 Pumpkins! Haunted Houses! Sweaters! Scarves! Coffee! It’s finally time for all of my favorite things to come together for an entire season! This past month has been full of some really exciting adventures and with Miss Gay America just around the corner, I’m certain that the upcoming month is ready to up the ante. For Labor Day, I found myself heading North to the Windy City for Mr. and Miss Continental to cheer for #TeamMissouri, which was comprised of Miss Missouri Continental, Moltyn Decadence, and MaKena Knight. After an amazing weekend of competition, it was amazing to see Ramon Ventura and Shantell D’Marco achieve their goals of becoming Mr. and Miss Continental 2018!  One of the things I love most about pageantry is the opportunity to reconnect with old friends from across the country. It was pretty cool to get together with Nikki Vixxxen, Missouri All American Goddess, Moltyn Decadence, Miss Missouri Continental, and Jade Sinclair, Miss Missouri Continental Elite for a quick photo. With everyone’s busy schedule, it’s rare to get four reigning state titleholders together!  Off to Kansas City for the first of our two preliminaries this month. I had been looking forward to Miss Gay Kansas City for a while now, as this marked their 35th anniversary. From a pool of five contestants, the judges chose Trixie LaRue as the new Miss Gay Kansas City and Allessandra Blaze as her first alternate. These two former top ten finalists are on their way back to Miss Gay Missouri America in March. I’m thankful for the opportunity to chat with Reba Lamkey and Victoria DePaula. With Miss Gay America just over the horizon, it was so wonderful to take a couple of moments to ask for some feedback and get some advice from individuals I respect immensely.  Once again, Hard Candy came to town and brought along the opportunity to work with the unbelievable talented Ginger Minj. I love meeting queens who have so much talent and charisma that it’s entirely uncontainable yet somehow remain humble and approachable. A special treat was getting to perform and spend some time with my Miss Gay Ohio USofA sister, Leah Halston. I don’t know that I’ll ever stop being shocked and amazed at all of the beautiful people that female impersonation has brought into my life.  I’ve been given the opportunity to do a lot of travelling lately, and it seems that Tiffany T. Hunter is my constant road trip companion. I’m not complaining though because we both have a love of 90’s country music so we keep ourselves pretty entertained. Mid-month sent us to Bloomington and Decatur, Illinois for a few shows with Sharon Sharealike. Imagine our surprise when we stroll in to find out that we’re actually performing in one of the local college bars.  Seeing as how our drive home coincided with the Miss America pageant, we were forced to stop off in Springfield, Illinois and watch the pageant at Club Station House. Thanks to Mahogany Knight for keeping us hydrated during the show! I couldn’t miss seeing Miss Missouri, Jenn Davis, have her moment on the Miss America stage. Congratulations to Jenn on placing 1st Runner Up and looking so gorgeous and poised through the entire competition. She is such an amazing representative for our state and I’m lucky to call her my friend.  We closed out September by adding two more members to the MGMA Class of 2018. MaKena Knight was crowned Miss Gay Metropolitan and Analyse Thropic was named 1st Alternate. Both of these gentlemen will be competing at Miss Gay Missouri America for their first time. Miss Gay Metropolitan was a special evening for me as it was the prelim which took me to MGMA last year. I loved having five of my Miss Gay Missouri America sisters in the audience supporting us that night. We all know that it didn’t happen if there aren’t pictures, so thank you to Alexis Principle MGMA1998, Ali Kat MGMA2003, Atheena Voce MGMA2004, Jade Sinclair MGMA 2007, and Adria Andrews MGMA2014 for taking a quick moment to snap this memory.  