On Saturday, October 24th, 2026, Southwestern’s very own Pirates for Pride (P4P) hosted Drag Me to Bingo in the McCombs Campus Center Ballrooms. The event was one of many happening on the Saturday evening of this year’s homecoming festivities and was a fan favorite. The crowd consisted of current students, alumni, and faculty members, as well as two local drag queens and a drag king. This is not the first time P4P has hosted drag bingo, so many upperclassmen were looking forward to its return after its absence last year.

The night started with an introduction to the event and its purpose by P4P’s president, KJ Graziano (they/them), a Feminist Studies major graduating this December. The event was almost entirely organized and run by current Southwestern students involved in P4P, with the help of Randall Ischy, Southwestern Director of Violence Prevention and P4P’s faculty advisor, various alumni, and the folks with alumni relations. 

After introductions were out of the way, Danté Picante performed his electric and prideful number which had the crowd properly hyped up for their first round of bingo. The lucky first winner received a prize donated from the lovely Lark and Owl, an indie bookstore right here in Georgetown. 

Once everyone could feel the pride coursing through their veins, Austin-based drag queen Brigitte Bandit took to the stage. She performed to Chappel Roan’s greatest hits, which made the crowd sing, clap and cheer as she circled the room. After her performance came to an end, she encouraged the audience to vote in the upcoming election, and took a moment to connect with the crowd. She then offered to stick around for pictures, which many students and alumni alike took her up on. The next round of bingo was filled with an energy that Brigitte’s performance left us all with, and the second winner received a charcuterie board set. 

Before the final performance of the evening began, alumni and member of the LGBTQ+ affinity council Hector Ruiz had a few words to say on behalf of both alumni and P4P. He shared how important having a welcoming environment was to him as a student, and he urged people in the room to consider donating so Pirates 4 Pride could continue providing this space for years to come. He mentioned getting to know KJ through their SURF research, and how this connection led him to reflect on his time as a student. 

Finally, Southwestern’s very own alum Your X Stasy stunned the crowd with her performance filled with passion and drama. After the crowd bid her farewell, it was time for the third round of bingo, where the winner received a bag filled with coffee supplies. 

Before the final round of bingo, KJ thanked the volunteers for their time, alumni relations for their help in planning the event, the lovely people working the bar, their advisor Randall Ischy for all of his continuous help throughout the past three semesters, and finally all of the people that showed up to the event. Numbers were called for the last time, and the final winner took home some Southwestern-branded apparel. 

As the night came to a close, KJ decided to go off script and share what Pirates 4 Pride has meant to them. Due to the fact that their time at Southwestern is ending soon, they expressed that despite the stress, they have never felt more proud and privileged to be a part of something. This was a moment that shifted the energy in the room into one of reflection, and it seemed important to KJ to share their thanks one last time. As everyone left, the energy was high, albeit sad to leave the safe space cultivated by KJ and P4P.