Next Up: Tuesday, March 4, 7 PM
Capital Pride Alliance in partnership with Team Rayceen Production and the 50th Anniversary subcommittee of World Pride 2025 presents “An Evening with Heroes”.
The Capital Pride Alliance is celebrating 50 years of pride in our nation’s capital. As part of that celebration, we want to highlight some of the organizers in our community who have received an honor from our organization or made outstanding contributions to pride in Washington DC.
This panel features heroes who have entertained audiences for years and raised countless amounts of money to support our community.
Please join us for a hybrid live event featuring some of these honorees who will share their history and thoughts on what pride means.
Doors open at 6:45 pm at the Human Rights Campaign building.
About Destiny B. Childs
Destiny B. Childs Destiny has been performing for over 20 years in the Washington DC metro area. Known as the Queen Mother of Washington DC, Destiny has mentored and guided many young LGBTQIA+ individuals onto a path to succeed and join the fight for equality. Through her activism and leadership, Destiny has raised thousands and thousands of dollars for various charities and local LGBTQIA+ organizations. Destiny has held many titles, such as Miss Gay America DC, Miss Gay Universe and the 1st Empress of The Imperial court. Destiny is proud to have been the emcee for the Capital Pride Concert Stage for over 20 years.
Destiny is the show Director for the #1 voted Drag Show in the Washington DC area, Freddie’s Follies located at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, VA. Showtime is 9pm Sharp every Saturday! AS the longest running consecutive drag show in the DMV, the show is sure to entertain you!
Ric is an Army Veteran and has worked for the Department of Defense for over 15 years and happily married to his Navy Veteran husband for over 24 years.
About Ella FItzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald is the drag persona of Donnell Robinson (born c. 1955), an American drag queen based in Washington, D.C. Known as “the doyenne of D.C.’s drag scene.” Ella started performing drag in D.C. in 1975 and came to play a central role in the city’s drag scene, described by the LGBTQ magazine Metro Weekly as “a local drag legend” and “the doyenne of D.C.’s drag scene,” and by the Washington Post as “the doyenne of Washington drag queens.”
She was a key member of the Academy of Washington, a now-shuttered social club for drag performers, and won various awards from the organization before it closed in 2015. At the Academy, she led the “Drag Daughters” House.
She performed at such clubs as the Rogue, the Plus One, and the Other Side before moving to Ziegfeld’s in 1980. There, she hosted the long-running Ladies of Illusion show on weekends until the nightclub’s closure during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Fitzgerald, who created the show, served as director, emcee, and performer, and became one of the club’s best-known acts, sometimes referred to as the “First Lady of Ziegfeld’s.” She has also performed periodically at other clubs, such as Freddie’s Beach Bar in Virginia, and is a mainstay of Capital Pride, D.C.’s annual LGBTQ pride parade as well as venues across the country.
Beginning in the 1980s, Fitzgerald hosted fundraisers in response to the HIV/AIDs crisis, a cause she continues to support.
About Shi-Queeta-Lee
Shi-Queeta-Lee is a female impersonator extraordinaire and a DC institution. She is a cast member, musical artist, producer, director and CEO of VanHookProductions, LLC. She specializes in impersonations that include Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, and Tina Turner. Her credits are demonstrable and far too numerous to name. Here are a few highlights.
About Blair Michaels
Andrew Michaels a. k.a Blair Michaels has been entertaining the masses for over 40 years. Andrew or “ Blair “ (fastest way to get a response from him lol) is a native born Washingtonian and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. Having lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and now residing in Buffalo , New York. Blair’s seen a lot in his 40 year career in the entertainment business. The good.
Blair’s performances have been featured at places in D.C like the former Town Dance Boutique, Ziegfelds (also Miss Ziegfelds 2002) Remington’s (Miss Remingtons 95’), Apex/ Badlands (Miss Badlands 99’ & Miss Capital Pride 1999) Omega. Rascals, Mr. Henry’s, Fantasies, the Rouge 2, and many other amazing places that unfortunately closed for one reason or another.
Blair’s is most definitely known for her charity work. Andrew / Blair has lent his talents and time over the years in helping raise more than 1.5 million dollars for organizations like the San Diego Pride , The Whitman Walker Clinic, Capital Pride Alliance, Pride 365, Delaware Pride, Terrific Inc. / Grandma’s House and the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, San Diego Pride, Aunt Helen’s, The Godfather Fund, The Trevor Project and many many more.
