CSC students get their ‘drag’ on
Chadron State’s Residence Life Association (RLA) was out for a cause Thursday, as it hosted ‘Cancer is a Drag’, an event put together for the sake of having light-hearted fun while maintaining a serious purpose.
To help achieve that goal, pamphlets were placed on each viewer’s seat that offered information about any questions that some students may have but feel uncomfortable asking about gender identities. The RLA also looked to raise funds for cancer research through the Cancer is a Drag foundation.
“I contacted the Cancer is a Drag foundation in Europe to make sure it was okay to use their logo of the ribbon and legs,” Katrina Hurley, 22, senior of Seward, said. “They were very accommodating and helped by giving tips to make a great drag show.”
In hopes of having a transgender diversity program, RLA gathered many CSC students to dress up in drag and entertain an audience full of their peers. All acts went on with names different from what is found on their birth certificate.
Some acts were group efforts, while others went on solo. One of the group acts was performed by Fifth Harmony, who danced to a song titled “Work from Home.” The group was composed of Hector Bustillos, 20, junior of Gillette, Wyoming; Kishawn Tualaulelei, 22, senior of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii; Aspen Eubanks, 19, sophomore of Broomfield, Colorado; Pila Cha, 20, sophomore of Stockton, California; and Gabriela Perez, 20, junior of Sioux City, Iowa.
“I actually got asked to perform in the group kind of last minute,” Eubanks said. “They needed a fifth person and I was happy to fill that spot. Knowing it was a cancer event was motivation enough.”
The event saw many more performances, with some performers even performing on multiple occasions.
“I did not expect the turnout that we got,” Hurley said. “It was an amazing turnout for the event. I had projected about 50-75 people coming, with 75 pushing it, but we had over 160 people show up to the event. I hope to make the event even bigger next year.”
Considering the entertainment provided, coupled with a positive message, the event shows a great deal of promise for expansion in the future. Free refreshments don’t hurt either.
“Having a drag show to raise cancer awareness was a great way to get the student body involved,” Eubanks said. “A ton of people showed up.”
“I feel that the event definitely served its purpose,” Hurley added. “Through RLA we try to make enough events that every student will want to attend at least one that peaks their interest.
“Through this event I think we hit a different demographic than we have before, and that in itself made the event a success.”