Today we’d like to introduce you to Dorothy Edwards.
Hi Dorothy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Friends of Dorothy Café started with a simple question my wife and I kept asking while we were expecting our son: “What kind of community do we want him to grow up in?” We imagined him surrounded by a big, beautiful village of queer and trans families, a childhood filled with belonging, connection, and joy that so many of us never had growing up.
When we couldn’t find enough spaces like that, we started building them ourselves. We founded Alexandria Queer Moms and began organizing events that brought LGBTQ+ families together. Through that work, one thing became incredibly clear: our community has very few everyday places outside of bars and nightlife where queer and trans people can gather, build relationships, attend events, or simply exist openly.
That realization became Friends of Dorothy Café, which will be (Alexandria’s first) queer-owned café and third space where LGBTQ+ people, families, allies, artists, and neighbors can connect over coffee, attend cultural events, support local makers, and find community.
Although our physical café has not opened yet, we’ve built strong momentum through grassroots fundraising, community partnerships, pop-up markets, Pride events, and our four-part Living History series, which brought together LGBTQ+ elders, activists, artists, and younger generations to preserve our history and strengthen community ties.
Our biggest challenge is raising the startup capital needed to open our doors. Traditional financing has been difficult to access as a first-time founder launching a brick-and-mortar business, so we’re building this one step at a time with the support of our community. Every event, every partnership, every bag of coffee, and every donation brings us closer to creating a permanent home where people can gather, belong, and build the future together.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but every challenge has reinforced why this work matters.
The biggest obstacle has been access to startup capital. As a first-time founder opening a brick-and-mortar business, I quickly discovered that traditional funding options are often out of reach for businesses that haven’t yet opened their doors. After being told I wasn’t eligible for an SBA loan, I realized there was no straightforward path forward. Instead, I’ve had to piece together funding through grants, grassroots fundraising, merchandise sales, pop-up markets, and community events.
Building a mission-driven business also means balancing financial sustainability with community impact. Friends of Dorothy Café isn’t just a coffee shop, it’s a community space, which requires thoughtful planning to ensure it can both serve the community and succeed as a business.
Despite those challenges, the response from the community has been incredibly encouraging. Every sold-out event, every partnership, every donation, every volunteer, and every person who has shared our vision has confirmed that there is a real need for this space. Those moments have kept me moving forward and reminded me that while this road hasn’t been easy, it has absolutely been worth it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in community building through storytelling, thoughtful programming, and creating spaces where people feel seen, connected, and inspired to take action. Throughout my career, I’ve worked at the intersection of communications, visual storytelling, and social impact, using media and events to bring people together around meaningful causes.
Now, that work has evolved into Friends of Dorothy Café, where I’m combining entrepreneurship with community organizing to create a permanent LGBTQ+ third space in Northern Virginia. Before the café even opens, we’ve built a growing community through educational events, Pride programming, pop-up markets, partnerships with local organizations, and initiatives like the Living History series, which connected younger generations with LGBTQ+ elders, activists, artists, and changemakers.
What I’m most proud of is my ability to turn an idea into a movement. Friends of Dorothy Café has grown because people believe in the vision and want to help build it. I believe my greatest strength is creating authentic community, bringing together people who may not have otherwise met, fostering collaboration, and transforming shared values into lasting impact.
What sets me apart is that I’m not just building a business, I’m building a community resource. Every decision is guided by the belief that belonging matters, and that businesses can be catalysts for connection, culture, and positive social change.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is ensuring that queer and trans young people grow up with more community, safety, and belonging than previous generations had.
I think often about what it means to walk into a space and immediately know that you are embraced and that you don’t have to hide who you are or wonder whether you’ll be accepted. Too many LGBTQ+ young people still don’t have that experience. I’ve heard students describe their school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) as the only place in their lives where they can truly be themselves. While I’m deeply grateful for the teachers and volunteers who create those spaces, I don’t believe a two-hour after-school club should be the only place where a young person feels safe and understood.
That belief is so much of what drives Friends of Dorothy Café. I’m working to create a permanent community space where queer and trans people of every generation can gather, connect, and build relationships outside of nightlife, a place where a teenager can attend an event, a family can spend an afternoon together, an elder can share their story, and someone questioning who they are can realize they are not alone.
If we want future generations to inherit a stronger, more connected community than we did, we have to build those spaces now. That’s the impact I hope Friends of Dorothy Café will have for years to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://friendsofdorothycafe.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friendsofdorothycafe/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580850506291
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@friendsofdorothycafe?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
