Read the full stored bill text
83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
House Resolution 3
Sponsored by Representatives NELSON, ISADORE; Representatives ANDERSEN, CHAICHI,
CHOTZEN, FRAGALA, GAMBA, GRAYBER, HUDSON, KROPF, MARSH, MCDONALD,
MUNOZ, NERON, NGUYEN H, NOSSE, RUIZ, SANCHEZ, VALDERRAMA, WALTERS,
WATANABE
Whereas Oregon has a rich tradition of building, supporting and celebrating LGBTQ communi-
ties, and the Black drag community in Portland is among the most vibrant and storied in the entire
United States; and
Whereas June is Pride Month, a time when many members of the LGBTQ community honor the
history and struggles that led to the advancements in rights for LGBTQ people today; and
Whereas Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Black people and is celebrated
today as a national and state holiday; and
Whereas Portland’s Black drag community is deeply rooted in an illustrious history of fantasy,
and members of the community have significantly contributed to the Black drag entertainment cul-
ture, fostering creativity and inclusivity since as far back as 1958; and
Whereas in 1969, Rochelle was crowned the first Black Rose Queen, Rose Queen X, at the “Days
of Wine and Roses” Fall Ball; and
Whereas in 1970, Portland’s Black drag community connected with the blossoming concept of
the Court with the formation of two parallel nonprofit organizations, the Portland Forum and the
Imperial Sovereign Rose Court (ISRC); and
Whereas prior to the election of the newly designated title of “Rose Empress,” it was deter-
mined that, to ensure that nothing be taken away from Portland’s own unique experiences in drag
history, all past “Queens” would be assigned their appropriate chronological numbers, in sequence
to the “Rose Empress” designation; and
Whereas in 1971, Talani was crowned the Portland Forum’s first Black Rose Empress, Rose
Empress XIII, and Lillian Carter was crowned Black Princess I; and
Whereas in 1973, Irvina, Lillian Carter, Leora and Desi presented a grand, first-in-the-nation
all-Black Queens entrance at the ISRC Coronation; and
Whereas in 1975, the United Ebony Kingdom (UEK) was formed, and Irvina was crowned Queen
I of the UEK that same year; and
Whereas 1975 also ushered in a new era as the last Sovereign Rose Empress gave her blessing
to, and relinquished a portion of her territory to, the newly formed Imperial Court of the Emerald
Empire (ISCEE) in Eugene; and
Whereas in 1976, ISRC elevated its first Black Monarch by public election, and upon his
crowning, Rose Emperor II Harold became the first Black Emperor in the International Court Sys-
tem; and
Whereas on October 16, 1977, with deepest admiration for those trailblazers that helped build
up the Black drag community in Oregon, Rose Empress XIX proclaimed “That each Empress shall
bear one number and one number only, and the number from the year of their reign shall never be
altered from what we, the people, have established in the past”; and
Whereas in 1977, LaWanda Jackson was crowned Rosebud 1977, a pioneering title that marked
the beginning of her influential journey in drag culture; and
Whereas in 1978, territory would be adjusted again when ISRC granted sovereignty to the Im-
perial Sovereign Court of the Willamette Empire (ISCWE) in Salem; and
Whereas in 1980, Misty Waters was crowned ISRC’s first Black Trans Princess XI; and
Enrolled House Resolution 3 (HR 3-A) Page 1
Whereas in 1983, Rosey Waters was crowned ISRC’s first Black Rose Empress, Rose Empress
XXVI; and
Whereas in 1986, Lady Elaine Peacock was crowned ISRC’s Rose Empress XXIX; and
Whereas in 1988, Cicely was crowned ISRC’s Rose Empress XXXI; and
Whereas also in 1988, the Portland Forum and ISRC merged, and the organization operated from
that point forward as a newly unified ISRC; and
Whereas in 1993, Maria Peters Lake was crowned ISRC’s first Black Female Rose Empress, Rose
Empress XXXVI; and
Whereas in 1997, Diva Simone Slaughter was crowned ISCEE’s first Black Empress, Empress
XXIV; and
Whereas in 2000, Anastasia Dubois Rosebud was crowned Rosebud 2000, marking a pivotal mo-
ment in her longstanding legacy in drag performance; and
Whereas in 2001, Poison Waters, who is renowned for her advocacy work on behalf of BIPOC
and LGBTQ communities in and around Portland, was crowned ISRC’s Rose Empress XLIV; and
Whereas in 2001, DiVyne Shawnte Duv earned the title of Rosebud 2001, honoring her role as
a trailblazer in drag and LGBTQ activism; and
Whereas in 2002, Michel’le Campbell Starr was recognized for her significant contributions to
Portland’s drag community when she was named Rosebud 2002; and
Whereas in 2008, Krystal Lynn Benoit was crowned ISRC’s first Black Trans Rose Empress,
Rose Empress L; and
Whereas in 2009, Karess Ann Slaughter was crowned ISCEE’s Empress XXXVI; and
Whereas in 2010, Sheniqua Volt was crowned Miss Gay Pride; and
Whereas Isaiah Esquire’s reign as Mr. Gay Pride 2010 marked a significant milestone in the
community’s celebration of diversity and LGBTQ visibility; and
Whereas in 2011, Sativa Platinum was crowned Rosebud 2011; and
Whereas in 2011, Kourtni Capree Duv was crowned Sweethearts of Portland’s Miss Sweetheart
XXIII, a title that exemplified her commitment to the art of drag and community engagement and
solidified her place in Portland’s legendary LGBTQ entertainment scene; and
Whereas in 2012, Isaiah Esquire was crowned the first Mr. Gay Oregon United States, honoring
his commitment to advocacy and representation; and
Whereas in 2012, Kourtni Capree Duv earned the prestigious title of La Femme Magnifique
