Drag & Snacks show slays the audience while uniting Humber students in love

Feb 2, 2023 | Campus News, Life

Love from the crowd at Humber College’s North campus empowered drag queen Naomi Leone while on stage during her routine last Friday.

Students chanted for her after her performance.

She wept.

“You guys are giving me so much f**king love right now,” Leone said.

Naomi Leone wept when talking to the crowd during the Drag & Snack in Humber on Jan. 27, 2023.
Naomi Leone wept when talking to the crowd during the Drag & Snack in Humber on Jan. 27, 2023.

The LGBTQ+ Resource Centre welcomed students to a new semester with a two-hour drag show, snacks, and a lucky draw on Jan. 27, 2023.

Leone said she didn’t want to cry because she worried that tears would ruin her makeup.

But the crowd said “you’re hot” and “you’re beautiful, sweetie!”

The drag queens (from left) Destiny Doll, Naomi Leone and The Virgo Queen greeted Humber Students during the Drag & Snack on Jan. 27, 2023.
The drag queens (from left) Destiny Doll, Naomi Leone and The Virgo Queen greeted Humber Students during the Drag & Snack on Jan. 27, 2023.

The centre invited Leone and two other renowned drag queens, The Virgo Queen and Destiny Doll, to slay the stage at the Student Centre.

The Virgo Queen, a Humber College alum who performed at a halftime show for the Toronto Raptors, said they came because they wanted to take opportunities to visit places that are not predominantly queer.

The Virgo Queen danced to Level Up by Ciara during the Drag & Snack on Jan. 27, 2023.
The Virgo Queen danced to Level Up by Ciara during the Drag & Snack on Jan. 27, 2023.

“It’s always good to educate people, get people out of their comfort zone, just get them more aware of my community,” she said. “That’s more important.”

The drag queens danced to a series of all-time hits such as Don’t Stop The Music by Rihanna, Bad Romance by Lady Gaga and Super Bass by Nicki Minaj.

The Virgo Queen said they brought several suitcases filled with costumes for the event.

She said she didn’t know what to expect, but the crowd was energetic.

“I really enjoyed it,” she said.

Leone also said the crowd gave her good vibes.

“Oh, my god it’s amazing, everyone was good, the whole country, the whole world,” she said.

Leone. a refugee from South Africa, said individual differences should not matter.

“Doesn’t matter if you are black, white, or Chinese, it doesn’t matter,” she said. “Just be kind to one another, and just share love.”

“That’s why I’m here today guys, and I hope you continue to share love,” Leone said.

Leone kissed one of the lucky draw winners, Horace Nile Lederman IV, and said “being gay is all about love.”

Naomi Leone (left) and Horace Nile Lederman IV kissed during the Drag & Snack on Jan. 27, 2023.
Naomi Leone (left) and Horace Nile Lederman IV kissed during the Drag & Snack on Jan. 27, 2023.

Lederman said the students gave so much energy and the performers were astounding.

“Being able to bring the same energy from a club to an education centre is amazing, the empowerment and the experience,” he said.

Lederman said he wanted to see more drag shows at Humber in the future.

Destiny Doll performed to Bad Romance by Lady Gaga in the Drag & Snack in Humber on Jan. 27, 2023.
Destiny Doll performed to Bad Romance by Lady Gaga in the Drag & Snack in Humber on Jan. 27, 2023.

Destiny Doll, a final-year student at Toronto Metropolitan University, said she felt the same.

“It’s nice for the students (to) see drag, because there are people that are, like, probably (seeing drag) today (for) the first time,” she said.

She said performing for her peers felt like spending time with her friends.

Leone encouraged students to embrace whoever they are.

Student did a rock pose with the LGBT Rainbow Flag during the Drag & Snack on Jan. 27, 2023.
Student did a rock pose with the LGBT Rainbow Flag during the Drag & Snack on Jan. 27, 2023. Photo credit: Krystal Yeung

She said she has been doing drag for a long time because it is a blessing to be born this way.

“Having this as Naomi Leone, I want to carry this till the day I die,” Leone said. “It’s good that everyone can be a part of the LGBT community because it’s all about love.”

The Virgo Queen, however, said it was important to “tip your drag queens.”

Leone said tips are important as they go toward hair and makeup.

But she said events like the Drag & Snack are different, and often give new audiences a taste of drag.

They did this event to “encourage people who are out there to go to LGBT and see a drag show to see what to expect,” Leone said.

“It’s amazing, everyone was great,” Doll said after the show. “It’s great doing university shows.”