NMSU LGBT+ Pride Season features world-class drag show, acclaimed actor, film screening

The New Mexico State University LGBT+ Programs has an all-star lineup for its 2020 Pride Season, thanks to the program’s collaboration with many other NMSU programs and departments, said NMSU LGBT+ Director Zooey Sophia Pook.

“Our LGBT+ students come from all walks of life, races, backgrounds and majors at NMSU, so it is important for us to partner with the Honors College, the English Department, CMI and the Black Student Association.

All events are free and open to the public.

Upcoming programming is as follows:

• 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 16: Annual LGBT+ Programs’ Drag Show, at Corbett Center. The host is national drag star Amaya Sexton, and the lineup includes ViLette Stratton of Albuquerque, “a major star in the New Mexico scene,” Pook said, along with Sabrina Caprice Heartt, Eva Alicia Jane and Trey C. Michaels.

“We are excited to bring in new national and state talent, as well as a few returning stars to our annual drag show, which has quickly become one of the biggest events at NMSU and in Las Cruces,” Pook said “More than 350 people attended our fall show in October,” she said.

• 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 7: Actor BD Wong, speaking at the ASNMSU Center for the Arts, 1000 E. University Ave. Wong won a Tony award for his performance as Song Liling in “M. Butterfly,” becoming the only actor in Broadway history to receive Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and three other major awards for the same role. In addition to multiple TV and movie credits, he hosts the medical documentary series “Something's Killing Me with BD Wong” on Headline News.
• 7 p.m., Monday, April 20: Screening “Never Goin’ Back,” at the CMI theater in NMSU’s Milton Hall. The 2018 coming-of-age, lesbian romance, comedy-drama tells the story of Jessie and Angela, high school dropouts, who are taking a week off from their waitressing jobs to chill at the beach, according to IMDb. “Too bad their house got robbed, rent's due, they're about to get fired and they're broke.”

NMSU LGBT+ moved into new space at 204A on the second floor of Corbett Center last April, Pook said, and is seeing an increase in the number of students and student groups making use of its services and facilities as a result. The NMSU LGBT+ support group meets 5-6:30 p.m. every Thursday in Corbett Center Room 204A.

Thanks to a new grant, Zook said LGBT+ Programs will partner with Alianza of New Mexico to extend services to the community.

For more information, call 575-646- 7031, email lgbt@nmsu.edu or visit https://lgbt.nmsu.edu/.