With Thanksgiving tomorrow and the looming threat of the second wave of COVID-19 (spoiler alert: it never went away), many of us have had to forgo plans with family and friends for the holiday season.

Since we can’t gather IRL, I present you with 6 folks who have been on my mind lately that I'd like to invite over for a fantasy Thanksgiving dinner.

1. Michael Render AKA Killer Mike

Mike is best known as a rapper with a portfolio that includes solo work as well as being one half of the duo Run The Jewels, and a whole mess of other projects.

Mike is also an activist, entrepreneur and TV personality. He’s got his hands in many different things at one time and brings his unique vision to all of these projects. Whether he’s working on an album, expanding his barbershops, or working on Greenwood Bank, a black owned and operated banking system he co-founded, I know Mike has a lot to bring to the table, so to speak.

2. Bob The Drag Queen

Bob, beyond their drag career, is a magnetic person. Their sense of humor, style and sincerity is impossible to contain, whether it be for a TV show or on their personal Tik Tok account.

Bob has been an activist and famously arrested in full drag while demonstrating.

Fun fact (quite possibly only of interest to me) - while Bob was a college student in NYC, they worked at Jekyll and Hyde, a theme restaurant in the West Village. As a child, I was obsessed with Jekyll and Hyde and thought it was the peak of employment opportunities. Of course, it was quite the opposite, but I'd love to hear those stories.

3. David Lynch

Lynch has, for a long time, been at the top of the list of people I’d love to sit down with over coffee and... just listen. 

Lynch’s work often focuses on the dark underbellies of American society and Suburbia and is presented in very unique ways. 

Having Lynch at the table to add some metaphysics to the atmosphere would make for a well rounded conversation. 

*All New Yorkers are required to have a hard stoop pic

4. AOC

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a New York native, fighting for progressive policies as the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress.

The fact that AOC is a 31 year old from New York who went to school in Boston, moved back home and started tending bar before the universe moved her to the path she’s on now is VERY RELATABLE TO ME. I would love to get her takes on the topics of the day and also have a laugh at our shared service-industry traumas and discuss the one good pizza place in Boston.

*Very special shout to La Isla (pictured above). I love that spot. 

5. Alexis Sablone

Alexis is one of those people I can’t help but be in awe of. She is a professional skateboarder and a member of the United States’ first Olympic Skate Team. She is also an artist in multiple disciplines and an architect with degrees from Barnard and MIT. She is also fresh as hell and that can not be ignored.

6. Latisha Daring

Finally, we need to address the food at this gathering.

Enter Latisha Daring.

After working in fashion for 29 years, Latisha changed course and opened Greedi Vegan in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn.

Latisha grew up Vegan in the 1980’s and 90’s with very little options, and made it her goal to bring good vegan food to the market.

Besides being a true inspiration as a mover and shaker in anything she does, the Jerk Chik’n, plantains and the cauliflower po boys from Greedi Vegan have become sources of great joy in my happy home. 

Whatever you do and whoever you're with this Thanksgiving, we wish you peace and health. We're thankful for you.