Community organizer Bibi Xia celebrated her 40th birthday with a drag fundraiser at Pearl Bar benefiting Tony’s Place, bringing together community members from the Montrose Center, Pride Houston 365, Space City Pride Football Club, Queer Book Club, HTX Sapphics, Lesbians of Houston, and more.
The night featured poetry by Keridwyn from her book How to Breathe Underwater, drag performances by Gianna Ramirez and Synth, and burlesque by Daisy Rendezvous, along with joyful musical numbers performed by Bibi, friends, and Tony’s Place staff.
Since Bibi began volunteering two years ago, Tony’s Place has seen a significant increase in the number of queer youth they serve daily. During her remarks, she emphasized that she couldn’t celebrate her birthday without uplifting LGBTQ youth disproportionately impacted by homelessness, and highlighted the power of community coming together.
The celebration raised over $1,500 through tips and online donations, and Bibi set a personal goal of raising $2,000 total by the end of her birthday week, encouraging those who couldn’t attend to donate online.
Photos by Sara Buchsbaum
