I recently attended the second session of VOICES’ newest project, the I Am Me Youth Queer Residency, in collaboration with Stepping Stones. This project was undertaken with the express purpose of giving queer youth and allies, ages 12 to 18, a space to learn from local creatives with a variety of backgrounds. The residency continues through Aug. 2, occurring each Tuesday and Friday.
The session I attended was led by Bryan Alvarez-Terrazas, also known as Ramona Chingona, the leading drag queen of The Roaring Divas. The participants further developed drag personas they had made the class before, creating looks and putting on short impromptu shows.
Alvarez-Terrazas taught the students how to create one of their signature looks, and gave a very fun and skilled example of how to put on a show, demonstrating beginner-level moves appropriate for an aspiring drag performer. Afterwards, I had the opportunity to interview Alvarez-Terrazas.
“When I came back five years ago … I was looking for something that would help me find identity within myself [and] to find the [queer] community that also needed that space,” they shared. “That’s what really drew me to drag, finding a way to feel empowered in my queer identity and to be able to bring that to others as well.”
When asked how their teaching experience was, they responded by explaining that “Art and drag go hand-in-hand. Growing up here in the Valley … I never would have dreamed of anything like this being offered to core youth here. So I’m really grateful … to be a part of this moment and to see where it leads to next.”
For more information about I Am Me, visit www.voicesrfv.org