Communi-Tea – What Better Looks Like

— Bryant Park · New York City

Beloved
Communi-Tea

Every Thursday afternoon in Bryant Park in New York City, a table is set, and everyone — absolutely everyone — is welcome.

— How It Began

A lark that became something sacred

It began in the summer of 2014. Liz was looking for free things to do in the city with her sons. Bryant Park hosts “Broadway in Bryant Park” on Thursdays — she started going, packing a picnic lunch, inviting friends over Facebook. Each week, more people came.

Towards the end of that summer, a friend mentioned she preferred tea to coffee — and only liked drinking it from a real china cup. Liz had a whole collection that had belonged to her mother and grandmother. She offered to bring a cup for each of them the following week. As she packed, she decided to bring a few extras, just in case.

“As I packed the cups I decided to bring a few extra — for whoever might join us.”

That small gesture — a few spare teacups — is where the Beloved Communi-Tea was born.

— More Than Tea

Creating the Beloved Community

Around the same time, Liz’s father — a college professor and civil rights activist — began to descend into Alzheimer’s. Her first memory of the world is the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and her father crying as he watched the television.

He explained that the work Dr. King left undone was the creation of The Beloved Community — and that this was her job, to help create it. As her father lost his memory, she felt the best way to honor him was to remember what he had taught her.

“Each week it feels like we are coming together to create an experience where each of us is equally welcome and valued.”

Liz lost her father in 2018. Since his passing, the Communi-Tea has taken on a deeper meaning — a living memorial to his vision, set in the heart of one of the world’s most extraordinary cities.

— Our Impact

Come as you are.
Stay as long as you like.

There is no agenda. No sign-up. No membership. Just a table in the park, a cup of tea, and open arms. Here’s what you’ll find when you arrive.

Free Homemade Baked Goods

Every week, Liz wakes around 5am to bake seasonal favorites — cookies, brownies, banana bread. Made fresh, made with love.

Real Conversation

Just genuine human conversation across backgrounds, generations, and walks of life. The kind of talking that reminds you we’re all in this together.

Everyone Welcome

Friends visit regularly, but any passerby who’s curious is invited to pull up a chair and join us. Many have become treasured, lifelong friends.

— Plan Your Visit

Everything you need to join us

Location

Bryant Park, Midtown Manhattan, New York City. We gather near the lawn — look for the table with the china cups.

When

Every Thursday afternoon, from late spring through fall, weather permitting. Follow us on social media for updates each week.

Cost

Completely free. Tea, baked goods, and conversation — all on us. No registration, no membership, no catch.

Who Should Come

Everyone. Seriously. Whether you're a regular New Yorker, a visitor passing through, or just someone who could use a good cup of tea and some human connection.

— Communi-Tea · Gallery

— See You Thursday

Pull up a chair.
The kettle's on.

The Communi-Tea is free, open to all, and full of the kind of warmth that reminds you why community matters. Come once — we think you’ll keep coming back.