By Grace Lawson
Synchronized claps, whoops and yells of excitement filled the University Student Union Ballroom on the evening of Oct. 9 for a pride-themed celebration of the Mexican board game of chance, Lotería.
Presented by the Lotería Resource Center and LGBTQ+ Resource Center, the Drag Lotería event sought to invite students and faculty to enjoy the traditional game in an inclusive and celebratory setting between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Students filed through the USU ballroom doors to walls decked out with hanging pride flags on the walls.
Attendees were welcomed to their tables with rainbow centerpieces that were lined with pride-themed Lotería cards. Once sat, some attendees chatted amongst themselves, buzzing with excitement at the opportunity to meet the queens and enjoy the traditional game.
Among them was second-year molecular biology and cellular biology major, Jason Diaz, who said that this was their first time at a drag show.
“This is something I really wanted to experience. It’s also mixed with Lotería, which is really important to me because I have so many fond memories,” Diaz said. “As somebody who’s Latine, like playing Lotería in my childhood at family parties, I feel like mixing those two things together, it’s really important for students.”
The incorporation of Latine culture and LGTBQ+ celebration is what brought Natasha Hundreds to the Long Beach State campus.
Hundreds, who was named Miss Long Beach Pride 2024, performed their own lip sync routine for the crowd.
“I think it’s important to have queer events, so we are visible, so other students on campus that are maybe not comfortable yet with their identity, feel comfortable enough to come out at least to see their resources available, and also because drag is fun and drag is about celebration,” Hundreds said.
As the Lotería game came to an end, prizes including paints, pride flags and Long Beach monogrammed water bottles and a lunch box were offered to winners.
The performing queens stayed after the event to chat with students and offered to take pictures with attendees.
Another performing queen, Paradisa LaHore Darling, is a Long Beach State alumni. Coming back to the CSULB campus to help host the event as an alumni has been a fulfilling experience, Darling said.
“I think events like this are important because even as a student here when I first saw there was drag bingo, I felt included and found a place for me, even if it was one day out of the year,” Darling said. “Coming back as an alumni, I want to give back.”
