A Modern Kitty Party
An idea rooted in financial freedom, reimagined for art and friendship
Before I started Lota, I was at Tala in Santa Monica, a fintech startup focused on providing banking services from credit to savings and more for the rising middle class in developing countries. While at Tala, one of the things I loved the most was meeting with users around the world and being reminded of how connected we all were—from the families, budding entrepreneurs, to the homemakers in Kenya to the Philippines to Mexico, each of our customers shared the same day-to-day stressors, striving for better lives for themselves and their families.
Communal care is the heartbeat of many of these cultures. This is also why, in almost all of the markets I worked in, community lending circles—often with women at the core—were one of the main ways Tala’s customers, who were left out of traditional banking systems, accessed credit to grow their businesses or avoid falling behind on bills, rent, and school or medical fees. These circles—tandas in Mexico, chamas in Kenya, or chits in India—are how communities lift each other up and support one another through good times and bad.
The original Kitty Party was born in the same vein. In the 1950s, in post-Independence and post-Partition India, many families were struggling financially. Kitty Parties became a way for women to socialize and earn something for their families. Each month, women would contribute to the kitty with the hope of winning the full amount. These gatherings became much more than just about money; they built community and lifelong friendships.
It was with this seed that the Kitty Party came to life in a new form in DTLA a few weeks ago. Conceived by Ragni Agarwal and Samata Narra, Kitty Party is a way to magnify friendship, joy, and art. I was brought into the Kitty Party world to bring it to life with them, alongside Amina Malik and Sundeep Morrison. Each of us, plus the 150 attendees, contributed to this kitty with a commitment to celebrating art and making space to tell our stories.
This first rendition of Kitty Party featured Ragni Agarwal’s latest collection, The Begums, inspired by the very mothers who started the Kitty Parties and then immigrated to the States, raising the fearless Betis (daughters) of today.
From her collection preview:
The legacy of The Begums is not just one of endurance, but of empowerment. Their silent struggles reverberate through time, echoing in the voices of today's bold and unapologetic Betis. For through their sacrifices, we, the Betis, find the courage to be unapologetically ourselves - to think freely, to dream limitlessly. With each generation, the goal becomes less about a seat at the table. The goal is to flip the table and build new systems of abundance where success is never at the expense of others, especially not at the expense of who and where we came from.
In "The Begums," we honor not just the women who came before us but the indomitable spirit they instilled within us. A tribute to the past, a celebration of the present, and an inspiration for the future.
We also hosted a Q&A panel with Ragni and Samata, giving us a peek into their friendship, Ragni’s art, and why Kitty Party matters to them. The session opened with a reminder of how art is a form of therapy for Ragni and the importance of decolonizing mental health, with Illesha Gupta and Mahtab Javed Siddiqui from our non-profit partner, South Asian Network (SAN). From there we had bites and drinks from our sponsors that lead into drag queen and king performances topped off with dancing the night away with DJ Priyanka.
When I first started Lota, I often received advice that creating something IRL, off the screens and in the flesh, was critical to bring the work to life. Instinctively, I knew this to be true, but it also felt daunting. Dancing the night away with friends new and old, surrounded by art that moves me and tells our story, is something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. The night of our first Kitty Party, I think we all went home with the kitty.
Photos from Kitty Party by Mercedes Zapata. Want to learn more about Ragni’s art, Kitty Party, or working together? Reach out at anar@lotagoods.com.
This is amazing, Anar! I've wanted to do something like this for writers, maybe having everyone contribute to a residency or support each other financially in some way, but I haven't figured out how to do it yet. I love the spirit of these circles!