Queer The Table LIVE at ICC!

Nico Wisler is a middle school teacher, storyteller, and enthusiastic dinner party host who is forever swooned by the intimacy of both cooking and making radio. They believe deeply in the power of queer dance parties, chosen family, long bike rides, and extra garlic. Nico’s podcast, Queer The Table is about the joyful, messy, radical magic that happens in spaces where queerness and food intersect. In conversation with farmers, chefs, activists, historians, seed savers and business babes, Nico explores the idea of “queer food” in all of its limitless forms.

Andre Springer was born in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in the 80’s into a Barbadian family who immigrated to the United States in the late 60’s. Andre was always surrounded by the love of food, whether it was Alma, Springer’s Grandmother, or working in restaurants, bars, and cafes for over 17 years. Food was a gateway into other cultures, lives, and places in NYC. Today, Andre is a Hot Sauce and Food Entrepreneur currently expanding the Shaquanda Will Feed You brand across the United States of America online and in real life. Shaquanda Coco Mulatta was born at The Slide (a former bar on the Bowery) in 2005, an alter ego developed by Andre Springer, who lives mostly in the 4th dimension. Shaquanda is a downtown nightlife performer providing an audience with shows that are “hood avant-garde.” Why the name Shaquanda? Why not? Shaquanda is a celebration of Bed-Stuy.

Jen Martin is a founder and owner of Pipsnacks, a snack food company on a mission to restock the modern pantry with better for you heirloom snacks. Her company has been featured on Shark Tank and Oprah’s Favorite Things. She is also a founding member of the team behind Queer Soup Night, a national party phenomenon on a mission to lift up queer chefs, build community and raise funds for social justice orgs. Jen is focused on using the power of media to create deeper access to community and social action. She has been featured in Forbes 30 under 30 and Essence 50 Female Founders to Watch.

John deBary is the Co-Founder and Board President of Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, which is devoted to addressing quality-of-life issues in the hospitality industry through grantmaking, advocacy, and impact investing. John is also the creator of Proteau, a line of non-alcoholic botanical aperitifs, as well as the author of the upcoming cocktail book, Drink What You Want, due out June 2020 from Clarkson Potter. He lives in the Lower East Side with his husband and cat.