Stormé DeLarverie’s story was diminished. And that's by design. For too long, the narratives of queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino, and gender-expansive people have been suppressed, silenced, and erased. That's why it's so important to tell stories like Stormé's that celebrate our history, our identity, and our resilience. By sharing these stories, we honor the struggles and sacrifices of those who came before us and inspire a new generation to continue the “good fight.”

By supporting our musical play about Stormé DeLarverie, you are not just supporting the arts, you are supporting the preservation of our stories and the affirmation of our collective humanity. Together, we can ensure that these stories are never erased again. When we preserve our stories, we preserve ourselves.

Vulnerable communities are facing heightened systemic threats as a result of escalating attacks on DEI, coupled with an onslaught of state bills seeking to restrict LGBTQ+ rights. These measures alarmingly target transgender individuals. There have been attempts to ban drag and criminalize female impersonators. For me this hearkens back to unjust practices that led up to the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969 which galvanized the Gay Rights Movement. Police arrests of people not wearing what was considered as gender appropriate clothing was under the guise of violating the masquerade law, while police raids on bars serving LGBTQ+ patrons, who were deemed as disorderly by their mere presence, was under order of the New York State Liquor Authority.

In part, this is why I wrote my musical play STORMÉ. I wanted to pay homage to the life of Stormé DeLarverie, the Stonewall Rebellion icon and male impersonator at the infamous Jewel Box Revue, America’s first racially integrated and gay-owned touring drag cabaret. But I also wanted to acknowledge historical events pertaining to LGBTQ+ people and marginalized communities, because I believe in the adage “those who fail to learn from history” or “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.”

History is indeed repeating itself. LGBTQ+ people are under attack and threat of being banned from public view. I am speaking also to the growing number of state bills restricting what schools can teach about American history, race, politics, sexual orientation, and gender identity, which increased 250% from 2021 to 2022, reports PEN America. Since 2021, PEN has reported nearly 23,000 book bans in U.S. public schools, predominantly titles that depict LGBTQ+ and BIPOC stories and experiences.

Parents who support gender-affirming care for their transgender children are being characterized as child abusers, with states lawmakers threatening punishment. Law enforcement is just that, the enforcement of laws be they just or unjust. My concern, my fear is that we are heading toward an era of police arrests and brutality of LGBTQ+ and BIPOC people for violating laws meant to erode our cultural heritage and erase our history in attempt to eradicate our existence in America.