Now to pack up and hit the road to New Orleans, Louisiana! MGA or Bust! I hope we’ll see you at one of our upcoming preliminaries! Miss Gay Northwest America “Something Wicked This Way Comes” October 14, 2017 Shaft Nightclub Promoters: Patrick Hall and Dustin Matthews Miss Gay Springfield America “Disco and Diamonds” November 4, 2017 Touché Nightclub Promoters: Autumn Holiday and Vince Edwards Miss Gay City of Columbia America “Clash of the Titans” November 10, 2017 Yin Yang Nightclub Promoters: Musica Malone, Greg Stratton, and Libby Algiere Miss Gay St. Louis America “The Real Housewives of St. Louis” November 11, 2017 Grey Fox Pub Promoter: Jade Sinclair   “Every day is a fashion show and the world is the runway”  September is a special month because that means we are about to be blessed with the fabled September issue of Vogue magazine. This year is extremely special as it marks the 125th anniversary of Vogue. This magazine is truly what dreams are made of! I’ve always been inspired by fashion and the hustle and bustle of New York Fashion Week moves my spirit in an indescribable way. So, without further ado, I’d like to officially invite you to attend “On the Kattwalk” at Miss Gay Missouri America Fashion Week 2018. We’ll be meeting in St. Louis, Missouri from March 22-24, 2018 to view some of the best and brightest stars strut their stuff on our runway. There are sure to be some “make it work” moments but one illusionist shall prevail and become the next Miss Gay Missouri America!  Looking forward to August, I planned for the month to be somewhat of a staycation. I wanted time with friends and to rekindle my love of the wonderful art of female impersonation. I know that with Miss Gay America just around the corner that September will be filled with lots of hard, yet rewarding, work. Thank you to everyone who shared a laugh, snapped a photo, or created a memory with me over the past few weeks. Your support means the world to me and I feel balanced, renewed, emotionally centered, and ready to present my best self on the Miss Gay America stage next month.  One of the things that I love about what we do is the camaraderie and joy that can be felt backstage during our shows. I know that we always joke about the real show happening backstage but if you’ve ever had the chance to be backstage during a show then you know exactly what we mean. I was invited to Columbia, Missouri to perform in a show hosted and organized by Amanda Lay and starring some of central Missouri’s stars. Each of these entertainers gave up their Friday evening to perform at Yin Yang Nightclub and donate all of their tips toward my trip to Miss Gay America. Some of these ladies volunteered to perform before we even had the chance to meet. To Amanda Lay, D’Manda Respect, Madora Khaos, Zoey Adams, Musica Malone, Ciara, and Veronika Versace: Thank you for the time and energy you put into making this show a success. Thank you for being on this journey with me. I cannot wait to return to Columbia and see each of you again! 
I’m given a lovely opportunity to perform in Crystal City, Missouri every Sunday night at a hopping little venue called Rumor’s on Ice. Thank you to Dave, Curtis, and Greg for giving Trixie LaRue, Sable Sinclair, Melissa Marnier, and me a place to call home and let our hair down, or in the case of our recent Back to the 80’s show, to tease and spritz our hair a little bit higher.
“Create your own style… let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.” August brought a special moment for me this year when I was able to host two amazing special guests at Rumor’s on Ice while my fellow housewives hit the river for a float trip. Two forever Miss Gay Missouri America’s, Tumara Mahorning and Ali Kat, joined our show for the evening. Tumara was one of the first performers I met in the upstairs show lounge at Magnolia’s and this was the first time she and I have performed together in nearly ten years. A funny fact: This was the very first show that Ali and I have ever performed in together! Due to both of our cross-country moves at different times, our paths have just never intersected. I’m so glad that we’ve finally had the chance to work together.
“I am a fashion person, and fashion is not only about clothes. It’s about all kinds of change.” There are a couple of special events happening in September that I’d like to invite you to. On Saturday, September 23, I will be teaming up with Ali Kat and MaKena Knight at Bar:PM for an afternoon of Broadway showtunes and silliness. Then, the following Friday, September 29, Trixie LaRue, Melissa Marnier, and myself will be getting together for a special episode of The Real Desperate Housewives of Crystal City at Rumor’s on Ice. I hope you’ll be able to join us for some fun!
