We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Veronica Takenaka. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Veronica below.

Veronica, appreciate you joining us today. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?

For me, as a trans woman, making a space as inclusive as possible is necessary for any workplace to function. Especially as a queer artist, the best spaces for me to be in are those created by queer people. There is such an empathy and lack of shame that makes me feel protected. I think by making it so all are included in the workplace, whether by not assuming someone’s gender when you first meet them and asking for their preferred pronouns, or by actively working to educate yourself on how to improve and be more inclusive to all groups of people. I felt this, especially at one of my previous establishments, where multiple times someone would call me sir when asking for help, to the point where I felt I couldn’t be open about who I was. If I had someone who was open to listening, who would stand up beside me, and actively work to go against that form of oppression, I think my experience would have been so much more accepting and understanding. No one has to be perfect at it, and everyone is allowed to make mistakes. However, what you do with those mistakes and how you grow from them makes a workplace more inclusive. This is what I strive to emanate with any professional workplace I am in, or even in my everyday life with family and friends. To be safe is to be inclusive, and by striving for that we can actively make this world a better place.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As Veronica Takenaka, I am a working college student pursuing a Psychology degree. However, I also sell handmade, origami jewelry and trinkets as well. As a Japanese-American woman, embracing, appreciating, and learning about my culture has been an integral part of my experience. This has been especially important through art, which helps me feel more at home. By being able to share that with people, and give people a little part of me, feels so special. Which is also why I want to go into fashion, as someone who sews her own garments as well. I want to start selling my clothes that I make as well, and possibly get people interested in what I make and create. That is why I want to pursue it further in the future, with my shop Ronniegami Boutique.
I also work as a drag artist in the Utah area. I’ve performed from places like Salt Lake City to Provo, Utah. As someone who was born and raised in the Salt Lake City area, it’s the only place I’ve ever called home. While no home is perfect, I have strived to build community and inspire others to join alongside me. Especially from those in the queer community, with Salt Lake City being a massive queer hotspot of the world. A major part of my work in doing this is as my drag persona, Aiko Thee Empress. I see her as a version of myself that I strive to be constantly. Confident, powerful, poised, elegant, everything that I want in my daily life. She is an amalgamation of the woman I wanted to be growing up and to have her now as an outlet for that has been magical. In every single one of my performances, my goal is to perform and give the audience a taste of my divine femininity. As a trans woman, I’ve always had issues with my own body. Feeling like I’m too masculine, my chest isn’t big enough, I don’t have wide enough hips. But by performing, all of that doubt goes away. My honest reaction is to forever and always be that woman that little me would’ve wanted. By performing with the raw and pure power of my trans identity, I want to show anyone watching that they can do it, too. They can have the power to be their authentic selves, and especially for trans folx, rid themselves of the shame that comes with this identity. Aiko Thee Empress is my power. And I hope that in every performance, people-in one way or another- feel that, too.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

As for anyone who wants to start as a youth drag artist, the options seem to be near to nothing. Especially in Utah, where as a young person it feels like there is little queer representation, finding those outlets can be hard. The best places that I would suggest are through local community events. Honestly, just starting by performing for yourself, or practicing your makeup in the mirror, is the best place to start. But by finding people who have similar interests, whether that be through school or your local community, find people to connect with. Second off is I would say that social media is a major resource. I know many a baby queen who has used social media to gain the platform that they do and its a very integral part. Utilize that, and then find events to perform at. Once you look confident, then you’ll feel confident. However, one thing that they don’t tell you is drag is a very time-consuming and financially difficult career. If you ever see an artist and start to compare yourself, give yourself grace. They have had years of practice, and you are just starting. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so just give yourself time to embrace and understand these parts of yourself. I also would have to suggest using the Internet as a resource. There are now so many things that you can utilize, so don’t be afraid to look. Trust yourself, give time and energy and all good things will come along with it.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

For me, and like many other folx, my introduction to drag was through RuPaul’s Drag Race. It has become an integral part of Pop Culture and has cemented itself as a mainstay of queer exploration. However, the one thing that is a struggle about RuPaul’s Drag Race is its display of only one form of high femininity in drag. There’s the stereotype that drag artists are just men in wigs, when in reality the variety of drag extends so much further than that. The art form of drag is accentuating and bending the spectrum of gender to the extremes. It is a display of queer power and is a very important thing. However, with RuPaul’s Drag Race being such a massive influence, people have started to use that as a stereotype for all drag performers. In reality, there are Drag Kings, Drag Things, Drag Demons, Drag Artists, and so many other ways to perform in drag other than hyperfeminine. I think if we work actively against the notion that the only valid form of drag is a man putting on a wig, and hire performers with all different backgrounds and identities, then we can give a platform for everyone to be able to openly and freely express themselves, which is the point of drag in the first place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ronniegamiboutique.etsy.com
• Instagram: @tak.eyy.na.ka (personal), and @aiko.thee.empress (drag)

Image Credits

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