#21 Willa Vawisp

Willa/Tony is originally from Mexico City, and lived in Mexico until the age of 18. Tony was raised in a bicultural, bilingual household, as a Mexican-American. Tony grew up in a syncretic faith experience which brought together Catholicism, Native Indigenous practices, African/Caribbean/African Diaspora religious practices, as well as South Asian and East Asian practices and philosophies. Tony brings their bicultural experience and their queer identity together with a rediscovery of their faith, asking: how to maintain and develop cultural practice and tradition while decolonizing spirituality and challenging the White Supremacy that informed it? Tony's drag identity and aesthetic, Willa Vawisp, is inspired in part by their grandmother, a leader in their family faith practice and a truly powerful and fabulous woman. Tony/Willa describes their faith experience as a discovery and will likely always be growing their faith, lest their father and grandmother come visit and whip them into shape. Series Description Drag & Spirituality : Named & Known, a conversation about Drag & Spirituality with hostess B0NNi33 Vi0L3T, a queer chaplain sponsored by Urban Village Church Chicago with Saya Naomi, Mick Douch, Stargirl, Fonda Koxx, Willa Vawisp & Milani. Capped off with a spiritual drag brunch, with co-host Cleo Pockalipps. All events will air LIVE at Urban Village Church, a queer chaplain and the artists YTube & FBook and be uploaded on IG and wherever you listen to podcasts at a queer chaplain. The Finale Spiritual Drag Brunch will take place on Feb 27th at 2pm CST, bring your own Brunch and watch LIVE. More details to come. In each conversation B0NNi33 Vi0L3T will guide a conversation around drag & spirituality, with drag artists of a variety of spiritual experience, gender, race, age, sexual orientation, size, ability, and styles of drag. Ultimately lacing drag narratives with a spiritual thread for the benefit of the artist and the audience that bears witness. Bring an open heart and plan to interact with the artist by asking questions and commenting via socials. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bonnieviolet)