Miss Continental is happening Labor Day weekend in Chicago, Illinois, so I’d like to take a quick moment to send some positive energy toward Miss Missouri Continental, Moltyn Decadence, and 1st Alternate, MaKena Knight. Both of these ladies bring unique skills to the stage and I have a really good feeling that they’ll represent us extremely well. Take a couple of minutes to reach out to them via your favorite social media platform and send your love!
Lastly, I’ve got to send a shout out to one of my new friends, Jenn Davis, Miss Missouri 2017, as she heads off to compete for Miss America. She and I have forged a strong relationship founded on SnapChat, gummi bears, and late-night cravings. I wish her all the joy and luck as she revels in this life-changing experience! Jenn has been in Atlantic City partaking in rehearsals and such since the end of August but be sure to tune in on September 10 and cheer for her.  “I always find beauty in things that are odd and imperfect – they are much more interesting.” -Marc Jacobs In closing, I’d like to share a lyric from my favorite Broadway musical, Kinky Boots.  “Just be who you want to be. Never let them tell you who you ought to be.” - Cyndi Lauper Here’s what lies ahead of us in the next few weeks! Miss Gay Kansas City America “Welcome to Neverland” September 16, 2017 The Arts Asylum Promoters: L’Oreal, Matt DeFreece, Grover, Vermillion, and Bennie Hardiman Miss Gay Metropolitan America “Back to School” September 30, 2017 Grey Fox Pub Promoter: Adria Andrews Miss Gay Northwest America “Something Wicked This Way Comes” October 14, 2017 Shaft Nightclub Promoters: Patrick Hall and Dustin Matthews   “There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” Alan Cohen Wowzers! I can’t believe that we are heading into August! I hope that you’ve had an opportunity to slow down a little bit and enjoy your summer. If not, schedule some time for yourself and make it happen. I’m really speaking to myself regarding that as well. There are so many summer activities that can recharge and renew us that I don’t want to look back in a couple of months and realize that I’ve missed the opportunity to do those things and to share memories with the important people in my life. “Your excuse to use a sick day, when the forecast calls for sun” If/Then: The Musical On July 1st, we inducted the first two members into the Miss Gay Missouri America Class of 2018. Roxxy Malone captured the title of Miss Gay River City America 2018, and Bella Rose was named 1st Alternate. I’m excited to see these two returning to the MGMA stage. As early qualifiers, they now have quite a few months to focus on preparations for the state competition. MGMA 2007, Jade Sinclair, did a lovely job organizing this day and things ran so smoothly. MGRCA 2017, Kyra Banks, invited the former titleholders and myself to participate in her opening production where we took the audience to Las Vegas, Nevada for a celebrity illusion show. Promoting, competing, performing, or judging a pageant can often be an exhausting experience, however, the joy and laughter that’s shared in the dressing room is a reminder of the long-term friendships that are born from those moments of stress and competition. 
The second week of July sent Tiffany Hunter and I on a northern trek to Chicago, Illinois where we got to judge the Mr. and Miss Club Krave pageant. As if a circus theme, complete with popcorn and crackerjacks wasn’t enough, I got the chance to meet forever Miss Continental Plus, Natasha Douglas, while we were there. It was so inspiring to hear each of the contestants speak of how and why they considered Club Krave their “home”. I love listen to passion in their voices as they talked about feeling accepted and welcomed and the joy that they get when they get to bring their biological families to meet their chosen family. Our community is extremely unique and unfortunately for many, out local LGBT bars are the first, and sometimes only, places that they feel accepted and at home. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Miss Club Krave, Aron Arellano and Brandi Wyne. This month, your challenge is to shake the hand of your local bar owner and thank them for giving us a place to be ourselves. I’m sure they don’t hear it enough.
