The 2026 Charlotte Pride and Charlotte Black Pride drag courts are stepping into the spotlight, bringing a new year of artistry, representation and community leadership to the Queen City.
For this year’s titleholders, winning a drag pageant is about more than elaborate costumes and performances. Each brings a journey shaped by identity, perseverance and the people who helped them find their place in Charlotte’s LGBTQ+ community.
Here’s your opportunity to meet the artists behind the 2026 Charlotte Pride and Charlotte Black Pride crowns.
Giovonni Diamond: Mr. Charlotte Pride 2026
Long before becoming Mr. Charlotte Pride 2026, Giovonni Diamond remembers traveling from a smaller North Carolina community to Charlotte Pride and witnessing LGBTQ+ people celebrating openly in uptown. Looking toward the festival’s main stage, he imagined standing there himself one day.
More than a decade after beginning his drag career in 2013, that aspiration has become reality.
Giovonni’s artistic journey has involved challenging expectations for masculine-presenting drag. Rather than limiting himself to traditional expressions of masculinity, he embraced the rhinestones, feathers and flamboyance he had always admired.
A former Mr. Gay Pride North Carolina and Mr. Catawba Valley Pride, Giovonni previously competed for Mr. Charlotte Pride in 2023. Encouragement from 2025 titleholder Charleton Alicea Tapp, whom he had helped during the previous year’s competition, inspired his return.
Now the 13th Mr. Charlotte Pride, Giovonni sees the crown as something shared with everyone who helped him reach this point.
“This crown belongs to all of us,” he said.
That perspective informs his commitment to mentorship and strengthening Charlotte’s drag community. During his reign, Giovonni hopes to raise $1,000 for Time Out Youth while encouraging more diverse masculine-presenting performers to pursue pageant titles.
For him, the most meaningful legacy will be the opportunities he creates for those who follow.
Giselle Cassidy Carter: Miss Charlotte Pride 2026
For Giselle Cassidy Carter, becoming Miss Charlotte Pride 2026 represents an opportunity to strengthen relationships within Charlotte’s drag community, something she has valued throughout her 17-year career.
Her introduction to drag came during beauty school, when a friend suggested performing to earn extra money. After getting dressed in drag for the first time, Giselle entered a talent show at Chemistry Nightclub the following week and won. She was invited back and never stopped performing.
A trained dancer with 15 years of experience, Giselle approaches drag like a concert production, incorporating backup dancers, costume reveals and unexpected elements. Often performing Beyoncé numbers, she strives to create an experience worthy of a major concert or Broadway stage.
Having previously held the Miss Charlotte Black Pride title around 2018, Giselle hoped to represent Charlotte Pride as well, believing her connections across different communities could help bring people together.
Her victory was bittersweet because she competed against her drag daughter, Honey Zahara.
“As a drag mother, you like to see your kids succeed,” she explained.
Now reigning alongside her drag brother Giovanni Diamond, Giselle hopes to rebuild connections within Charlotte’s drag community and inspire a more diverse group of contestants to participate in future pageants.
O’Shea Mann: MX Charlotte Pride 2026
O’Shea Mann’s approach to drag challenges traditional expectations surrounding gender expression. As a Samoan and Black American performer, they blend hyperfemininity with masculine features, encouraging audiences to reconsider how they perceive others.
Their journey began at a lip-sync competition at Chasers hosted by DJ Vanna Vanity, where O’Shea won their first time performing. As their artistry evolved, they embraced the freedom to experiment with different forms of expression.
That evolution was reflected in their MX Charlotte Pride 2026 presentation, which incorporated cultural identity, Y2K fashion and a white, fairytale-inspired crowning ensemble. But the experience was equally meaningful behind the scenes.
Preparing for their first pageant required months of work, with friends and community members helping create garments and bring their vision to life. Having spent years supporting others, O’Shea was moved by the encouragement they received in return.
The crowning came as a surprise. After misunderstanding the runners-up announcements, O’Shea believed they had lost until fellow titleholder Giovanni Diamond told them they had won.
Now, they hope to increase Pacific Islander visibility within LGBTQ+ spaces while encouraging others to look beyond appearances and recognize one another’s humanity. For those who feel isolated or uncertain about where they belong, O’Shea offers a simple reminder.
“You are never alone,” they said.
Porsche Dupree XL: Miss Charlotte Black Pride 2026
When Porsche Dupree XL returned to compete for Miss Charlotte Black Pride 2026, she had unfinished business. After placing first alternate the previous year and earning the Charlotte Black Pride FFI Junior Miss title, she spent the following months performing throughout North Carolina and Georgia, determined to return stronger.
“After that night, I knew that I wanted to come back and finish what I started,” she said.
Known as the “bucking Diva of the Carolinas,” Porsche represents the Haus of Dupree and Haus of X, bringing high-energy performances and a commanding stage presence. Inspired by RuPaul’s Drag Race, she made her debut at Catawba Valley Pride five years ago.
Although known for her dancing, Porsche was particularly proud of her gown presentation, which showcased another side of her artistry. When her name was announced as the winner, her reaction was simple: “It felt correct.”
Now, she hopes to inspire younger performers to pursue pageantry while representing Charlotte Black Pride throughout the region. She also values the relationships formed through competition, describing the pageant system as a family whose legacy each titleholder carries forward.
“By the time of my stepdown, I hope to see a line of contestants ready to take over the legacy I left behind.”
Tay Watson: Charlotte Black Pride MX 2026
When Tay Watson was crowned Charlotte Black Pride MX 2026, she dropped to the floor in disbelief as the realization of what she and her team had accomplished began to sink in.
“It felt surreal,” she recalled. “I had so much doubt in me at first, and I was just in shock.”
Inspired by performers including Malayia Chanel Iman, Omega Saint James and the late Brianna McCoy, Tay has developed an energetic style emphasizing audience participation. Her winning talent presentation followed nearly eight months of preparation alongside backup dancers Kwan and BB.
“We are a team. We are one unit,” she said.
That appreciation for collective effort shapes Tay’s ambitions beyond the stage. During her reign, she hopes to support people experiencing homelessness and encourage compassion across communities.
“We all bleed the same color. We breathe the same air, and we all should treat each other with the same respect,” she said.
Tay also wants aspiring LGBTQ+ performers to recognize their potential, even when self-doubt makes success difficult to imagine. By offering encouragement and guidance, she hopes to provide the same support that helped her achieve her goals.
“If I can do it, they can do it too,” she said.
Beyond the Crown
Although their journeys and artistic styles differ, the 2026 Charlotte Pride and Charlotte Black Pride titleholders share a commitment to making their visibility meaningful. Through mentorship, community outreach and the freedom to express themselves authentically, they are continuing a tradition of drag as both celebration and connection.
Their crowns will eventually pass to new performers, but the relationships they build and the opportunities they create can leave an impact long after their reigns end.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
