Almost two decades ago, Dwayne Williams’ Drag University was just beginning. RuPaul’s Drag Race had just started and was not yet a mainstream show, and local drag bars were the mainstay, particularly in Houston. There was no playbook on winning a national pageant or finding your footing in drag. Drag University allowed emerging drag enthusiasts to learn specific skills such as wigmaking, makeup, and professionalism. Over two years, Drag University gave a promising start to almost 30 people, including local queens such as Foxy Mun’Ro and Chloe Crawford Ross.

Over the last several years, drag has become a part of the political discussion as drag-queen story hour events have been protested all over the country, and drag has been banned in public spaces in some states. The attacks, unfortunately, are rampant in this current political climate. Of course, drag—though an entertainment artform—has always been about advocacy for expression, diversity, and visibility. Furthermore, Marsha P. Johnson, who identified as a person of transgender experience and a drag queen, was one of those who threw the first stones at police in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn, starting our modern-day Pride and LGBTQ equality movements.

For these reasons, Drag University was revived by The Normal Anomaly Initiative in order to emphasize the importance of contributing to the development of emerging drag entertainers. At this moment in time, it will take advocates in all corners of the community—trained and ready to use their voices, talents, and visibility—to ensure we are not erased.

In January, Drag University’s five-month program began with support from Gilead Sciences, which included a drag-specific curriculum and involved advocacy, public speaking, HIV awareness, and digital media classes to ensure program participants had a complete grasp of what was at stake. After completing the classes, trainees had to produce their final test, which included a digital media advocacy project, performance, and public speaking for the crown. Eight people completed the cohort, and the winner was decided by a combination of attendance and course completion. The final project was announced at the Black Queer AF Music Festival in May 2025.

We had the privilege of getting to know the class valedictorian, as well as the first and second runners-up.

These entertainers let us know that our fight is not over and that people are being curated behind us to fight and celebrate, entertain, and bring us joy. Drag is not a crime but a sign that we will always be here.

The Rousing Poet

First Runner-up: Mahalo Oz

Mahalo Oz—Angel Vera, outside of drag—was the first runner-up in Drag University. Angel, a formerly unhoused youth who frequents Montrose Grace Place, is a shy introvert who loves reading and anime. However, when they put on their drag persona, there is a more unabashed, super creative, alternative, pretty girl—as she would describe herself.

Angel has been interested in the art of drag for a couple of years and has recently begun the journey to become an emerging drag queen. They engaged with the Oz legacy led by Flawless Oz, Miss Gay Texas USofA Classic 2019, and became their daughter. She went to Hamburger Mary’s to meet her after seeing her host an event in the community; they hit it off, and soon Flawless adopted Angel into her drag family and named her Mahalo.

As an emerging drag queen, Mahalo didn’t just join Drag University to learn techniques for performance, though. She also wanted to learn to be a better advocate and find community. “I wanted to better myself and get myself out of the state of depression I was in,” admits Mahalo. “The camaraderie, people being vulnerable, and everyone telling their story made me feel like I was going to be alright.”

Learning from Akeria and the Advocacy class with Sherman Houston of Black Gay Houston Pageant and Jovaun Davenport, Mr. Exclusive Gay USofA, was Mahalo’s favorite part of the classroom sessions, “I was already planning on doing advocacy work,” she says, “but to hear Akeria’s story and the technical parts of advocacy really allowed me to see how deep advocacy can go and how you can do it in different ways.”

On stage for the final project, what Mahalo delivered was a testament to the advocacy reborn in an outstanding performer. She delivered a rousing personal poem on stage, documenting her story as an unhoused youth to an audience who gave her thunderous applause.

With Drag University over, you will see more Mahalo performing around the city in drag bars and spoken-word stages. She is also on eight community advisory boards, including Youth Voices Empowered at Montrose Grace Place and High Transformative Empowerment and Autonomy (TEA): LEAF with The T.R.U.T.H. Project, continuing her advocacy work in the community.

We know that this won’t be the last we hear from Mahalo.

Follow Mahalo at @mahalo_oz_morningstar

The Beautiful One

Class Valedictorian: Syca’Ru Jackson-Ross

Syca’Ru, Regi Stevenson, outside of drag, was the class valedictorian with the highest cumulative score. Though they hadn’t done drag before, they knew their name well before the class started. Syca’Ru comes from a Spanish word meaning “all things beautiful.” “When I heard it,” they say, “I knew it was me because I feel like my beauty comes from within; I’m very passionate about everything I do, especially about my community. And what comes out is beauty.”

