Dear Friends,
On behalf of everyone at the Miss Gay Arkansas America Pageant, I would like to thank you for joining us this weekend as we prepare to crown the 52nd Miss Gay Arkansas America. The Miss Gay Arkansas staff has worked diligently to create a program full of entertainment from the contestants, who come from all corners of the state in their quest for the crown.
The Miss Gay Arkansas America Pageant is the longest running preliminary in the nation to any National Competition for Female Impersonation. Since the inception of Miss Gay Arkansas America, it has been our goal to offer some of the most admirable and prestigious contests possible in the art of gay pageantry. We have remained focused on not only finding the most well-rounded leaders to represent the gay community, but also on providing our audience with the best and brightest entertainers the State of Arkansas has to offer.
None of this could be possible without the diligence, hard work, and due care put forth by our preliminary promoters. It is with great pride that we acknowledge your tireless efforts to promote your winners through this great state.
We congratulate Vanessa Rayne, Miss Gay Arkansas America 2023, on an outstanding reign. Vanessa has represented Arkansas with dignity, grace, and elegance. We couldn’t be more proud, and we wish him continued success as he relinquishes his crown to the next deserving individual.
Again I would like to offer personal thanks to our contestants and the gay community of Arkansas, without whom none of this would be possible; and special thanks to each of you for joining us tonight as we welcome…
Tonight’s Program
Rosetta Stoned
Aria Rye
Karma Kouture
Alura O’Shaunacy
Coppa LeMay
Shego Wylde
Aubi Gold
Vienna Sue Sage
Diedra Windsor
God
Anita Mann
Lola Lorenz
Claire Annette
OPENING PRODUCTION FEATURING CONTESTANTS AND FORMERS
PRESENTATION
INTRODUCTION OF JUDGES
Special Entertainment
TALENT
Special Entertainment
EVENING GOWN & ONSTAGE QUESTION
Special Entertainment
PASSING OF THE CROWN
VANESSA RAYNE’S FINAL WALK
CROWNING
- 1973 -
- 1995 -
- 1988 -
- 2003 -
Norma Kristie Hot Springs
Cherry Lane
Little Rock
Patti LePlae Safe
West Memphis
Dominique Sanchez
Little Rock
Deep breath in….and out…We’re here, we made it. And now that I have started this letter over, time and time again, I think I am ready to finally be-gin. 3 states, 4 pageant systems, 6 different community Pride Festivals, 30+ different venues, and 20,365.4 miles and all in 384 days! This has been the rollercoaster of a lifetime, and I am honored to have shared it all with you. If you have continued reading this far you probably have been keeping up with the Reading Raynebow and know exactly what I’ve been up to throughout my reign, so this letter will not be too much of that.
Many of you know Vanessa, but few know Darren as he struggles with vulnerability… here is the story of them both.
As a young entertainer, this endeavor of pageantry began on a whim, as I am competitive and many of my personal and professional accomplishments have revolved around professional competitiveness. As a young, out, and flamboyant gay boy in Spiro, OK, I never let anyone dull my shine. I was always going to do what I wanted, and no one could stop me. I have always been drawn to the arts, and in 2007 I began my performance career in color guard and cheer.
Dancing is what I wanted to do—it brought me joy, freedom, and a place to escape the ugly in the world—and color guard gave me my first “stage” to showcase exactly who I was. Little did I know that my color guard instructor would be my very own drag mother many (many) years later. Color guard was my superhero, a safety net, and a constant for the majority of my life. I graduated high school involved in every season, and eventually went on to march Drum Corps International with The Blue Knights of Denver, CO, in 2011 & 2012, and later The Cavaliers of Chicago, IL, in 2013, 2014, & 2015. It was there that I eventually became a 6 year staff member and movement choreographer and where I saw MY creations come to life on worldwide scale for the first time. I also had the honor of marching with The Pride of Cincinnati of Cincinnati, OH in 2016 where we took home the gold medal at WGI World Championships. From performing, it was then off to teaching, and I moved to Houston, TX, to begin my teaching career. There I continued to create the same beauty, and build the same confidence, in color guard students from all around. I was able to continue the professional competitiveness and could give other kids just like me the same safety that I had. While living in Houston this also the time I saw my first drag show, hosted by our very own Miss Gay America 2024 Dessie Love Blake. Fun side story: my first cast audition was actually a casting call by Dessie for new entertainers, and being the new, naive queen that I was, sent in my reel and got no response. Never would I have thought that less than a year later I would be hitting the National stage with her and in the same group.
Now back to Darren/Vanessa’s story. During the pandemic the arts began to shift, and none of us knew what was next. So I packed my things and moved back to my hometown area, which I said I would NEVER do! At this time, I found lots of new things, but also old things that I began to fall in love with that I used to hate so much. It also brought me to a flame that had been growing for 13 years, but the time was never right. And at that point in my adult life…what that little gay boy from nowhere dreamt of finally began. As my life was flourishing there was also something missing. I was missing the freedom and creativity of performing and dancing, so at that point Vanessa was born and became my stage and safe space.
