Colby Xzavier King

Colby found family in New York’s ballroom scene shortly after his graduation from Columbia. As he developed his own creative path in the House of Louboutin, he split his time working in corporate America. Colby saw that his community, specifically the Kiki scene (a community for younger queer people of color), was the source of so much of mainstream culture, but lacked the skills to claim or profit from it. 

Combining his personal and professional experience, Colby is building the Ballroom Arts Collaborative (BAC) to connect queer youth of color to economic opportunity. Through a 9-month program that combines creative mentorship, job training, and access to internship and job placements, BAC centers creative talent, cultural legacy, and long-term economic mobility. Ultimately, Colby aims to honor and give credit to the ballroom’s deep influence on New York’s culture and creative industries. BAC offers a shift in how the city invests in its cultural creators, bridging ballroom brilliance to industries that need talent and new ideas most.