July 2016 - Regina's Intergalactic Transmissions

​Wow, what a month June was. It all started with a trip to Hannibal, Missouri for Miss River City! This was the first preliminary of the 2017 MGMA Pageant season. It was a great trip. I had a preconceived notion of what the experience in Hannibal would hold, I have to say after making it in town and seeing the venue I was blown away from the start by the hospitality of the owners of QPEX. They really know how to treat a queen and their patrons. It was a wonderful hand down by Moltyn Decadence. We had two contestants, Kyra Banks and Allessandra Blaze. Kyra Banks would go on to capture the title making Allessandra Blaze her first alternate thus gaining them the first two spots for to MGMA 2017! 

The following weekend, Kevin and I traveled to Hutchinson, KS for Smallville Comicon.  It is amazing to see a small town care so much about a comicon convention. They change the name of the town to Smallville for the week of the convention and you can even get your mail post marked from Smallville, Kansas. For those that don’t know, Smallville, Kansas was the “birth” place of young Super Man, Clark Kent. Though the weekend started off with lots of fun and laughter it quickly came to a screeching halt Sunday morning.

I woke up in my hotel room got up showered and did the normal thing you do in 2016 started scrolling through Facebook. Without scrolling far I saw the horrifying news of the attack on the LGBT community in Orlando. I was stunned by this news to the point of being speechless. Being an Orlando native my first thought was to check on those closest to me that are still currently living in the city, once I had checked in with everyone there was a slight sigh of relief that was quickly taken away by my thoughts of the then 20 victim count.
As the day progressed my feeling got more and more uneasy as more information about the shooting was being released.  When. The final count of 49 dead and 53 injured came out my eyes filled with tears thinking about those who lost their lives and the families affected by this tragic event. When they started releasing the names of the victims the first thing I noticed were the ages of each, every one of them so young with so much more life a head of the and it was all taken away from them in a place that should be a safe haven for the LGBT community all because of the hatred in one man’s heart. I still think about it and how this could have happened and could still happen anywhere at any time. We now more than ever we need to be strong and help our fellow community members we are stronger than people think. Our brothers and sisters need us now more than ever.
​
I know I have said this before but it holds to be true even more, follow your dreams! Go after the things in life you wish most to achieve. You cannot reach these goal and realize your true potential unless you take a leap of faith and make things happen. It is never too late, if you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, no matter what age group do what makes you happy and keep smiling. 
 
I scream for change! Please take a moment and say each of their names: 

​June also held the date for Miss Gay Quincy. I had the pleasure of being asked to judge the Miss Gay Quincy pageant at the Complex in Quincy, IL. The pageant was great and all the contestants were amazing, but there could on be one winner. Moltyn Decadence, a Miss Gay Missouri top 5 contestant would walk away with the title and it was truly well deserved.

The month ended on a very high note as I traveled to St. Louis for PrideSTL and what an amazing experience it was!!! The weekend started out Friday morning packing up a ford mustang convertible (borrowed from a friend to use for the parade) I had to condense as much as possible to make sure we fit everything plus three grown men in this car. Friday night was the kick off of my festivities in STL at Bar PM with Adria Andrews in the AbFab Friday Show, The Show featured myself, Jessica Leigh Foster and Melissa Marnier. Bar PM was simply amazing, a small but mighty bar. The patrons that were there attending the show were absolutely amazing and the owners James Pence and Chad Wick were truly exceptional people. They really know how to treat their cast and special guest and it was an honor to perform on their stage. I would like to Thank Adria Andrews so much for inviting me out showing me a wonderful time.
 
Saturday we were able to explore a little bit in St. Louis before heading back to the hotel to paint for my appearance on the main stage at pride. Being on the main stage was absolutely amazing. It was so great to see so many of the younger generation at pride with their families now more than ever we need to teach the younger generation about love and acceptance so it was great to so the families that brought out their smallest children. I would like to thank Flo for giving up some of her time on the main stage to accommodate myself. Later that night I had the opportunity to perform at the Grey Fox with Jade Sinclar, Nadia M Louis, Janessa Highland and Adria Andrews. This was again another magical night of love, laughter, and lots of fun! the crowd was wonderful and I truly enjoyed myself.
 
Sunday morning didn’t come easy after being out the night before and having so much fun but I was up bright and early (7:00am) to paint for the parade. The parade was a truly fantastic experience. It started with a little girl being pushed in a stroller asking her dad if she could have pictures with “the princess” and she just kept calling me a beautiful princess and it just made me smile. One of the best moments of pride happened Sunday morning while waiting for the parade to start and that was getting the opportunity to meet the first openly gay Miss Missouri Erin O’Flaherty and having the chance to capture a beautiful moment of Miss Gay Missouri America and Miss Missouri America together! She was so great and we bonded over the fact that we are Missouri Sisters, I hope to have another encounter with her again! Sunday afternoon we traveled back to Bar PM for a BBQ and good times with friends old and new. Thank you St. Louis for a truly amazing experience, I will certainly be back!!!!

Of course in the middle of the busy year so far as MGMA 2016, Part of it is to continue to prepare for Miss Gay America! There is a benefit show that is being held for Priscilla and I at Missie B’s on July 15th at 8pm to help us on our journey together to MGA this coming October in Memphis.
 
We have a wonderful new prelim scheduled this month. Miss Show Me Pride! Promoters Mulan and Kyla Breeze have been planning one wonderful pageant and I can’t wait to see what they have come up with. Be sure to join us July 16th, at 7pm located at Sidekicks Saloon.