On Oct. 12 at Graham Hall, Christopher Prince introduced the documentary “Fierceness Served! The ENIKAlley Coffeehouse.” Prince, project director of the film and former member of Coffeehouse, spoke about the venue in Washington, D.C. Coffeehouse served as a space for Black LGBTQ artists and political organizations, including notable poet Essex Hemphill. The Smith College Boutelle-Day Poetry Center and the English and Africana Studies departments co-sponsored the event to spread awareness of the venue and to acknowledge how the art of gossip can facilitate conversation about the social and political in poetry and performance.
Prince noted that the documentary aspires to “let the young active queer population today know that they have a foundation of real inspiration.”
“Fierceness Served!” takes place in D.C. in 1982, when Coffeehouse, a space the size of a living room, opened during the AIDS epidemic. Black LGBTQ people were shunned from white clubs in their communities, where five forms of identification were asked of them upon arrival. “We were in our late 20s and early 30s,” said Prince, pointing out that they should not have been asked for so many forms of ID. Coffeehouse was a meeting, rehearsal and performance venue: “a space where people claimed their existence in society.”
“We were embracing power but also mourning,” Prince said. The documentary shows how adversity can be a bonding movement. Members of Coffeehouse built a community by embracing identities and a principle of acceptance, leaving a legacy for new generations to build upon. The film is as brief as a power nap, but it demonstrates the urge for humanity, connection, and expression — and how next to nothing can still become the community you didn’t know you needed.
The project originated from the Smithsonian National Gallery’s lack of recognition of the Coffeehouse community. HumanitiesDC funded the project, but because of a tight budget the documentary is 30 minutes long. The film includes Zoom and in-person interviews of surviving members and researchers. It does not consist of archival footage from the time when Coffeehouse was in operation, but instead contains a collection of pictures — the only surviving footage of Coffeehouse. Despite the pandemic and a limited budget, the former members and others involved in the production made it work.
The film highlights the community’s zest; everyone interviewed mentions the community performances and energy that inspired members to keep returning. A young woman in the film stated that the people in Coffeehouse, “are [her] ancestors.” Another powerful moment in the film included performances of surviving members coming together after many years and performing once more at the venue. While there are no videos of the original performances, photos illustrate the joyful faces and authentic energy of the vocal and instrumental performances organized by the community.
“Fierceness Served! The ENIKAlley Coffeehouse” is a powerful reminder of how underrepresented communities can unite and pioneer space that creates generational social impacts. A will to overcome obstacles towards celebrating identity and making history known is something we can all take away from the Coffeehouse.
More information about Coffeehouse is available at thecoffeehousedc.com.
