How to See D.C. With Your Chosen Family, According to Drag Artists

[heels clicking]

I am so excited to be here. When I was planning this trip.

[Kiko] Hello! Hey, I'm in DC.

I was like, I need the perfect balance of people

that can bring out the best in me and have fun.

Where are you guys?

I'm in DuPont.

Hold on, I'm getting another call. Hello?

I think I'm here.

One second. Where are you girl?

Gimme a second.

I would hope that the girls would love DC.

There's so much rich life and culture.

[Serena Tea] I think I see you.

Hi. Hi.

Oh my goodness! I'm so excited,

we're all here.

[All] DC trip!

[West Dakota] Welcome to The Line DC.

Chosen family to me is... This is cute!

[West Dakota] People who accept me. Think of you

[Dynasty] They got room service up in here.

[Serena Tea] The monuments are monumenting.

This patio!

I grew up right outside of DC.

What's been cool in the last few years

that I've been coming back here,

is just seeing queer people being more visible.

Get in get in get in

It's also clean. It's very, very clean.

We are here in Barracks Row,

which is one of the gay neighborhoods in DC.

We're at As You Are. This is a queer run space.

It's cool to be in a space

that's very intentional about bringing in different

types of community.

They really prioritize consent and consent culture.

Like, I feel way more relaxed and comfortable and safe.

[Serena Tea] It's meant for us, but it's also by us.

Thank youuuuu.

Whenever I travel with drag queens,

my face hurts from like laughing so much.

Dakota just has like a reputation

of like the Forever It girl.

She also just has opened like so many doors

for the drag community.

I'm here to serve.

Next, we're going to go to the DC Center.

It's a community space for LGBTQ plus people.

They have a free community closet,

so I thought it would be cute if we could go

and help organize one of the closets.

I have more clothes.

If I was a monument in DC I would be like

the yesified Abraham Lincoln.

I think it would be like maybe like a hand.

[upbeat music playing]

[beeping]

What should we do now?

[upbeat music playing]

[upbeat music continues]

We're gonna go to Trade.

Trade is a queer bar over in Logan Circle,

which is another one of the gay neighborhoods here in DC.

As a drag performer,

you put yourself in this position that's very vulnerable.

It's like the perfect mix

to come into a space with an open energy.

[Serena Tea] Welcome to Trade

[Dynasty] Drag, it's my art.

I have so much of it in me. I need to use it as an outlet.

I also just love how refreshing coming

to a new drag community can be.

[West Dakota] It's exciting to see these sort

of underground communities coming to light in DC.

I would definitely love to perform here someday

Chosen family.

I think it's a feeling of, I'm getting kind of emotional.

I think it's, it feels like people being there for you.

[West Dakota] My friends always make me feel super safe.

Being here with them empowered me to step outside

of my comfort zone.