We were lucky to catch up with Atlas Marshall recently and have shared our conversation below.

Atlas , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

I think the first thing to consider when trying to create safe and inclusive work spaces is, acknowledging that not everyone is coming from the same place. We all have different backgrounds , upbringing , Trauma. Acknowledging those basic differences and making decisions from a more open format with kindness and intention seems to work best for me. Most of the events I curate are specifically for the LGBTQIA community but even within our little acronym there are so many different types of people with different types of privilege and experiences.

For instance , I make it a point , when booking artists for events that the racial diversity we see in the world is reflected in the cast. In 2024 there is no room for a cast of all white performers. By acknowledging that diversity and making sure the cast reflects the world we live in , you generate a space that already from the jump feels safe and inclusive for all people to feel welcome.

I also start every event with a speech of sorts that sets the tone for the entire day/evening. I remind people that kindness and compassion are the building blocks to a safe environment and encourage everyone to live authentically while we all share said space.

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?

My name is atlas , I’m a 35 year old Transgender woman living in Portland Oregon. I host, produce and perform at all types of events around Portland ranging from Drag brunches/ Bingos, karaoke and my side project of Songwriting and singing. I’ve been performing for almost 17 years and have done a little bit of everything over that time.

I curate spaces that are intentionally safe and provide space for anyone and everyone to feel free enough to leave their baggage at the door and live authentically through the music , laughter and love that we generate collectively.

I think one thing that sets me apart from others is my unapologetic nature. I’ve spent so much of my life alone that I was able to grow and evolve without some of the same boxes that so many people are put in by their families , loved ones society. At times I feel my traumatic and painful experiences are exactly what made me so free.

I am most proud of the way people leave my events feeling. So often I hear from folks that after coming to one of my events they left lighter, freer. There’s so much darkness all the time and it’s so easy to let that stuff seep in and take over. Knowing that my silly little world I’ve created and choose to share with others, gives them a chance to live in light and love makes me feel accomplished. It’s contagious !

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I feel like most of my life has been a series of moments where I had to pivot or start over completely, until I finally found the right space and tribe to flourish. I’ve lived all over the country. Being that I’ve basically raised myself and had no real support from a young age I bounced around from place to place most of my 20s I’ve had to start over countless times simply because of lack of stability and connection. Through those years I’ve learned to be resilient and also somehow remained optimistic that I would find my way eventually.

Music and singing is my one deep true love. At 19 I was on American idol which TBH was a Nightmare . I was young and alone in the world with a dream and no real tangible way to get there . After idol I ended up giving up on music for many years. I also was out in the world trying to find myself and the people who I fit with. And bounced around from New York State where I was raised to Florida where I found Drag.

When I found drag it really changed my life . It was the medium that not only accepted me with open arms but also helped me realize my transness . I found myself surrounded by people like me who loved me for exactly who is was. Drag is what you make it . You get what you put into it . and there are so many things you can do with drag. After all drag at its core is the Over exaggeration of your deepest self.

Pivoting can be scary but it also can be the thing that sets your soul on fire. When life has felt stale or I didn’t feel like I was on the right path in the moment I have always jumped ship and ran in a different direction and almost every single time I found what I was missing before. Don’t be afraid to start over . The things you’re missing could be right around the corner.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson I’ve unlearned and relearned over time is being able to differentiate between feed back and noise. Feed back is a gift and noise is a distraction. So often in smaller drag scenes and local spaces where there are more performers than gigs I’ve noticed there is so much unnecessary drama that can be so easy to get lost in. The Cancel culture , the social media rants , I definitely at one point felt the need to be engulfed in that type of behavior and over time realized how unnecessary and trivial it all is. We have real enemies out in the world as Queer people that want to harm us and the last thing we need to be doing is attacking each other and infighting. Also Other people’s perception of you is not your business especially if you are doing the work to continue to grow and live in compassion and kindness. I’ve learned to block out the noise. Choosing how / when and where to engage that doesn’t intentionally harm others is key. Also therapy . Doing inner work on yourself instead of placing blame or shame on others will drastically improve the overall workflow of your whole life and business. People feel and see that type of stuff.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Partyxmonster

Image Credits

Mykylfstr – DANCEFLOOR pic.

The rest are photos friends or myself have taken .