Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jordan Hauger. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jordan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

My first year in my nursing career is when the pandemic started which was a challenge I, much like the rest of the world, was not prepared for. I was working on an in-patient psychiatric unit when it started and I was on a specialized unit for eating disorders and malnutrition when the pandemic began to be somewhat managed. During those times I was working up to 5 nights a week at times and sleeping during the day. The emotional toll being a nurse can take is one thing, but adding a global pandemic on top of that was a whole new level of stress. The daily uncertainty and overall fatigue of being surrounded by news/coverage of the virus had engulfed my life and tanked my mental health. I was rapidly approaching burn-out and it was apparent to everyone around me. I needed change and I needed it ASAP. I was exploring other career opportunities outside a hospital setting. I found a solution surprisingly quickly. It was an ad for a job that almost felt like it was made specifically for me and sounded too good to be true, honestly. It advertised something like “are you a bedside nurse who is approaching burn out and would like the opportunity to work from home?” and I couldn’t believe it. A nurse position working from home? Unreal. However, I met all of the qualifications and kept the tab open on my laptop for a couple days to work up the courage to apply. The ad was for a different type of nursing than I was used to, so switching up to a new avenue in my career during a pandemic and knowing virtually nothing about the position made me incredibly nervous. I worked up the nerve to apply and within a couple days the manager of the nursing department reached out for an interview. Fast-forward to two weeks later and not only did I get the position but was also decorating my new office! That was such a big risk that I didn’t feel prepared for but I did it anyway, and here I am going on my third year with the company and I couldn’t be happier! My boss, admin team, fellow nurses, and co-workers are truly the best and feel like a big family. My mental health has never been better (along with the help of my therapist, thanks Naomi!) and I have created a life for myself that I have always wanted thanks to the flexibility of my new position and have time to be “me” again. If I had known back when I applied how truly great my life would be, I wouldn’t have hesitated one bit! We often jump to “worst case scenario” when we get nerves, but I also believe that, like Nike Running Head Coach Bennett says “nerves are just misplaced butterflies”.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am originally from a small town in South Dakota but moved to Denver, Colorado in the summer of 2019 to be a psychiatric nurse but am now currently a Registered Nurse Case Manager. I am a distance runner, a dog dad to my Aussie (Kipp), an uncle to 7 incredible nieces and nephews, and a drag artist under the name Sera Tonin (due to my passion for psychiatric care, get it?). I got into nursing through the usual route of getting my BSN from South Dakota State University and then taking my nursing boards once I moved to Colorado. Once I was settled in my current position, I started getting more in touch with my “creative brain” and explored the world of drag with a little help from some local entertainers. I started going to open stage/newbie entertainer nights like the ones hosted by Samora Kash and Andrea Staxxx and then got invited to do a show called “So You Think You Can Drag” which is a monthly drag competition hosted By Betty S. Alnite for new entertainers on “the scene”. I ended up winning my cycle (with the help of my best friend Cherry Debauchery from back home), got several bookings from other entertainers at other venues and even got runner-up in my “All Stars” cycle which was during Pride month. In less than a year I had gone from doing makeup in my living room to being booked for 6 shows in the month of June alone, and now having my own show coming in 2024! I made a name for myself in the drag scene by starting with doing a lot of Shania Twain (who I got to meet on stage during her ‘Queen of Me’ tour back in May) and then got nicknamed “Country Barbie” (thanks Dean Dazzle) based off my Western themed outfits and song choices. Combining queer culture and country culture was something I wanted to bring forth with my drag much like some of my biggest idols, Trixie Mattel and Orville Peck (and Shania too, obviously). I hope that I can show others both back home in South Dakota and here in the “big city” of Denver that queer and country cultures do not have to be mutually exclusive. I am so thankful for all the opportunities I have had in my drag career and for everyone who has helped me in one capacity or another, including the girls mentioned earlier as well as my drag sisters, venues like Hamburger Mary’s, Charlie’s, and Rare by Grist, and so many more!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think a story of my personal resilience would begin with my “coming out” story. I was 14 years old in the summer of 2008 when my mom flat-out asked me “are you gay?” and my heart dropped. I knew in that moment my life would change forever from what I had been living as I exhaled “yes” through a stream of tears. I knew that things were not easy for queer folks even back then and in my small South Dakota town, I only knew of a handful of “out” individuals and also knew unfortunately how people talked about those individuals when they weren’t around. I had a less-than-desirable first boyfriend who was anything but supportive and was often in trouble with the law. This caused a lot of tension and fall-out with my family as they were doing what they thought was best and so did I, which led to me moving out after an ultimatum that I, to this day, definitely should’ve listened to. I was truly “on my own” and felt the weight of the world on my teenage shoulders. I almost failed every class my freshmen year, skipped school often, smoked cigarettes, and made some other poor choices that don’t need to be mentioned. It took a huge intervention from those who loved me most including my mom, my older brother, some concerned teachers, and some great friends to really show me where my life was headed if I didn’t take back control of my life. At 14 years old, I had to pick myself back up, utilize the resources I had at my disposal, and work my butt off to pass my freshmen year. I broke up with my garbage boyfriend, studied at every chance with tutors in my spare time, and even got a job at McDonalds to keep me out of trouble. All of this while coming to terms with who I am as a queer person, finding those who built me up instead of bringing me down, and learning to love the “new me”. If you were to turn the clock back 15 years and tell younger me all of the things I am doing with my life now, there would be no way I would believe it. I share this because it took resilience to get through all of that. Resilience from the nay-sayers, from the obstacles in my way, and resilience to keep moving forward even if I am the only one cheering me on along the way. If 14 year old me can navigate all of that, it tells me that there are a lot of things we can overcome that may surprise us. Whether you’re starting a new business, changing careers completely, or exploring your passions further, you’re going to have trials and tribulations that will challenge you in ways you can’t even imagine. But, with time, you will be able to manage those challenges with ease and confidence as long as you remember to be your own biggest cheerleader and utilize the resources you have available!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe that building my reputation in the drag market is something that requires a lot of conscious decisions including who I surround myself with, what venues I perform at, continually improving my craft (looks, numbers, moves, etc), and believing in myself and my abilities. The drag market is heavily saturated here in Denver and I am constantly meeting new people who’ve either been in the scene for a while or are just getting their start. “Kill them with kindness” has always worked in my opinion and I believe that people should implement that more in their day to day lives. Drag culture can be unnecessarily competitive, over-opinionated, and downright toxic at times. But not always. I want my reputation to be known for being kind, helpful, and supportive. I have certainly had those who have tried that patience and tested my limits, but I find that the high road, although difficult, is worth it. Taylor Swift’s song ‘Karma’ comes to mind. Always stay humble and kind, no matter what type of work you do.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @cvntry_barbie

Image Credits
white cowgirl hat with blonde curls in field (two pics) – Pat Gump (@mxgump) purple balloons pic -Studio JK Photography (@studiojkphoto)