Mid-July brings about one of my favorite events of the year! As many of you know, I volunteer as an advisor for Growing American Youth a few times per month. I first met Scott Emmanuel and GrAmYo in 2008 while I was Miss Gay St. Louis America. At the time, Veronica Leigh Taylor and I were co-hosting a fundraising show, Jukebox Jamboree, and GrAmYo was one of the organizations we were blessed to work with. Scott and his entire team have always been so welcoming to me and have helped create memories that I’ll never forget. Each summer, GrAmYo organizes a prom at City Museum that welcomes all youth to attend with the person of their choosing and in the manner in which they feel most comfortable. I’ve had the pleasure of chaperoning this event multiple times now, and there really are no words to describe the experience of walking into this room filled with over 200 youth being themselves confidently and wholly. For more information, check out www.GrowingAmericanYouth.org. 
“To the youth of today, I also have a wish to make: be the scriptwriters of your destiny and feature yourselves as stars that showed the way toward a brighter future.” Nelson Mandela Our second preliminary of this season also happened this month. We welcomed the new Miss Gay Show Me Pride America 2018, Diva Coppafeel, and 1st Alternate, Veronika Versace to the Class of 2018. I was so excited to see both of you step outside of your box and try something new. Your willingness to challenge yourselves paid off. Continue to push yourselves every day as you prepare for MGMA. The lessons you learn on your journey will pay off when you reach your destination. I was truly looking forward to attending MGSMPA this year, as its promoters, Mulan and MGMA 2015, Kyla Breeze, were honored with awards for Best Preliminary and Best Promoters at MGMA last year. After the opportunity to be a part of this year’s competition, I completely understand why they were selected as those recipients. There is no other way to describe this pageant than to say that it was beautifully orchestrated and it was my absolute honor to be involved.
 I’d be remiss to not issue a giant thank you to Tony and Mulan for organizing not only a stellar pageant, but also for working with the Kansas City venues to schedule the #KCTabbiTour. I’m truly blessed to be able to travel around playing dress up and meeting some of the most interesting and amazing people. To the cast and staff of Hamburger Mary’s Kansas City, Missie B’s, and Sidekicks Saloon, thank you for opening your doors to me and making me feel welcome.  “I get by with a little help from my friends.” John Lennon Closing out July was a special show with a couple more ladies from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Naomi Smalls and Laila McQueen. These two were showstoppers onstage and filled the dressing room with a quiet and pleasant energy that made this night divine. There are times that the pressures of balancing a day job and performance gigs can start to wear on us or drain the fun out of what we do. I’m thankful for the wonderful people I get to work with onstage every week that reinspire and reignite my passion constantly. I’m appreciative of those of you in the audience that give us a reason to do what we do. Your smiles, your laughter, and your applause put a smile on our faces. When I was a little boy, all I ever wanted to be was a performer and I’m grateful that dream came true.
With two city preliminaries completed that leaves us with nine more scheduled for this competition season. Here’s the agenda for the next couple of months. We’d love to have you join us. Miss Gay Art of the Illusion America “Paint Your Destiny” August 19, 2017 The Arts Asylum Promoters: Regina La-Rae, Kevin Austin, Courtney Cave-Perry, and Korey Childs Miss Gay Kansas City America “Welcome to Neverland” September 16, 2017 The Arts Asylum Promoters: L’Oreal, Grover Vermillion, and Matt De Freece Miss Gay Metropolitan America “Back to School” September 30, 2017 Grey Fox Pub Promoter: Adria Andrews   “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided” Truth be told, June is one of my absolute favorite months. It’s officially summer, the days get longer, and it’s also LGBTQA+ Pride Month. This year was particularly special but we’ll get to that shortly. First off, June started with an opportunity to judge the Miss Bastille pageant. Ten years ago, MGMA 1983 and MGA 1989, Vicki Vincent, and MGMA 2007, Jade Sinclair, started the “Biggest show on the smallest stage” and it’s still going strong today. Many well-known entertainers, including multiple MGAs have graced a stage that measures approximately 5’ wide. Due to space limitations, contestants are limited to a solo performance for talent and primarily hand-held props. From a pool of four contestants, Karma T. Cassidy, Joe Paparic, and myself, selected Tiffany T. Hunter as Miss Bastille 2017. With a heart-baring talent number chronicling the struggles and triumphs of the LGBTQA+ community, Tiffany captivated the crowd and won the crown. Brooklyn Burroughs, a novice queen with oodles of potential, was named First Alternate.