She quickly became my flamboyant expression, just as color guard once was, and it was Darren’s mission to create a community and safe space for all of the small town somebodies who felt like nobodies. My community in Ft Smith, AR, is my family, and being able to see the queer community not only alive but THRIVING is one of my favorite accomplishments as Miss Gay Arkansas America.
Though the journey was not easy, it was one filled with lessons, friends, and growth—not only for Vanessa but for Darren, and admittedly I think I may have lost Darren at times along the way.
To those who stuck beside me—and loved and supported a little gay boy’s new dream—I thank you. You will never know what your simple presence has meant to that little boy and me.
I’ve said often that Vanessa has been Darren’s superhero, and it is in this moment that I don’t believe that to be true.
That little flamboyant boy from a small town and with crazy dreams is my superhero. And he is now dancing on some of the largest stages in his very own hometown.
TO MY FAMILY: Thank you for always believing in me and supporting my dreams, no matter how crazy they are. I am, and have always been, so fortunate to have had your support from the very beginning. I can still remember coming out to my mom in 8th Grade and was just met with, “Honey I’ve known since you were in kindergarten.” It was that moment where my mom became my very best friend. She held me in her lap as a sophomore in high school when my heart was broken for the first time, and she’s loved me even when I was hard to love. My mother is the strongest person I know: she raised two gay boys into men, loving them unconditionally from the beginning. And she did it along with the world’s best Nana, who has played best friend and mother to all of her grandchildren. I am who I am today because of both of you, and I cherish our relationships together more than you can ever believe that I do. Scott, my brother…. We’ve had our fights, from throwing loaves of bread to hitting with cattle prods. I have looked up to you in so many ways, and looking back now I blame you for creating Vanessa many years ago! Mom is gonna’ kill us, but I remember it like it was yesterday when we would skip school and throw the best private concerts of High School Musical and The Cheetah Girls! Well guess what Sharpay... I’m the lead now! All jokes aside I have to say that I am very fortunate and beyond thankful for the supportive family that I have had in my life from the very beginning. From pretending to be Dorothy with Nana’s good plaid dish towels, to twirling her mops and my new BB gun, to building fence on the farm with Papa, my family has loved me unconditionally and I am so lucky to have them. My Papa is not with us anymore, and I would not feel right if I didn’t bring him into this special moment of my life. We never talked about my sexuality, but I know that he knew, and he loved me just the same. He was a gruff man, but a gentle giant that really taught me how to care for others in his own weird, rugged way. He may not have ever understood what or why I was into the things I was, but he tried and always made conversation and comparisons to what he did know. He used to say “them color guard judges are just like them cattle judges. Sometimes they just don’t like your heifer.” And that stays with me through this day in all that I do. Not everyone will like you and that’s okay, just keep doing what you love to do, and be good and be happy. Next to him is also Granny… my best friend… the one I am just like. She never admitted it, but I know I was her favorite great grandchild. She’s the one that began my love of sweet treats and coconut pie, and we LOVED to gossip and laugh! Papa and Granny, you are the anchors of our family and my life. I love you dearly and miss you even more, and I hope I have made you proud.
TO THE HAUS SAVANT: I have never truly known the meaning of chosen family until you! To my drag mother PollyEsther Foxx, who would’ve thought that the Oklahoma gays all those years ago would be playing dress up together now! Thank you for being true to yourself, regardless of the small town mindset, and showing me that I too can be my own version of beautiful. To the Haus mother Savvy Savant, thank for being by my side and by the side of the entire house through the ups and downs of our personal and professional lives. YOU ARE THE SYMBOL OF EXCELLENCE, and I wish the world could see what it is that you truly do behind the scenes for your family and Arkansas! But that is the beauty of excellence—it often goes unnoticed and unseen. And yet you still follow your path with grace and elegance. Auntie Pixie and Monica, thank you for being the crazy aunts that every girl needs. You both are always there to make sure I don’t take things too seriously and have a little bit of fun along the way. Lastly, my very own daughters, Cakepop and KitCait! I am so proud of you both for making your marks in our community and beyond, and having you be part of this journey as Arkansas’s Princesses has been a joy to watch. Thank you for giving up your own personal time and joining me across the state for countless events. Arkansas didn’t know it needed princesses until you came along!!!
TO LOGAN: This entire goodbye letter is dedicated to you. For the last 384 days you planned numbers, costumes, stoned, altered, zipped, buckled, designed, created, and sacrificed many things to see me in the spotlight, all while loving me throughout it all. Much of what you did in the shadows was to allow me the time shine in the spotlight, and I am so grateful for you and your love. For 384 days you were patient when the administrative duties came in the middle of movie night or dinner, for 20, 365.4 miles you drove and allowed me to sleep between appearances and interviews. You have been the side of Vanessa that no one sees and often doesn’t acknowledge, but I want the world to know in this moment—on this night—that I would not have made it without you by my side. I am a stressed, time managing, stubborn individual, and you have shown me the beauty of just enjoying the ride. And though it stresses me out… I am ready to ride this rollercoaster of life with you and enjoy all of the little things. I love you Logan.
And for the first time as Forever Miss Gay Arkansas America 2023, You are beautiful, You are talented, You are strong… Now show the world.
Vanessa Rayne
