A celebrated DC drag performer who made headlines (and history) in these heated times by simply attending a play, Mari Con Carne truly defines this Pride season.
Thotyssey: It’s great to talk to you today, Mari! So as a Washington DC queen, were you, um, excited about this past weekend’s “military parade?”
Mari Con Carne: I was definitely not, lol. I [booked] a show outside of DC to stay away from all the mess.
Well done! It looks like the parade was a total bust.
It was, and I’m glad it didn’t go well for him!
It’s already been a busy month for DC drag, for sure. How was World Pride for you?
It was exhausting! I worked ten days straight, with a total of fifteen shows, lol. But the energy at every show was great! I got to see and meet Bianca Del Rio and Sasha Colby, and make history by being one of the first drag performances at the Nats Stadium. I was in the Washington Post for that! I also attended the Equality PAC gala, which was interesting to say the least.
She’s making headlines everywhere she goes!
Before get into your big recent news cycle moment, can you share a bit of your origin story? Where are you from originally, how did drag come into your life, and how long have you been a DC Lady?
I’m originally from Mexico, but moved to DC from Georgia. I’ve been here for ten years now, but I’ve only been doing drag for the last five, almost six years!
I did my first show at a fundraising event. After that I waited until I finished my Masters to really dive in, which happened to be during the pandemic. Once the lockdown lifted, I spent some time in NYC performing with some of my New York sisters. That’s where I learned a lot quickly! Since then, my trajectory in DC has been nothing but great. I’ve gotten to work some really cool events, make history, host my own shows / fundraisers, and meet some amazing people.
My persona comes from being able to represent my Latinidad and queerness in spaces that are prominently white and gay. So I use my drag and platform a lot to advocate and organize my community, especially the queer / trans POC community.
Generally, what’s the queer nightlife scene in DC like? And since the White House and Congress went MAGA, have you noticed a difference in the scene at all?
The queer nightlife in DC is very diverse, but close. DC isn’t really that big–and though we have gotten more venues, we are all just always running into or working with each other.
There hasn’t really been a change since the MAGA takeover. Nightlife has done a good job at making sure our venues stay safe. We of course see the occasional red hat in some bars, but nothing too drastic. I think the biggest change has been that we are all more vocal about who we don’t want in our bars and in our shows… or at least to set guidelines. It’s normal to hear show hosts say “fuck Donald Trump,” or something political on the mics. I know at my shows, I always try to speak on Palestine, trans rights, and / or the ICE kidnappings.
When Trump and company made the bizarre decision to take over the Kennedy Center in February and scrub its inclusive / progressive programming using past “drag shows” there as a politicized excuse, how did you and your local drag community feel and react at first? Also, had you been to the Center prior to this recent incident?
One of the first post-lockdown shows I did in DC was a show called “The Future of Drag” on the grounds of the Kennedy Center. I’ve also been to the Kennedy Center multiple times out of drag.
Some of us saw the full intent behind their actions — trying to remove LGBTQI+ stories and shows, not just drag. I mean, the Gay Men’s Chorus also had a show abruptly cancelled. This also alerted some of us because of how easy it was for him to do it. Some of us believe that the possibility existed of similar bans happening on federal grounds prior to World Pride.
What happened at the KC also led us to organize a march led by local drag artists. We marched from Washington Circle all the way to the KC, and gave some speeches before moving to the Kennedy Center.
When you and your fellow local drag performers Tara Hoot, Ricky Rosé and Vagenesis decided to attend the Center’s production of Les Misérables, were you hoping to accomplish something specific, or that it would go down a certain way given MAGA’s anti-drag policies? Did you know that the Trumps would be there at the time you decided to go?
We all knew that Trump would be there. I did not know what kind of impact it would have on him, or anyone for that matter. I actually did not know it was opening night for Les Mis, or that it was his first time there.
I think we all had the same goal of “we aren’t going anywhere.” For me, as a drag artist, I wanted it to be known that you can prevent us from performing on your stages, but you can’t erase us from your presence. As an immigrant, I wanted it to be known that we aren’t going anywhere and we will face you head on with every ounce of courage that we have.
And I actually had a tough time just sitting there. I am usually the one who is ready for the fight. I was expecting two things from that night: either we get in, or I get arrested. I had no other in-between, since it was so important to me to be there and represent a group of people who is currently getting hurt by his anti-immigration tactics.
You had gotten into the show via season tickets that were donated, right?
Yes. So I later found out, through my session with the Associated Press, that the main organizer [of our KC attendance] posted on Reddit asking for tickets! We had a handful… and then the days leading up to it, we got more donated. There was actually supposed to be two more drag artists with us, but they were not able to make it the day of.
