagining it to reflect our family and Queer identity. It’s an edible love letter to everything we were told we couldn’t be. Tradition meets rebellion meets celebration. We’re here to make space, throw a party, and feed the people—loudly and unapologetically.