I’m sure you’ve heard of RuPaul’s Drag Race. It’s a reality television show that has revolutionized the world of female illusion. Alongside the new Miss Bastille and Makena Knight, I had the pleasure of working with Chi Chi DeVayne, a cast member of RPDR Season 8, at The Monocle. Chi Chi was an absolute joy to be around and it was fascinating to hear her behind-the-scenes stories from filming the show and also of her travels and experiences after filming. Entertainment is an ever-evolving industry and to stay relevant we must continue to evolve ourselves. I’m thankful for the opportunity to perform alongside such a diverse group of individuals and I get to have such a great time doing it!
Next up, it was off to Mexico, Missouri to watch the Miss Missouri pageant. This was a special year for us as our very own Miss Missouri 2016, Erin O’Flaherty, was the first openly gay contestant to compete at Miss America. I love pageantry, and have a very special place in my heart for the Miss America Organization, so the opportunity to be there to cheer for Erin in her final week was rather exciting. We know that there can only be one winner in pageantry, so in just over two hours, through four onstage categories, we watched the judges search for that one girl to wear the crown for this year. At the end of the evening, Miss Jackson, Jennifer Leigh Davis, was selected as Miss Missouri 2017.
“Stay true to yourself. You don’t have to please everyone. That’s a really big burden to bear.” I’ve really tried to focus on slowing down and enjoying the world around me, living fully in each moment, and cherishing the time I get to spend with the people I love. As PrideFest 2017 drew closer, I decided that I wanted to walk the parade. I will only get the chance to be Miss Gay Missouri America one time and I wanted to be so completely immersed in the experience that I didn’t miss a moment. The hugs and handshakes I received from the crowd filled my heart with so much joy. Thank you to St. Louis for giving me a place to truly call home.
Without a doubt, the greatest moment of the entire weekend was getting the opportunity to meet and chat with Laura Bell Bundy. I’ve been a fan since her Tony-nominated performance as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical in 2007. I’d already decided what I wanted to perform for talent competition at Miss Gay Missouri America last year, so when the announcement was made that we could change talent productions from preliminary to final night, I was stumped as to what to choose. I wanted a number that I felt matched me as an entertainer and that I loved to perform. Eventually, I decided on a Laura Bell Bundy song, “Giddy on Up”. A few weeks ago, I tweeted a short clip of that number, and when Laura retweeted it, commenting that she loved it, I nearly passed out. I’m sure you can imagine how much I fan-girled when she strolled by backstage.