There were three interesting factors about that Center show from what we all saw: the theater looked to be about two thirds empty, the folks that were there mostly seemed to receive you warmly with applause, and Trump and Melania were loudly booed by you all and many others. That all must have been very surreal and surprising!
Yes! When we walked in to the actual theater, it was mostly empty. We were received by loud applause and cheers. Everyone who was there at that time was very supportive of us being there. Once the show started, there were more people around us (rumor has it that they moved people from the balcony to the floor, lol).
Even though there were people there who I am sure did not care for us to be there, we did not get any boos… just stares. [Trump] definitely got booed and yelled at by others. There were also people there who were wearing protest shirts, which was very cool to see!
The whole thing was a but surreal. I really did not understand what kind of impact it would have until I heard the cheers. It made me emotional, and definitely something I will cherish.
It was wonderful to see! Did the Trumps themselves look at you in any certain way? Was it bizarre to see them… like, did they look real, lol?
They made the announcement of him arriving to his seat and asked people to stand. I was already standing, so I just looked over and saw his orange face and immediately sat down out of rage. Tara and Ricky made full eye contact, and he noticed them for sure.
So this was actually the second time I’ve seen him. The first time–and this will sound weird–was at his first inauguration. A boyfriend and I had tickets to the inauguration when we thought Hillary was going to win. When she didn’t, he convinced me to go to “witness an inauguration.” Both times, I felt disgust. This second time was harder for me, because I wanted to do more than just sit peacefully. He just reeks of evil to me. All I could think of when he entered the theater was about all the things he has done to the communities I care for.
I don’t think I would’ve been able to really “watch” the show for a second with that devil up there behind me. Some people said that the production should’ve cancelled after Trump took over the venue and implemented the drastic changes.
We were lucky to sit next to one of the parents of the actors. They mentioned how no one in the cast wanted to be there. She also mentioned that the cast got word that we were going to be there, and that it lifted their spirits. The actors playing the kids in the show also made rainbow bracelets for the day! They were adorable; I got one, and I placed it next to all my drag memorabilia.
I wish I could make everyone feel what we all felt during the play. It really felt like all the actors were protesting him being there though every line and song. It was is powerful to hear them sing “Do You Hear The People Sing?” I get chills thinking back to that.
Isn’t it ironic that Trump said Les Mis was his “favorite show,” given that it’s about populist revolt against tyranny?
I really do think it is lost in him. It would be so hard to see that play and think, “oh yeah, they’re owning the liberals.” Now, the Kennedy Center did change the description of the play in their website. It mentions nothing about the people fighting against an oppressive government.
We all need to thank and congratulate you four drag warriors for your bravery and representation… it’s amazing how something as simple as going to a play can make for such a strong and important moment of defiance against fascism.
I appreciate that! We are all grateful to the overwhelming support we have received this week. It has definitely been a ride!
I was wondering where folks coming through to DC can most likely see you perform. Any big shows to specifically mention, or anything at all you want to give a shout out to?
One thing that I definitely want to plug is Qommittee! They are a national organization helping drag artists and enthusiasts organize. I’ve worked with them a couple of times, and they are very professional and really have the goal of protecting drag in all forms!
I am finishing my Pride Month schedule, and I’m usually all over the place in DC. I host a regular show at Trade on the last Wednesday of the month. I’ll also be at La Pulperia with Misty Mountains on the Sunday of NYC Pride!
Excellent! Okay, let’s end with this: what do you recommend that queer folks, and all anti-fascists, should be doing to stay strong, brave and productive through the remainder of this presidency?
I always try to remind everyone of the intersectionality of oppression. As a queer, immigrant, brown, Mexican drag queen, it is easy for me to take note when any part of my identity is being attacked. I don’t have the privilege to think, “well they’re not directly harming me, so why should I care?” Some part of my identity is always being oppressed. So as loud as I am about drag bans, I am equality as loud for ICE raids, attacks on our trans community, the genocide happening right now, and challenges that POC communities face.
To those who feel they are not being oppressed, understand that a fascist government will ultimately come for you, and if they do not, it is because you are benefiting from one.
To those who are in the fight: remember that being joyful and taking up space are part of the resistance… especially when a government is trying to erase us. There are moments of celebration, even if you’re just celebrating someone being beside you in the same fight.
If you are looking for something to do to fight back, there are so many organizations you can join. It is totally okay to feel afraid at first. Whenever I get fearful, I usually think of the things that are driving me to act. When I do that, the fear usually turns into anger… and that’s when I start to take action.
Thanks for everything, Mari, and Happy Pride once again!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Mari Con Carne’s upcoming area appearances, and follow her on Instagram,
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