In 2023, Sasha Colby made history by becoming the first openly transgender woman of color and the first Pacific Islander to win RuPaul's Drag Race. Her victory has resonated globally, especially among the Polynesian community. Since her triumph, she embarked on a successful tour, Stripped, and is set for a second tour. In a BuzzFeed interview, Sasha shared her experiences with RuPaul and reflected on the importance of community and representation for people of her heritage in the drag scene.
It's been amazing. It's been such a welcoming, like a homecoming, especially when I talk to other Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders. People from all over Polynesia, they can connect and relate and see someone that looks like them and has the same culture, the same upbringing as them, really makes them feel like they're part of a community. That's what drag has been able to make, and what Drag Race has been able to globalize, is making a lot more spaces for community building.
Just watching RuPaul work, film, and drop little hints to us, little pieces of wisdom or advice. It's always lovely to watch Ru in action. Really encouraging us to understand that it's a TV show, and even though we're there for a competition and to win, really getting on the TV show is such a big accomplishment already.
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