“I’d be missing out on a lot of love if it wasn’t for the LGBT community” As we march forward into the rest of the year, I hope that we can continue to spread love and acceptance everywhere we go. When it feels like there’s hate surrounding us, we just have to love stronger. For every hateful word or action, there’s an ally waiting with a hug or encouragement. Choose to focus on the love. We are stronger together. The MGMA 2018 competition officially kicks off with two preliminaries this month! I hope you’ll be able to join us as a competitor or spectator. Miss Gay River City America “Vegas Nights” July 1, 2017 Grey Fox Pub Promoter: Jade Sinclair Miss Gay Show Me Pride America “A Gatsby Affair” July 22, 2017 Missie B’s Promoters: Kyla Breeze and Mulan Mark Your Calendars! Miss Gay Art of the Illusion America “Paint Your Destiny” August 19, 2017 The Arts Asylum Promoters: Regina La-Rae, Kevin Austin, Courtney Cave-Perry, and Korey Childs Miss Gay Kansas City America “Welcome to Neverland” September 16, 2017 The Arts Asylum Promoters: L’Oreal, Grover Vermillion, and Matt De Freece Miss Gay Metropolitan America “Back to School” September 30, 2017 Grey Fox Pub Promoter: Adria Andrews   “Find the thing in you that is different, My friend, and constant source of inspiration, Mallory Hagan, recently shared this quote on her Instagram and as we begin our preliminary season, I thought that some of you might find value in this as well. More to come on this topic a bit later in the newsletter. First, let’s take a look at some of the wonderful experiences May 2017 had to offer. I’ve always found great joy in working with organizations that fight for social justice, which is why I was elated when I was invited to be a part of the HRC’s Extreme Makeover Drag Takeover 3.0 at Rehab Bar & Grill in St. Louis. Five lovely ladies competed in this afternoon outdoor pageant, which in my opinion makes them ALL winners, especially since together they were able to raise over $3,000 for the Human Rights Campaign to help continue their work toward LGBTQ+ equality. There’s such power in a community coming together and working passionately toward a common goal. It’s such an important reminder that we are stronger together and we must allow our humanity to unite us.
I also had the opportunity to travel with #TeamAdria to Dallas, Texas as forever MGMA, and reigning MGMUSofA, Adria Andrews competed for Miss Gay USofA. One of the greatest gifts that pageantry provides us is a group of friends, and chosen family, spread across the country. National pageantry allows us that time to reunite, reminisce, and celebrate our individual growth. Social media has given us an enhanced ability to stay connected over long distances but nothing compares to a hug and conversation with those friends. I was able to connect with a few forever Miss Gay Americas while in Dallas, Texas, including the newly crowned Miss Gay USofA Classic, Dominique Sanchez, who just happens to be the very first MGA I saw perform.
Adria did such a fantastic job representing Missouri USofA the entire week in Dallas. She is the first Miss Gay Missouri UsofA to place in the Top Twelve in over ten years! She tied for the highest score in overall Personal Interview, which is a huge accomplishment! During her interview she received a question to the effect of “How did you prepare differently to compete for Miss Gay UsofA than for previous systems?”. Adria told the panel, “I didn’t prepare differently than I’ve done for any other national pageant. I listened to advice but knew that I had to do what works for me and what makes me most comfortable.” Cheers to Adria on a fantastic showing at Miss Gay UsofA and congratulations to the new Miss Gay UsofA, Roxie Hart! In Dallas, I was chatting with MGA2001, Charity Case, about the stigma of being systemically labeled and she profoundly stated, “Girl, good drag is good drag.” It seems like such a simple statement but there’s so much truth in those few words. Think back to the quote I shared from Mallory’s Instagram earlier.
Pageantry in May closed out with Mr. and Miss Missouri Continental on May 28. Forever MGMA, Jade Sinclair, passed on her title to Moltyn Decadence, who looked stunning all evening and ended up winning every category! Tyler R. Hall was crowned the new Mr. Missouri Continental that same evening. Moltyn and Tyler, alongside MaKena Knight and William Benion will be representing Missouri in September at the national contest. Congratulations to Devie Fay on a fantastic prelim and a great night of entertainment!  Credit: Chuck Pfoutz of Chuck Pfoutz Presents Too many days are wasted comparing ourselves to others and wishing to be something we aren’t.  