Regi describes themself as knowing they were different at a very young age, but unable to express this in language. When they were nine, their uncle died from complications of AIDS, and their family’s negative response (because of their lack of knowledge) was the catalyst for Regi’s advocacy. From that moment as a child, they knew that it would be essential to learn everything they could to keep from going down a path of disparity and to inform the communities around them. “My goal was always to not become a statistic, and that’s why I got into advocacy,” they say.

For years, Regi has worked in various advocacy positions, including peer educator and billing specialist, on HIV prevention, treatment, homelessness, and transgender rights. When Drag University opened up, it was the perfect opportunity to merge their worlds of art and advocacy into one. So they applied for the program with little thought about the outcome.

They woke up early during the program’s final retreat and had to be in drag all day. Regi transformed into Syca’Ru and had to sit inside her the entire weekend. “The retreat was like the ‘aha’ moment for me. I was like, ‘I’m in it now. I am blended with my brothers and sisters, and this is about to be a thing’,” they say.

During the retreat, the ‘guest professors’ included Wendell King II, president of Impulse Group Houston; Akeria Chanel Davenport from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 and Allstars 6; as well as Jazell Barbie Royale, who was Miss International Queen 2019. “My highlight was meeting Jazell,” says Regi. “For her to say after we performed for her, ‘Why aren’t you doing this now?’ I was on cloud nine after that.”

So, as Syca’Ru approached the stage for the final test, the digital media project played first as they watched in the back. It opened with “Not a drag king. Not a drag queen. But the drag thing,” and the crowd went crazy with applause. It was all left on the stage after the performance and the question-and-answer session.

“I’m very competitive and I know what I give,” says Regi, “but I feel like they picked a very strong group. I was still shaken up a little bit on how it would end.”

With all the nerves, after the scores were added up, Syca’Ru came out on top. Over the next year, they will be a year-round ambassador for The Normal Anomaly, with their advocacy focus centering on sexual health and transgender rights. They also have a hidden talent they plan to bring out over the next year: “I think I want to be a drag recording artist,” muses Regi. “Well, I am going to drop some music.”

We will watch out for it, and we’re sure it will be all things beautiful.

Follow Syca’Ru at @theepioneer_1g_no3

Your Favorite Bull

Second Runner-up: Beau Vine

Beau Vine, who is Sebastian Richmond out of drag, was the second runner-up in Drag University. Sebastian, a man of transgender experience, started his medical transition at 18 but came into himself much earlier at the age of 15. He describes himself as a nerd; naturally introverted, he prefers to be a homebody dedicated to art, including 3-D models, digital media, and animation. He also loves cooking.

Drag performance is an extension and outlet of his natural creative nature. “Beau Vine is if you took me and multiplied my personality by 10, then added a lot of cowboy and cows. He’s a Taurus, and he’s a lot more audacious than I am. When I am Beau, I am out there doing the most.” 

Some of Beau’s prize possessions are the flags around him in his room, including a Texas state flag, transgender Pride flag, and a Texas Pride flag. Being both a happy Texan and a happy transman can often seem complicated, but Beau has found a place in both of them. As a connoisseur of food, fitness, and culture, this 24-year-old embraces all the complexities that come with his intersecting identities. “You know I am proudly from Texas. I love my state, but not what it’s doing to my community. My state doesn’t really love me the way I love it,” Beau sadly admits.

Sebastian/Beau came to Drag University to learn more as an avid student of life. Committing completely to the process, Beau was often both the comic relief and the glue in his cohort.

Beau’s final project was an ode to the inner cowboy within and a little bit of ’60s rocker style. He came out after his digital media project finished and performed with sensational energy, and the crowd, including his mother, beaming with pride, matched it all. After completing the course, he decided that his advocacy would focus on health, wellness, and transgender rights: “Trans rights are human rights, and human rights are deserved by everybody,” he asserts.

You will find Beau performing around the city. His infectious energy makes him an indelible star in our universe—or a cowboy country, whichever you prefer.

Follow Beau at @beau_vinehtx