Q&A: This St. John's drag performer started a non-profit to support the community
Dakota Blake transforms into Misty Manifest
After losing the only venue dedicated to drag performance, the St. John's drag community needed new opportunities.
In response, Dakota Blake — who performs as Misty Manifest — and his partner Dill March formed the non-profit Drag is Art. Its aim is to support drag performers and create opportunities. So far, they've held workshops and the first Newfoundland Drag Awards.
They also own a company called Dream Haus Productions, which holds drag shows and queer events.
Blake is from Stephenville, and has been involved with drag for 10 years. He says he has seen the community transform during that time.
As Blake transformed into Misty Manifest for the big night, he spoke about drag, the community and the non-profit.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What is drag?
A: Drag is basically an art form. So, the way I see it is it's a form of expression. It's an exaggeration in clothing and makeup and hair, and it's over the top, it's fun, it's glittery, it's flashy, it's a celebration of pride.
It's really getting to be your authentic self or becoming someone else for the night and being able to put your old self behind for a little while.
Q: What misconceptions are there about drag?
Well, there's lots of misconceptions about drag. A lot of people think drag, first and foremost, is inherently sexual, and that's not the case at all. Anything could be sexual.
A movie can be sexual, but it can also be for children. So there's different ratings of drag, just like there are different ratings for movies and media out there.
Drag is pretty much whatever you want it to be.
Q: Why should someone get interested in the art form?
I definitely think it is worth it to go out of your house and out of your comfort zone as someone completely different, so you can get a better point of view on the world and of yourself. Because a lot of people are scared of being their true authentic self.
And I think when someone gets into drag, all of that's thrown out the window, you feel like a completely different person. You're getting different reactions from people. People are looking at you completely differently.
So I think it's a good opportunity to kind of step outside of yourself.
Q: Tell me a bit about your non-profit.
Drag queens are not making that much money and there has been an increasingly negative air surrounding drag as of late coming from the south of us. There's people here in this province that are actively criticizing drag queens and criticizing drag. And there's people around here who are really against drag, and a lot of people painting drag in a certain light that really has nothing to do with drag. It doesn't make sense as to why they're calling drag a certain thing when drag is nothing other than an art form. Drag is art.
That's something that we want to heavily remind people, that drag is nothing other than art, and art is subjective and everyone loves a piece of art. It's just a different canvas, really.
Creating this non-profit really helps us with more community funding and community events such the award show, where we can celebrate our local drag community here and give back to them and be able to help further their drag careers with a little bit more cash.
Q: What is your hope for the future of the local drag community?
We need a new queer bar, for one. We need to stick together as a unit, as a family. We need to continue pushing back against bigotry and the haters and misinformation.
We need to also just stand strong and stand true to ourselves, like the late Reign Michaels who just passed away — my drag daughter — used to always say 'Be you, be true, be happy.'
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