We spoke to Cafe Euphoria owner, Atsushi Akera, about what makes her business an integral part of the Downtown Troy community, the LGBTQIA+ community, and how they are creating an alternative economic system that goes against the traditional ways of doing things. There is so much happening in this space at 225 River St. you must engage yourself to experience all of the positivity and knowledge being extended from all the employees and their customers. Celebrate PRIDE MONTH by supporting Cafe Euphoria and all the LGBTQIA+ owned businesses in Downtown Troy!
Photo Credit: Melissa Ann Argay
Why is Pride Month important to you?
The pride festival goes back to Stonewall. Originally it was the protest against police violence and harassment of members of our community. Transgendered individuals were a part of that incident, even though people understand it as an attack on the gay community. Our region has the oldest operating pride center in the country, the Pride Center of the Capital Region was created right after Stonewall occurred, so this celebration has deep meaning for the people in our area. I can elaborate in a really important way because given what’s happening politically at the national level, the things that the gay and lesbian community have already accomplished have become a point of major concern. In addition the transgendered community has been made a political target. Our community is under a threat that has created a renewed sense of sense of urgency for focusing on our accomplishments and building solidarity in the LGBTQIA+ community. We need to work with each other, support one another, and understand each other’s challenges.
What can the Troy community do to support the LGBTQIA+ movement during Pride Month?
Mayor Madden has been a great support for LGBTQIA+ rights locally. You know, it’s not just our community who we are asking for support from, we need to see it from our legislature as well. We’re very fortunate in Rensselaer County that we are receiving unanimous support from all sides. Both Democrats and Republicans have banded together to support our rights. The Cafe Euphoria community has been tremendously supported by locals, other businesses, and the Downtown Troy BID. I want everyone to understand though, that we aren’t just a community space, we are first and foremost a cafe. It’s a spot where everybody is welcome! We’re located right in Monument Square for a purpose, Trans Visibility saves lives. We need people to understand who transgendered individuals are instead of being made out to be monsters by the Conservatives, we can instead be serving the community in a place made for everyone to feel comfortable and enjoy their time spent at the cafe!
Why did you choose to open a business in Downtown Troy?
It was very important that we picked a location that was highly central and highly visible for the Trans Visibility Project. We figured we’re only a block away from Monument Square, right next to where Troy City Hall used to be - what could be a better location? Once the new construction happens on 1 Monument Square happens, we’ll be even more central. But we’re still very happy to be on lower River St. and part of the Downtown Troy community.
What kind of place do you offer for the LGBTQIA+ community
For the community, we are a general restaurant serving everyone Troy. For the LGBTQIA+ community our key meeting times are Thursday’s and Friday’s for dinner service and Saturday nights at well. That’s where we try to bring together different segments of our diverse community together. We have the Non-Binary Support Group, Young Adult Social Group, Metal Health Empowerment Project (peer based support). And then we also have Open Mic, poetry or spoken words, or poetry slam, as well as our music centered open mic which happens on Troy Night Out. Those create occasions for specific parts of our community but also our community at large to come together. I should also add to that we try to work parallel with the Pride Center and In Our Own Voices in order to make sure that diversity in all of its different dimensions is represented through our cafe.
Do you think your business has positively impacted the Downtown area?
We hope to contribute to the revival of lower River Street. This area used to be very frequented and a popular place to visit but that suffered in the economic downturn in 2008. Now there are a bunch a businesses that I think are right on the cusp of drawing enough attention that more people see this as yet another block thats critical to the Downtown Revival. It’s taking a little more of a push to get us there but with so many new businesses opening that will make this a really exciting place. My favorite part of owning my business is getting to meet new people and create relationships! It’s a lot of work, often I am putting in 80-100 hours a week, but it’s all worth it.
The Most Critical Thing About Cafe Euphoria
We offer a 3-1 sliding scale. Anybody who makes a full income we ask they pay full price, for everybody else, you don’t have to be a member of our community to receive a 33% discount. And then we also have a solidarity price that is intended for the transgendered community who receive a 66% discount. Many of them face workplace discrimination, or may have lost their jobs, but we want to make it so that they still can come here. It’s all self - declared no explanation necessary, we don’t ask for any documentation. Just tell us which bracket you want to be in and that’s all there is to it. We’re also working - owned cooperative so everyone makes the same wage. “The main thing is that we were driven more by the social mission than by the idea of a worker-owned cooperative. So it was ‘We’re creating a safe space for the trans and the gender-nonconforming community,’” Akera explains. “And then we said, ‘And we are a cooperative, so everybody gets paid the same.’” Cited from the Yes Magazine, The Cafe That’s Upending Capitalism.
