Drag began as protest, not pageantry. Freedom in Heels re-ignites that fire through a fast-moving blend of story, archive, and artistry. Veteran drag performer and community strategist Miss Barbie-Q guides the audience on a journey from ballroom floor to picket line, tracing how stilettos became weapons of visibility—and how today’s mainstream gloss has blurred that legacy.
The program swaps a live panel for curated voices: short, pre-recorded reflections from Trans and queer drag artists answering one core question—“What does reclaiming drag as resistance mean to you?” Their answers punctuate the narrative like glitter bombs, reminding us that the fight is still on.
Archival footage sourced from ONE Institute frames each segment, linking past uprisings to present battles. The finale: a live spoken-word piece by Miss Barbie-Q, equal parts love letter and rallying cry, honoring the queens, kings, and in-betweens who strutted so we could stride.
Expect history, heresy, and a high heel to the status quo. Come ready to clap, snap, and leave fired up to put the politics back in the paint.
Participant Bios:
Sydney Rogers, MSW (a.k.a. Miss Barbie-Q) is a nationally recognized Black Trans woman leader, cultural worker, and advocate with over 25 years of experience in performance, community organizing, and transformative systems change. She currently serves as the Equity Lead for Community Programs at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, where she leads the Trans Economic Empowerment Project (TEEP), supporting Trans and non-binary individuals in securing stable, affirming employment.
A fierce force in both boardrooms and ballrooms, Sydney brings her lived experience—having survived incarceration, homelessness, and systemic violence—into every room with grace, strategy, and unapologetic truth-telling. She was recently selected to give the 2025 Trans Day of Visibility Proclamation for the City of Santa Monica and is co-leading a Trans inclusion training series in collaboration with the LA Lather Coalition, with a focus on transmasculine inclusion.
Sydney is also the co-founder of a new consulting collective formed through the merger of Infinite Equity Strategies and Rex Wilde Consulting, focused on advancing liberation, wellness, and leadership for TGI (Trans, Gender Non-Conforming, and Intersex) communities.
She and her collaborator are submitting a proposal to the LA County Department of Mental Health titled From Surviving to Thriving: Mental Health & Leadership for Trans Women of Color, centering trauma-informed care, peer mentorship, and systems change. In addition to her work in advocacy and workforce development, Sydney is a celebrated drag artist, storyteller, and host. Through her platform Big Mama Storytime, she bridges generations with affirming stories, laughter, and powerful visibility. Her website, MissBarbieQ.com, is expanding to include a merch store and a soon-to-be-published book chronicling her journey of resilience, reinvention, and radical love.
Follow her journey and stay connected on Instagram: @missbarbieqla
Sydney leads with heart, humor, and a deep commitment to legacy-building. Her work uplifts the most marginalized, reminding the world that freedom doesn’t just walk—it struts in heels.
This reading is organized by Sydney Rogers, MSW (a.k.a. Miss Barbie-Q) as part of Circa: Queer Histories Festival 2025, presented by One Institute and located at William Grant Still Arts Center. William Grant Still Arts Center is a facility of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
Founded in 1977, William Grant Still Arts Center is a facility of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs offering summer camp, creative workshops, music and art classes for adults and youth, an exhibition space, concerts, and places for community meetings and the neighborhood to come together.