In my professional career I work with individuals with disabilities and recently heard from a high school sophomore named Tyler who is an Eagle Scout, thespian, martial arts enthusiast, and marching band member who also happens to have cerebral palsy, anxiety disorder, and use a wheel chair. As he talked about the people in his life who challenged him to try new things, he said that he couldn’t imagine what his life would be like without them. It might seem simple but Tyler has achieved success because he , and those who support him, have chosen to focus on his abilities rather than his disabilities. “What would I be doing? More importantly, what wouldn’t I be doing?” When we relate Tyler’s story to our lives as competitors and performers, it reminds us to focus on what we can do expertly, instead of becoming hyper-focused on what we can’t do so well. As you’re searching for the perfect gown or talent concept, take a moment to identify what your strengths are and work to highlight those. It’s so common for us to say “I’m not a dancer” or “I can’t wear that silhouette”, when in actuality we should be saying “I have great facial expressions”, “I can connect with an audience”, “I feel and look gorgeous in blue”, or “I am an amazing lipsync artist”. If it feels strange to you to talk about yourself in a positive manner, it’s because we just don’t do it enough. Reach out to your support group and ask them to identify one thing that makes you stand out in a show or something that they admire about you. Find a video of you onstage and watch it with no one else around. Focus solely on finding things that you really like about your performance and ignore anything that you don’t love. The goal is to put all of your best qualities and abilities into the spotlight. It may feel uncomfortable at first but in the end you’ll learn so much. “Until you cross the bridge of your insecurities, you can’t begin to explore your possibilities” Beginning in June, I’ll be hosting Tabbi Chat on the last Friday of each month at 6pm. Tune in on Facebook for updates and discussion regarding pageant categories and other topics. I’ve heard that we may even have a special guest over for tea now and then. If there’s a topic you’d like to discuss, send it my way via text or email and I’ll get it added to the agenda!  I am so eager to get the 2017/2018 competition season underway. Our webmaster, Luis Acevedo, has done a stellar job updating our website with all the important preliminary information, so stay tuned for all updates at www.MGMPageantry.com. Miss Gay River City America “Vegas Nights” July 1, 2017 Promoter: Jade Sinclair Miss Gay Show Me Pride America “A Gatsby Affair” July 22, 2017 Promoters: Kyla Breeze and Mulan Miss Gay Art of the Illusion America “Paint Your Destiny” August 19, 2017 Promoters: Regina La-Rae, Kevin Austin, Korey Childs, and Courtney Cave-Perry May your June be filed with love and pride for yourself and for your community! I hope to be seeing you very soon!   “We are different and united.  In the opening number of Miss Gay Missouri America 2017, Regina La-Rae reminded us that it’s okay to be different, encouraged us to show our vulnerability, and to embrace the uniqueness of our story. Looking back on the weekend, I began to think about the different journeys each of us has taken through the Miss Gay Missouri America System. My personal story began in 2003, as a backup dancer for MGMA 2002, Erica Leigh Foster, and soon-to-be MGMA 2003, Ali Kat. After three consecutive years as a backup dancer, I decided to compete in 2007. As the 1st Alternate to Miss Gay Shining Star, I borrowed basically everything I could get my hands on, and was delighted, and surprised, to find myself named 4th Alternate to MGMA 2007.  The following year I earned my very first title when I was crowned Miss Gay St. Louis America 2008. This year I told myself that I was going to return to Miss Gay Missouri America and I was going to do it to the best of my ability. I saved every dollar I could and focused on building a competition package that I was proud of and that was genuinely mine. Finishing as 1st Alternate to MGMA 2008, I was on my way to compete at Miss Gay America! I finished 17th at MGA that year, had the time of my life, and made many friends. The friendships we create during competition really do have the potential to last a lifetime.  