As students and faculty wander around the Student Union, engaging in conversation, cups of shimmering blue lemonades and pink refreshers sparkle in the warm light. One student exclaimed, “I feel the sparkles!” A table displaying Queer Student Alliance t-shirts amongst other designs was spread out for anyone to take, providing a QR code for optional donations to the DEI fund. Attendees anxiously awaited the start of the kickoff event to celebrate Queer History Month on EMU’s campus.
The keynote event was organized as a Q&A session between Chad Walters, a nationally recognized wig designer, and Chad Sager, aka Jayda Knight, founder of Rhinestone Productions. Sager has 15 years of drag experience and event organizing. Together, they run Rhinestone Productions, which holds many different local events, including Sunday brunches and drag shows. The pair are also the co-creators of Scarlet Moon Tattoos LLC in Staunton, and lifelong partners.
Sager created the first Harrisonburg Pride over 20 years ago when the town was nothing more than a very conservative space. “We’re not just a drag show, we have a purpose,” said Sager. Rhinestone Productions believes in the importance of celebrating all walks of life, including the beauty of art and self-expression. Sager’s drag name, Jayda Knight, is a combination of a childhood pet name and the street name of where Sager grew up. “Jayda gave me confidence when Chad needed it most,” said Sager.
Working alongside Sager, Walters is an alumnus of EMU who graduated in 2002. Walters created “In2gr8ion,” a wig company that Walters has used as his creative outlet while supporting his partner, Sager. “I love making people feel important, and special, and beautiful,” said Walters. There was a lot of trial and error for his business, but the success he has found has pushed the brand worldwide. The company was even included in the Netflix movie “Dumplin,’” allowing Walters to work with people from all around the world.
While drag is an important part of their lives, the couple also owns a tattoo shop in Staunton. The dream began one day when Walters proposed the idea to Sager. Walters’ love for “Ink Masters,” a TV show where tattoo artists compete for the title of “Ink Master” and a cash prize, alongside his love for his then-tattoo artist, Margaret Bushell, who now works at Scarlet Moon Tattoo LLC, and his business brain all came together with Sager to create a safe space in the local community.
Dawn Neil, EMU’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Coordinator, who organized the event, said that these events and conversations are important to EMU’s community because of the change that the university has undergone in the past 10 to 20 years. These events help to foster an environment where the campus community can come together to learn and grow through hearing about cultures and experiences they may not know about prior. Neil stated that engagement with these events grows each year and with students’ courage and creativity, Neil and the campus community can inspire events and help promote visibility. “EMU is becoming a place where conversations about identity, equity, and belonging are welcomed, not avoided,” said Neil.
Attending the speech, sophomore Liberal Arts major Leilani Muniz stated that these kinds of conversations are important because “queer people have always been around, and will continue to be around.” Muniz went on to share that being able to learn, come together, and hear other people’s experiences is what makes these conversations that much more important.
Sager and Walters explain that you can support the queer community in Harrisonburg by simply getting involved, being present, and promoting queer businesses on social media through liking and sharing posts. Community members can chat with drag queens, including Jayda Knight, on the fourth Sunday of every month at the Ridge Room in Harrisonburg for their charity event “Queens of the Ridge Room.” The event serves to support a new charity each month. The event is family-friendly and, according to Sager, shows that “drag isn’t a crime.”
