Zach Quinn shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Zach, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Drag is more than just lip-syncs, costumes, and performing, it’s a lifeline that connects performers to their community on a deeply human level. Drag becomes a form of therapy and in a space where self-expression and vulnerability are celebrated rather than hidden, we often get to see a side of people they often shy away from. It creates a dialogue between the performer and the audience and in doing so it creates a shared moment of joy, resilience, and more importantly solidarity. I often tell people doing drag is like being a guardian angel to people who may not have discovered their voices yet. It’s human to use art as a coping mechanism, it’s in our dna.
There was one show that has always stuck with me. A young woman came out with her mother to celebrate her 21st birthday while I was hosting at MissieBs. Their relationship was strained, and every time her mother made the night uncomfortable, she drank a little more to cope. Halfway through the show I noticed what she was doing and at the end of the night, she approached me to apologize for her mother’s behavior. I looked at her and said, “That’s not your burden to carry, and it’s not yours to apologize for either.” She started crying and hugged me, so I took a few minutes to talk with her about her story, HER birthday, and the memories she deserved to hold onto from that night. I helped her shift the weight of guilt and frustration back to where it belonged, centering her joy instead. A week later, she came back to the show and waited to tell me that our conversation meant so much it inspired her to begin therapy. That’s the power of drag, it’s not just a performance. It’s creating a space where people feel safe, seen, and understood in a world where too many people go unnoticed.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Zachary Quinn, but on stage I’m known as Zanny Ex Uchawi. I am a drag queen based out of Kansas City, MO but I moved here in 2021 from a small town called Biloxi, MS. My work blends performance, storytelling, and community connection. I often find myself using the art of drag not just to entertain, but to inspire, heal, and create safe spaces where everyone feels seen. Outside of drag I find joy in hiking, being outdoors, reading, painting, and spending time with friends. I’ve spent a lot of time building my personal community and it’s something I’m incredibly proud of.
Drag has not only given me a platform to perform, but has also opened doors to new creative outlets and helped me tap into a more authentic version of myself. Through my drag journey, I’ve discovered a passion for graphic design and photography, which has since grown into a full-time career. Whether I’m behind the camera, designing graphics for other entertainers, or performing on the stage, Zanny’s work is all about self-expression, connection, and creating beauty in every single form. Life is too short to not find little bits of happiness in everything you do.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My friends and loved ones saw me clearly long before I could see myself. I grew up below the poverty line in Mississippi, starting my journey several steps behind most of my generation. That reality paired with growing up in the Bible Belt with a loving but deeply religious family, left me carrying a lot of internalized fear, shame, and self-hate. I questioned everything about myself, my faith, and my beliefs. Eventually, I stopped trusting my own voice.
There was a really dark chapter where I lost myself completely. I often think of the movie Over The Moon, which so beautifully depicts depression and how easy it can be to shut everything off, and to shut down entirely. But it also shows that love.. unconditional and unshakable love has the power to pull you back into reality. For me, that love came from my chosen family and the community I built. The love that I deeply put into my world, put it right back into me.
There came a point when I had to lean entirely on them to help me gather my pieces. Slowly, I began to think, the only common variable in these scenarios is the way I view myself and the way I enable behavior I don’t think I should anymore. That shift pushed me to challenge my own thinking, start therapy, and take my life more seriously. I stopped living as if I were a second or third choice, and began showing up for myself as the first choice. It felt foreign at first and my anxiety definitely feasted on that feeling for a long time, but eventually, I learned to sit with that feeling instead of letting it define me. I realized that managing my anxiety was possible because it wasn’t a flaw to be erased, it wasn’t even a flaw it was simply a part of my reality. The work wasn’t about “fixing” myself, because I was never truly broken or less than. It was about understanding that my worth was never in question, and that living with anxiety didn’t make me incomplete it made me human. It kind of unlocked a new way of thinking where I got excited to feel anxiety vs scared because it meant I knew something was changing and I deserved change.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell myself, “You are not broken, and none of this is your fault. The way your mind works is not a curse it’s a gift, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. I know it’s hard to see past the pain when the world around you feels so cruel, but you are more than your circumstances. Every time you’ve gotten back up after being pushed down, you’ve been proving your strength, even when no one notices. One day, you’ll find people who see you, who love you exactly as you are, and who will remind you that you have always had purpose. Hold on. Keep fighting. The world you imagine and dream of is waiting for you, and it’s worth surviving to see it and that level of love will find it’s way back to you and it’s going to be everything you’ve hoped for and love is going to treat you ways you’ve always dreamed of.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire teachers and educators for their character, not their power. My childhood was shaped and enriched by the teachers I grew up around. Coming from a low-income community, my family relied on free summer programs put on by schools and the public library. We got free lunches and attended weekly events like story hour that sparked my creativity and gave me a lifelong appreciation for art and learning.
In high school, my teachers saw my potential and showed up for me consistently. They looked beyond the “failing student” label, giving their personal time and energy to help me stay on task, push past my mental boundaries, and grow. While many students spent their free periods on the field or in the courtyard, I spent mine in classrooms catching up on homework, art projects, reading quietly because I felt safe and truly seen by my teachers.
My admiration extends to my mother, a para who continues to show up every day in a field that is often undervalued, pouring herself into her students without expectation of recognition. And my partner Gabe inspires me endlessly he teaches second grade, serves as the president of his school’s union, and is passionately committed to his work and community. He often goes above and beyond, making personal sacrifices to improve education and the lives of his students because he knows they are the future. Witnessing people dedicate themselves so fully to their students and their communities, despite being underpaid and undervalued, shows me what true character looks like.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m investing my energy in others. There’s a quote I live bye, “If you want to be in the village, you have to also be the villager.” I find joy in watching people succeed and in witnessing others accomplish their goals. It inspires me to grow alongside them. This past year has been a time of deep reflection and personal growth, and I’m finally proud of the person I am and the person I’m becoming. I feel most grounded and at peace when I’m surrounded by my community and my loved ones, especially my partner. His love is unconditional, a constant reminder that love can dismantle generational trauma, nurture self-discovery, and empower a person to truly find themselves. He’s the epitome of support and success. He reminds me to slow down, love myself and take things for what they are. He keeps me grounded and he keeps me rooted in my reality and I’m so thankful for that and also thankful to myself for allowing that type of love back into my life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Zanny.ex
- Facebook: Zanny Ex Uchawi
Image Credits
Zanny Ex Uchawi – art, selfie, etc
Gabriel Livingston – remaining photos
Devorah Doll – (gold robe photos)