In 2009, I was busy fulfilling obligations outside of the Miss Gay Missouri America system, but by March 2010, I had qualified as Miss Gay Metropolitan and I was back in the game. A photo in the Top 5 was not in the cards for me this year, but there is always a lesson to be learned. I graduated with my degree in Interpreting that June, and shifted my focus to building a successful career. Relocations to Columbus, Ohio and New York City kept pageantry on hold, but provided me with opportunities to gain life experiences and better understand who I was as both an entertainer and an individual. In the Fall of 2016, I moved back to St. Louis, and realized that my yearning to become MGMA had never waned. “Your dream doesn’t have an expiration date.” It took four attempts, and ten years, for me to hear my name announced as Miss Gay Missouri America. I share this to encourage you to focus on writing your own story, one page at a time. Don’t try to compare yourself or your journey to anyone else’s. Live every moment and learn every moment. In a recent alumni newsletter, Sparkle Iman, MGMA 2008, mentioned how Miss Gay America, Suzy Wong, has partnered with other national titleholders to promote #UNITY throughout our community. I hope that we can follow their lead here in Missouri and continue to strengthen our own local communities. During onstage question this year, I spoke about the growth that I believe can be garnered through competition and observation of multiple pageantry systems. I’m overjoyed to see my friend, Miss Gay Metropolitan America promoter, and MGMA alumnus, Adria Andrews, taking the opportunity to challenge herself with a new venture this year as she serves as Miss Gay Missouri USofA 2017. Please take a moment to send her messages of positivity as she heads off May 23-26, 2017 to compete for Miss Gay USofA in Dallas, Texas.  Adria and I got the opportunity to take our first trip as MGMA and MGMUSofA together when we headed off to Columbus, Ohio, from April 14-16, to participate in Mr. and Miss Gay Ohio. We had a great weekend working with some accomplished and talented entertainers, like Mokha Montrese, Michael LaMasters, Mary Nolan, and Britney Blaire. Congratulations to Matthew Allen Meade and Ava Aurora Foxx on your achieving your goals.   I’m excited to share that most of the preliminaries for the 2017/2018 competition have been scheduled! Our first two opportunities to qualify for MGMA 2018 take place this July. It is never too early to begin your pageant preparations and both of these preliminaries will provide you with plenty of time to bring your ultimate competition package to life. Check out www.MGMPageantry.com for more information. Miss Gay River City America “Vegas Nights” July 1, 2017 Promoter: Jade Sinclair Miss Gay Show Me Pride America “A Gatsby Affair” July 22, 2017 Promoters: Kyla Breeze and Mulan Even today, as I write this newsletter, I’m not certain that the reality of the situation has completely sunk in. I am certain, however, that I would not be writing this today if I did not have the support system that was there for me every step of the way. In my Male Interview, when I was asked to describe my support system, I was so overcome with emotion that the only answer I could give was “Never-ending”. Thank you for sharing in my dream and being by my side through it all. The journey has only begun. After all, This is OUR Story.  FROM THE BOARD:We have successfully completed another wonderful year for Miss Gay Missouri America! Our success is due to the passion and drive of so many that pour their heart and soul into everything they do. The chosen family of MGMA is a special one that will last for lifetimes and we are forever grateful for everyone who dedicated their time to ensure Miss Gay Missouri 2017 was a hit!
Congratulations to Tabbi Katt on capturing the title of Miss Gay Missouri America 2017. I’ve always known the name Tabbi Katt but it wasn’t until Miss Gay St. Louis America that I finally had the chance to work with her. Our moment on stage was one of my favorites throughout my entire reign, I knew that she would be someone I would someday call a sister and couldn’t be happier for her. I know that she will have a fantastic year. Enjoy every moment of your year Tabbi, you deserve it! To the 21 other contestants, do not give up do not give into self-doubt. It took me four tries to win MGMA and it was all well worth the wait. They always say you win when it’s your time, so trust me when I say the time is coming for each and every one of you. Take everything you learned this year and apply it to next year and come back even stronger! “You cannot know true success without knowing the beauty of failure!” I am excited to join the board as a forever! They work hard every year to bring Miss Gay Missouri to life. I am happy to have the chance to add my knowledge to the board of MGMA to help it continue our legacy for another 40 years more! This year’s preliminary roster is already looking fantastic with lots of great themes. I can’t wait to see what comes of Miss Gay Missouri 2017! Check MGMPageantry.com for all your pageant Needs. Regina La-Rae Miss Gay Missouri America 2016 MGMA Alumni Board |
AuthorTeatime with Tabbi: Served by Miss Gay Missouri America 2017, Tabbi Katt. Archives
November 2017
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