Naomi Dix fell in love with drag after seeing Vivica Coxx of the drag troupe House of Coxx walk onto the dimly-lit stage of The Pinhook. For Jean-Belle Bleu, her world changed permanently the moment she entered the Ibiza Nightclub in Wilmington on a whim. Years later, with almost two combined decades of drag performing under their belts, Dix and Bleu have witnessed Durham’s queer community transform before their eyes.

Dix, a Durham native who calls herself the “Afro LatinX Barbie of the Triangle,” has become an icon within the local drag scene. She made her debut as a member of the legendary drag troupe House of Coxx under the tutelage of its iconic drag mother. She is the first Afro-Latino drag queen to open a queer nightclub and bar in Durham, called Club ERA.

Dix was first exposed to drag in college when she and her friend went to see a show at The Pinhook. The moment the legendary Vivica C. Coxx came on stage, Dix was starstruck.

“This big, beautiful Black woman came onto the stage and started the show with ‘if you don’t know what enthusiastic consent is, you can get the f— out of my club,’” Dix recalled. Coxx later inspired Dix to get involved in the Durham drag scene, acting as her mentor for most of her drag career.

But crafting her identity as a drag artist would take time. Dix likened the process to cooking a delicious dish, except for her, that dish represented her brand identity growing organically.

“Some of the most long-lasting artists are the artists that allowed their craft and their brand and who they are as an artist to organically bloom,” Dix said. “I was open to different ideas of what it meant to be sexy or beautiful, which would later become my branding as a drag artist.”

In the future, Dix hopes that the Durham drag community creates more space for drag artists — that’s why she created Club ERA.

“I want to be a vessel for other people to feel a sense of safety, security. I want everyone to feel seen, accepted, heard, no matter their background.” Dix said, recalling how House Coxx accepted her as family.

 

Bleu has been performing professionally in the Triangle for nearly 10 years, making notable appearances at Out! Raleigh Pride, Local 506 and The Pinhook. She also produces and directs drag shows all over North Carolina under the name Out of the Bleu Productions.

For Bleu, a visit to the Ibiza Nightclub in Wilmington started her drag journey. Walking into Ibiza, she said she felt like she was transported to a new world. The moment Tara Nicole Brooks, a famous drag performer based in Wilmington, stepped onstage, Bleu was sold.

“I just remember thinking, ‘I need to be on that stage, because I need to take all this energy, this love, this power, this need to create. I need that to be there,’” she said.

Bleu drew inspiration from her favorite media– anime, games, cartoons. She cited “all the Sailor Scouts”, Misty from Pokemon, and Adora or Catra from She-Ra the Princesses of Power as the basis for her current persona. But she also used her drag identity as a way to heal the wounds of the past.

“The Jean-Belle Bleu character, who I like to describe as an anime character– badass, kind of a bitch, always on your side,” Bleu said. “Always ready to fight for the right people. I think she kind of grew out of a place of– she’s almost like the older sister that I wish I had who would have beat up my bullies for me.”

Bleu also dreams of a future where there is more representation in the local drag scene.

“I want to see more trans people on casts, I want to see more Black people on casts, I want to see more people of color. I want to see everyone being recognized and celebrated in the same way,” she said.

However, Durham’s drag community currently faces various challenges. Some venues fail to properly respect their queer audiences and performers, Bleu said, while Dix expressed concern about potential appropriation.

“We have so many new people that are moving to Durham, the queer community is being co-opted by the cisgender, straight community in a way that is sometimes a little troubling,” Dix said. “We welcome these people who don’t identify as queer; we want you to be allies. We would like for you to understand the space you take up and respect the space you take up.”

Bleu urges the Durham community to rally together and support their local drag artists. Attending drag shows, tipping performers, and sharing news of upcoming events like flyers or through social media are a few ways you can help, said Bleu.

For Dix, there is nothing more powerful than when the community is united.

“No one is as powerful as the marginalized communities, or as close-knit communities in general. Queer, gay and trans people are so powerful that the world still, to this day, understands that when we rally together, we are such a powerful force,” Dix said.

Her final message to Durham? Create space.

“You don’t have to be a certain level of an artist to be able to create space,” Dix said. “As a new artist, you can still create space — as someone of a certain age, whether you are a young teenager or in your early-to-mid-twenties, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you understand the history of the space you are creating.”

As for Bleu, she wants Durham to remember this:

“Tip your performers. Love on people. Celebrate every kind of human being.” said Bleu. “And love yourself because you’re worth that. Every single one of you.”