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Building economic independence for NYC’s queer Kiki ballroom talent
Portrait of Colby King

Winner

Colby Xzavier King

Building economic independence for NYC’s queer Kiki ballroom talent
Portrait of Colby King

Year

2025

Organization

Kiki Arts Collaborative

Sector

Human Rights

Borough

Manhattan

Colby is building economic independence for NYC’s queer Kiki ballroom talent.

Colby King discovered his chosen family in New York’s Kiki ballroom scene, a thriving subculture in New York City. Kiki traces its origins to youth-led offshoots of the Harlem drag ball tradition…
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“I will always look forward to the mark that Colby will make on New York City and the world.⁠”
Derrick McQueen
Associate Director at Columbia University, Pastor
Up to 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+

Source: Journal of Adolescent Health

Update from winner

From the House of Louiboutin
@thehouseoflouboutinJanuary 27, 2025

Publication

NBC

Cedar Hill Senior Accepted Into 7 Out of 8 Ivy Leagues

Lexie Houghtaling
A Cedar Hill Collegiate High School senior has a big decision ahead of him. Colby King has been accepted into 16 colleges, 7 out of 8 of them are Ivy League schools…
To all winners