Marti Cummings: Why Drag Is Resistance and Everything is Political

About this episode

Marti Cummings discusses the intersection of art, activism, and personal experiences in the context of their political journey and drag performance.

What does it look like to build a life at the intersection of art, activism, and heartbreak — all while the world around you feels like it is coming apart at the seams? In this episode of Love, Take Two, Marti Cummings gets into all of it. As a drag performer, TV personality, and activist who has performed on all seven continents and hosted their own talk show, Marti has never done things the conventional way. That includes becoming the first openly non-binary candidate to run for office in New York City — a campaign that was as much about visibility and community as it was about politics. Marti opens up about what drove them to step into the political arena, what that experience actually looked like on the ground in New York, and how they think about advocacy and resistance in the current political climate. They also get personal about love. Marti reflects on their marriage, their divorce, and what moving through the end of a relationship taught them about themselves. It is the kind of honest that does not show up in press junkets. This is a conversation about showing up — for your community, for yourself, and for the people you love — even when it is hard, even when it costs…

People in this episode

Hosts: José Rolón, Jaimie Kelton

Guest: Marti Cummings

Topics covered

• drag performance
• political activism
• personal relationships
• visibility
• community advocacy

Keywords

• drag
• activism
• politics
• New York City
• non-binary
• advocacy
• love
• community

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New York City

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