A Trailblazer Who Changed LA’s Nightlife and LGBTQ+ Culture
Jewel Thais-Williams created more than just a nightclub. She built a safe place for people who often had nowhere else to go. In 1973, she opened Jewel’s Catch One in the Arlington Heights area of Los Angeles. It was the city’s first Black-owned LGBTQIA+ nightclub.
Over the years, “The Catch” became a hub for celebration and activism. It welcomed icons like Ella Fitzgerald, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. But beyond celebrity visits, the club served as a home for many who felt unseen elsewhere.
Jewel’s Catch One Gave People a Place to Belong
Thais-Williams saw that Black and queer people lacked inclusive spaces in LA. So, she created one. Her club embraced everyone, no matter their race, gender, or sexuality. That alone made her a powerful figure in the LGBTQ+ and Black communities.
“It was a community, it was family,” she said in a 2018 interview. She shared that even she struggled to come out fully. But inside the walls of her club, she found courage and connection.
The Catch quickly became known for its music, warmth, and acceptance. For many, it was the first place they felt free to be themselves.
Her Work Went Far Beyond the Dance Floor
While her nightclub was legendary, Jewel Thais-Williams’ legacy stretched well beyond nightlife. She was a tireless community activist and healer. She co-founded the Minority AIDS Project and worked with the AIDS Project Los Angeles. She supported those who needed access to health care and emotional support.
She later became a licensed acupuncturist and opened a wellness center. Her goal was always the same—care for the people around her. Her love for community drove everything she did.
A Life and Legacy That Still Inspires
On July 9, 2025, Jewel Thais-Williams passed away at age 86. The team at Catch One posted a tribute calling her a “visionary, activist, healer, and mother to many.”
“Her legacy transcends nightlife,” the statement read. “She welcomed everyone under her roof and transformed our city.”
Today, Catch One still stands, but her work lives on in more than a building. It lives in the lives she changed, the community she held together, and the love she gave without limits.
