On Sunday night in Brooklyn, the second annual Debt Gala was held. The event, timed to coincide with the annual Met Gala, is aimed at raising money to increase awareness of consumer debt and healthcare inequality. It is a costume party, similar to the Met Gala, but all the costumes are meant to be handmade. This year’s theme was “Sleeping Baddies: Slumber Party” and attendees were asked to come in their best bedtime outfits.
The event this year raised money for the Debt Collective, a union for debtors, and Dollar For, a medical nonprofit organization. Last year’s event raised $15,000, which was donated to RIP Medical Debt. There was no word how much this year’s event raised.
“We believe we can fight back against creditors,” said Braxton Brewington, founder of the Debt Collective, during the event, according to a published report. “We like to quote from Jean Paul Getty, a very famous capitalist. And he says: ‘If you owe the bank $100, that’s your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million, that’s the bank’s problem.’”
A trio of comedians — Amanda Cordray, Tom Costello, and Molly Gaebe, came up with the idea for an anti-Met Gala because they were watching coverage of the star-studded event on TV and thought, they all look like they are having so much fun. Why can’t we?
One of the Debt Gala’s participants is a physical therapist who has seen firsthand the problems that medical debts can cause.
“It’s so prohibited if you have no insurance, bad insurance to see a general doctor for a routine checkup because the cost can feel so astronomical when you are in apposition that you don’t have the financial resources,” said Allison Gould, in a published report.
The third annual Debt Gala is already being planned for May 2025.
