On Feb. 22, 2025, in collaboration with the African American Cultural Center (AACC) and the Black Queer Student Association (BQSA), the Rainbow Center had its annual drag show at the Jorgensen Center of the Performing Arts featuring drag artists of color. The show was free for UConn students.
Ian Shick, the assistant director of the Rainbow Center and Alicia McKenzie, the director of the AACC, welcomed the audience and Shick recited a land acknowledgement. They then thanked the Jorgensen, AACC and Rainbow Center staff, BQSA and the audience for attending and making this event come to fruition. “You can see how filled this room is,” McKenzie remarked.
“We encourage two things: rambunctious applause and tipping,” Shick said. In reference to the drag artists, Shick said “We want them to know UConn cares about the drag community.”
The show began with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant and host of the night Lana Ja’Rae strutting on stage with high heels and a tight short dress. She walked off-stage and into the audience to collect tips, then returned and threw the money on stage gracefully. After her performance, Ja’Rae picked up a microphone and talked with the audience.
An audience member asked Ja’Rae “What is going on between Corey and Lydia?” Both Corey and Lydia competed in the 17th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” which Ja’Rae was a part of. Ja’Rae confirmed that they were dating. Another audience member asked, “What was your first time doing drag?” Ja’Rae recounted being rejected from the University of Oklahoma’s dance program but attended a college event and won the competition.
Ja’Rae then introduced Onixx Aura. She wore a red latex-like skirt and an elaborate dress. She did something like the splits in the audience area and even did a flip. Aura ended her performance with another split. Audience members ran up to the front of the stage to gift her money.
Gen Derfuq was the next to perform. The performance was misleading at first, with Derfuq in a reaper costume and a skull painted on their face while a bell tolled that sounded like the WWE wrestler The Undertaker’s theme. However, “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan started playing and the crowd did the hand movements with them.
Derfuq got the audience to stand up and participate in a conga line. The line was massive, wrapping around the central group of seats in the front of the audience area. They took off their hair tie, to the audience’s elation.
Kelsey O’Neil, the director of the Rainbow Center, took a moment after the performance to educate the audience about queer and trans experiences. O’Neil said that the American Association for the Advancement of Science gave a grant to collect data for sexual orientation and gender identity statistics. They also made the audience aware of the Gender Lab on March 31, which supplies free haircuts and consultations for medical and legal gender transitioning.
O’Neil then recounted how their passport had the incorrect and inaccurate gender marker on it due to the current presidential administration’s transphobic policies and executive orders, which the audience booed to O’Neil’s agreement. Despite this, O’Neil said, “We are in celebration of queer joy, queer joy is an act of resistance.”
Encore Dance Team performed next. Their performance began with a trance-like trip-hop song with choreography that was a testament to athletic endurance. The performance featured a scene where a pregnant-presenting person “gave birth” to a dancer dressed as a baby. It’s apparent that the team had fun with the creative process.
Ray DeCorazón was next. Their cowboy aesthetic was handsome. There was a non-obnoxious country-like song and then “Too Sweet” by Hozier played. They eventually used a chair as a prop, performing on it. He backward-somersaulted onto the chair to applause.
Cara Ho followed DeCorazón and had the shortest performance, but she collected a lot of money.
Xiomarie Labeija lip-synced on a microphone. The audience applauded when she sung “You tease me, you please me.” Labeija held an audience member’s hand, held her fist in the air and had the audience make hearts with their hands after doing the gesture herself.
Shick returned to the stage and introduced the team leads of the Rainbow Center that helped to make this event happen. The audience booed when they said that there was only one performance left.
Ja’Rae was the last performer, wearing a different outfit. She fell on the floor purposefully, to the audience’s intense enjoyment. She blew a kiss to the audience.
Ja’Rae thanked the audience, saying “You were an easy crowd to work with, so kind, so loving.” There was a meet and greet after the event where audience members could interact with Ja’Rae.