Rachael & Jonathan need our help !

Rachael & Jonathan need our help!

As many of you know, both Black Onyx and Cafe Aroma were unfairly shut down due to Shoreline residents having concerns regarding the events, socials and discussion groups hosted in the cafe.

Rachael and Jonathan are known by many of the attendees of the North Seattle / Black Onyx events - both as fellow kinky-poly-queer humans and for being welcoming venue hosts and providing a space for all of us to grow as a community. They opened their doors for us - as well as for other kink & queer adjacent groups in Seattle - and helped create a comfortable, welcoming environment.

Cafe Aroma was acquired by Rachael and Jonathan in August of 2022 with a dream of creating a warm, cozy space that was welcoming to all who stopped in for a coffee or meal. They have created employment opportunities for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and facilitated space for diverse community events - including kink, live music, art and discussion groups.

When a resident of the neighborhood started started publicly and aggressively voicing concerns (about a month prior to the shut down) about the morals of the events and people attending them, creating discord in the Shoreline/Ridgecrest area as well as the loss of an employee who felt threatened by the complaints, Rachael and Jonathan continued to offer their support both to Black Onyx and the community at large and did not back down - standing firm in the face of discrimination and fear.

The closure of the cafe has had immediate ramifications for them and their young family. The short-term implications include loss of product/stock (estimated at $12,000), loss of employees, and the loss of revenue from the cafe. Without the funds available to appeal any decisions, they are at risk of losing their lease in its entirety and facing the reality that they may lose their home and have to move out of state.

Rachael and Jonathan, outside of what you see at the cafe, have a young family - with one other adult partner in the home, they also have three teenaged children with diverse medical needs, not to mention the family pets.

This is a time of crisis for them and their family; while we do not have any means of recourse on their behalf, we are devastated that they are facing such loss, simply for supporting their local community. We are asking all of you to help however you can - every dollar will count, and will help provide some stability for their family through this difficult time with the hope of ensuring they and their children will be able to continue to receive both the medical care they need and create a buffer and housing stability while they figure out a new life plan.

Please share wherever you can, your kindness and care is appreciated <3

(Kristine & Malcolm - Black Onyx)