Local drag talent Alexandria Star celebrated Black History Month with elegance and flair with a Black History Month Drag photoshoot. The Miss P Town 2023 gathered a group of Black and P.O.C. drag queens and one drag king to celebrate diversity in Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ community with a magazine-style photo shoot in a refurbished church.
Star with Tess Tickles, Viivian Spice, Kaydence McQueen, Belair Banks, Warren Monroe, and Leia Way LeStat, along with drag king Zion Grindr, all posed for photographer Travis Honnick. Star asked each of the drag performers to wear either black, red, yellow, or green, bright African colors.
The four colors of Black History Month—black, red, green, and yellow—symbolize unity and pride. They are a combination of the two sets of Pan-African colors: the Ethiopian flag, which is red, yellow, and green, and the Pan-African flag, which is red, black, and green.
Star said, “I want more representation here. Sometimes, Black drag performers are ‘tokenized’ with only one Black or P.O.C. performer per show. I want people to know there’s a lot of us here.”
Star wants everyone to know that Pittsburgh has many diverse entertainers with a plethora of talent. When hosting her show at P Town, “Sundaze,” the drag queen tries to book as many Black and P.O.C. drag artists as she can.
Star, originally from a small town outside of Baltimore, Maryland, attended college at Frostburg State University. “The town had no gay bars. There was a group of LGBTQ+ students. We all knew each other and hung out together, but we didn’t have our own space.” Star said, “The closest gay bar was Vice Versa [now Babylon] in West Virginia, over forty minutes away.” Star added, “I saw my first drag show there.”
Star remembers the show vividly. “I saw Maddelynn Hatter there, and I was inspired.” It was a breakthrough moment, an instant when she realized she wanted to perform. Star said, “Growing up, I wasn’t allowed to have anything that was considered ‘girly.’”
Star has been performing drag for three years but has performed in six pageants and won the previously mentioned Miss P Town 2023. Star doesn’t have lofty ambitions. The drag performer just wants to be locally known and wants to continue doing shows, specifically benefit shows. Star said, “I like doing the shows where we raise money for Proud Haven or the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. I think its important to give back to the community.”
Star brought Travis Honnick on to the Black History project to photograph the queens.
The shoot occurred in a restored church in Mt. Washington, which is both Honnick’s residence and studio. The photographer moved to Pittsburgh from East Rutherford, New Jersey for his day job three years ago.
Honnick, who was involved in fashion photography in New York City, picked up his camera again and became very involved in the LGBTQ+ community making posters, flyers and other promotional materials for the queens. Honnick said, “I was honored to be asked. It was thoughtful for Alexandria Star to consider me for the photo shoot. Working with Alexandria Star is easy and enjoyable.”
Honnick now thinks of Pittsburgh as home. He said, “I love the sense of community here.” In addition to taking fashion photos of the queens, he tends bar at P Town.
Tess Tickles, who participated in the Black History Month photo shoot, said, “Alexandria Star has always been one of the best people in the city. When I first started drag, she was one of the first people I met, and I immediately felt a sense of community and connection to her. Alex has always been very kind and supportive to me throughout my drag journey. Makes me very proud and honored to call her my sister.”
You can see Alexandria Star at Sundaze. In March, Star will be appearing in Indica’s “Another Party” at P Town, 4740 Baum Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA. Check PTownBarPGH.com for more information.
