The “Dinner and Drag” event took place in the Grand Ballroom on Saturday evening, with free dinner provided for the first 200 guests. Hosted by the UVUSA, with support from UVU’s LGBT+ student services, five different drag stars took the stage to show off their individual talents. Sequoia, a drag queen centered in the Salt Lake area, hosted the event.
The drag stars did not just lip-synch for their lives, but special performances were given by Lilia Maughn and host Sequoia, displaying their powerful live vocals and stage presence. The bearded Ms. Jaliah J. stunned the crowd with her talents, while SCHADE performed a dance routine that had the entire audience “gagged,” a LGBTQ+ term used to describe something fierce. Willie Touchya brought some country flair to the night as he lip-synched and danced to a few iconic country songs.
At the end of the night, Sequoia gave a heartfelt speech encouraging students to contact their local representatives regarding the recent passing of laws HB257 and HB261. Despite the disheartening consequences that these two bills will cause for minority students, Sequoia reminded them to never stop fighting for their rights to a safe space and open community.
The “Dinner and Drag” event concluded after the drag stars took their final bow and gave attendees the opportunity to take pictures. Overall, it was a fantastic night of fun for all above the age of 18.