International, showcasing her outstanding artistry and impact on a global scale; and
Whereas in 2012, Sheniqua Volt earned the title of Miss Poder Latino, cementing her influence
at the intersection of the queer and Latino communities; and
Whereas in 2012, Sheniqua Volt was also honored as Miss Larubia; and
Whereas in 2014, Stefhannie Mercury DuPont Shade was crowned Miss Gay Pride; and
Whereas in 2014, Isaiah Esquire made history again as the first to be crowned Mr. NW FIERCE;
and
Whereas in 2015, Kourtni Capree Duv was crowned Miss NW FIERCE, solidifying her status
as a boundary-breaking presence in the Northwest drag scene; and
Whereas in 2015, Kimber K. Shade was crowned Sweethearts of Portland’s Miss Sweetheart
XXVII; and
Whereas in 2017, Flawless Shade was crowned Sweethearts of Portland’s Miss Sweetheart XXIX;
and
Whereas in 2017, Aunjelle Volt was crowned Miss La Femme Magnifique International, repres-
enting the Portland drag scene with excellence and commitment to creativity; and
Whereas in 2019, Flawless Shade was crowned Miss Gay Oregon XLVII; and
Whereas in 2019, Kiesha Monet Volt was named Miss La Femme Magnifique International, es-
tablishing her as a key figure in Portland’s drag and LGBTQ communities; and
Whereas in 2020, Poison Waters began teaching a “Histories of Drag Performance in Portland”
class at Portland Community College, with a prominent segment dedicated to the history of Black
drag in Oregon; and
Enrolled House Resolution 3 (HR 3-A) Page 2
Whereas in 2020, Rogue Storm Safari was crowned Sweethearts of Portland’s Miss Sweetheart
XXXII; and
Whereas Isaiah Esquire was recognized as one of the Top 50 Burlesque Performers in the World
in 2020, 2021 and 2022, further cementing his influence and artistry within the international
burlesque and drag scenes; and
Whereas Isaiah Esquire was honored with the Honorary Sweetheart Award in 2021, recognizing
his contributions to the LGBTQ community; and
Whereas Isaiah Esquire was named a GLAPN Queer Hero in 2021, a testament to his advocacy
and leadership within the queer community; and
Whereas in 2021, Coco Jem Holiday was crowned Sweethearts of Portland’s Miss Sweetheart
XXXIII, continuing to inspire others with her talent and advocacy in the Portland drag community;
and
Whereas 2022 saw ISRC’s first all-Black reign, when Arcadian Campbell Starr was crowned Rose
Emperor XLV and T’Kara Campbell Starr was crowned Rose Empress LXIII; and
Whereas Isaiah Esquire received the Northwest Pioneer “Reigning a Difference” Award in 2022,
highlighting his ongoing dedication to inclusivity and positive change; and
Whereas Isaiah Esquire was honored with the Drag Excellence Award at the White Tusk
Awards 2023; and
Whereas in 2023, Flawless Shade was a finalist in “Painted with Raven,” demonstrating her ar-
tistic flair and innovation in the realm of drag and performance; and
Whereas Flawless Shade also holds the title of Miss Gay Pride of Portland 2023-2024; and
Whereas in 2023, Alexis Campbell Starr was crowned ISRC’s Rose Empress LXIV; and
Whereas in 2024, Devlin Lynn Phoénixx was crowned ISRC’s Rose Empress LXV; and
Whereas in 2024, Flawless Shade starred in the music video for Logic’s “Fear,” a love letter to
Portland that showcased Flawless Shade’s dynamic talent and impact on both the drag and larger
entertainment industries; and
Whereas in 2024, Isaiah Esquire was honored as Mx. International Pride by the Imperial Sov-
ereign Rose Court; and
Whereas also in 2024, Rose Empress XLIV Poison Waters was named Queen Mother II of All
Oregon, a lifelong title which was vacated by Queen Mother I of All Oregon Rose Empress XV
Darcelle upon his death in 2023; and
Whereas Poison Waters is believed to be the first and only Black Queen Mother of a state
within the International Court System; and
Whereas many of the founding title holders in Oregon remain actively involved in the Court
system as highly respected members of the ISRC College of Monarchs; and
Whereas there have been decades of all-Black productions for various community charity or-
ganizations in Portland, including Peacock in the Park (1987-2004), Peacock After Dark (2008-2013),
Hot Chocolate (2010-present), Race Talks: Uniting to Break the Chains of Racism presents the An-
nual History of Black Drag in Portland (2022-2025) and Elite Blacksperience PDX (2025); and
Whereas several all-Black production companies that support Black drag performances, events
and media in Portland, including Demand Drag (2020-present), Kourtni Capree Duv Entertainment
(2003-present), Coco’s Drag Closet (2020-present), Safari Productions (2018-present), Rogue Apostles
(2022-present) and Melange Productions (2018-present) came together to present Juneteenth Spirit
Week 2025; and
Whereas countless Black drag entertainers have made their mark in this state, and while many
have sadly passed away, Oregon has benefited tremendously from the indelible contributions these
pioneering performers have made to the Black drag scene in this state and across the country; now,
therefore,
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Oregon:
Enrolled House Resolution 3 (HR 3-A)Page 3
That we, the members of the House of Representatives of the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly,
recognize and honor Oregon’s rich history of Black drag, and we congratulate all those whose
spirited contributions have made Oregon’s Black drag community one of the most vibrant and vital
in the nation.
Adopted by House June 18, 2025
Timothy G. Sekerak, Chief Clerk of House
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Enrolled House Resolution 3 (HR 3-A) Page 4