The list of honors and titles is long, but those that represent the community are closest to his heart. Being the 1st Miss Capital Pride (1999) and being chosen one of the 2009 Capital Pride Hero awardees are 2 of the honors Blair loves best. Andrew has been married to her husband Bradley Michaels for almost 35 years
About Tony "and I thank you" Nelson
Tony “and I thank you” Nelson a 2019 Capital Pride Hero, is a shining exemplar of unwavering dedication and unrelenting passion, inspiring countless individuals with his remarkable journey. As a native Washingtonian, Tony is the visionary creator of the alter ego Ms. WTF?, pioneering bearded drags and showcasing his exceptional talent as an entertainer, comedian, and COO for Black National Pageantry. He is also the founder of the Black National Prince and Princess Division and co-creator of the renowned Mascara Illusion Drag Show. As a DC socialite, personality, and parent of 23, Tony’s role as a mentor is equally significant. He selflessly guides and supports several young people in the DC community, nurturing their growth and development. Tony’s remarkable journey has led him to become the head MC for numerous shows in Washington, DC, including Stronjai’s Lipstick Revue and The So Seductive Male Revue at the Legendary Mr. Henrys, and Daryl Wilson Entertainment, including Black Pride events and Black National Pageants. With an impressive 15-year tenure as the house MC at the Bachelor’s Mill, he has earned the distinction of being the longest-running house MC for the legendary venue, a testament to his perseverance and dedication. Tony has also been honored to host events at esteemed locations such as The Howard Theater, Lulu’s in Georgetown, The National Stadium, and The National Mall. Nationally, he has hosted events in nearly every major city in the country, except Chicago and Los Angeles, spreading inspiration and joy wherever he goes.
About Tula
Tula Perfectly styled Hair, Glitz and Glamor with a Classic Drag estetic with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. This is what you get when you see Tula hosting one of her regular cabaret shows in the District. A former title holder and member of the Academy of Washington, DC she brings a plethora of stage experience to any show. When friends are asked, they describe her drag more as illusionist work because when she takes the stage, she truly does embody the spirit of the artists she performs too. By day, she is an esthetician and hair stylist for a number of local theatre and event companies. In the evenings and on weekends, when she is not gracing the stage performing, you can often catch her out and about, around town at a nonprofit function, an embassy event, or taking in a theatre production, in full drag, immaculately put together, mixing and mingling with the other socialites from our Nation’s Capital.
Empress of Pride and Goddess of DC
Community Liaison for Team Rayceen Productions
About Rayceen Pendarvis
Rayceen Pendarvis is an event host, interviewer, moderator, speaker, wedding officiant, community advocate, and lifelong Washingtonian. This includes hosting and co-hosting events by Team Rayceen Productions (including The Ask Rayceen Show, a monthly community gathering and variety program which ran for ten years, including at the HRC Equality Center from March 2017 to March 2020). As an inspirational speaker, disseminator of information, frequent host of LGBTQ events, and a tireless advocate for the community, Rayceen has earned the monikers High Priestess of Love, Queen of the Shameless Plug, Empress of Pride, and Goddess of DC. Online, Rayceen can be found on social media and as a co-host and panelist on the Team Rayceen YouTube channel. For more information, please visit Rayceen.com.
About Krylios
Krylios is a Jamaican-born fiction writer, playwright, producer, emcee, host, actor and storyteller. He is the founder and creative director of itsKrylios Kreations. He is emcee, moderator and producer for Team Rayceen Productions where you can watch him interviewing artists, activists, advocates and all-round awesome guests on the Team Rayceen YouTube Channel. He is the author of the fantasy anthology “Fears, Fantasies & Freedom” from which he adapted one of the stories into the stage play “Leave the Door Open” which first premiered in Baltimore in 2022.
The Capital Pride Alliance, through its stewardship of diverse programming and events, specifically year-round LGBTQ+ Pride festivities centered in Washington, DC and the National Capital Region, serves to celebrate, educate, support, and inspire our multi-faceted communities in order to grow and preserve our history and protect our rights for current and future generations. Learn More