There’s busy, then there’s Gregory Alexander busy. As Co-owner and founder of the popular nightlife event A Club Called Rhonda, Director of Culture and Entertainment at The West Hollywood EDITION, and founder of the non-profit Wander Boys, you get the sense Gregory doesn’t get much downtime.

Born and raised in Southern California, Gregory started partying and going to raves as a teenager before moving to Downtown LA at 18. After a few years in the Los Angeles nightlife scene Gregory, who is queer, and his good friend Loren Granich, who is straight, began to realize that there wasn’t anywhere they felt like they could fully be themselves together. So in 2008, the two friends set off to create an experience encapsulating the mystique and excitement of golden age club venues like Studio 54, playing an eclectic mix of music and encouraging people from all walks of life to come and be the best, most fabulous versions of themselves. This novel concept to mix cultures and genres into one massive multifaceted party was something refreshing for Los Angeles and A Club Called Rhonda exploded onto the scene, reenergizing a stagnant Los Angeles nightlife experience and getting the attention of people across the world.

This mindful and calculated approach is a huge part of what has continued to make Rhonda one of its generation's most successful and long standing parties. Yet, at the pinnacle of the nightlife world, Alexander was still hungry to keep expanding his knowledge and understanding of culture and events, so he took what he refers to as a ‘day job’ in hospitality. “I’ve worked at a few different places like the Standard and SoHo house but I ended up at The EDITION because it’s owned by Ian Schrager of Studio 54 fame, and I wanted to learn from him and see what we could accomplish together.” As Director of Culture and Entertainment, Gregory’s job is essentially to keep the property and brand intact and relevant – anything that makes it more than a hospitality space, whether it be art, music, parties, or events. While this role obviously ties into his nightlife expertise, it also encompasses a whole wealth of other cultural touchstones, allowing Alexander to tap into and connect with a completely different perspective on culture and entertainment.

While both Rhonda and his role at The Edition came as a result of Gregory actively seeking new experiences, the founding of his non-profit, Wander Boys, came almost by accident. Invited to attend a queer-focused event in Aspen, Gregory and his friends decided to road trip out and they ended up having an amazing time in the process. He realized how impactful and important both nature and community were to him and that so many people miss this in their daily lives. Gregory describes the NPO as a “traveling queer fraternity that looks to return people to nature and create a sense of community.” The non-profit hosts several trips a year where members of the queer community are welcome and free to experience nature as their true selves with an inclusive community of like-minded individuals.

All three of Gregory’s ‘jobs’ all work within the world of events, but what really unites them is their desire to connect people and engage them in experiences that positively contribute to self-expression and culture. Gregory’s legacy shouldn’t simply be that he threw great parties, but that he managed to create a culture that values inclusiveness and self-expression, and now more than ever that we need to support spaces like that and the people who make them happen.