457: Let your Drag Shine as an Advocate – Michael Nguyen

What happens when you discover that you have a voice, all because you took a risk to do DRAG! Sahaying into the world of advocacy and fundraising, attorney Michael Nguyen, discovered that his alter ego – Juicy Liu – gave voice to another side of himself who just needed to be unleashed on the world – FOR GOOD!

Dive into this Dragolicious conversation as we explore what happens when a little bit of hair, makeup, and fabulous gowns brings you onto a stage…where winnine was never even part of the equation.

About Michael

Michael T. Nguyen is a San Francisco-based speaker, advocate, and community organizer. When not protecting software inventions as a practicing patent attorney, Michael volunteers his time and energy as Chair of Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA), an advocacy organization that envisions a powerful Queer, Trans, Asian and Pacific Islander community that is seen, heard, and celebrated (www.gapa.org). Michael’s alter-ego drag persona, Juicy Liu, performed regularly in the Castro preCOVID, and has since started a queer comedy podcast called Juicy Thots (JuicyThots.com @JuicyThotsPod) Over the years, Michael/Juicy has personally raised over $60K for community organizations in the Bay Area, including the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, SF AIDS Foundation through AIDS/Lifecycle, and Livable City, an advocacy nonprofit that works to improve transportation, land use, open space, and environmental policies in San Francisco. Michael holds a JD from University of California Hastings College of the Law and a BA (cum laude) in Computer Science and Music from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX.

Accomplishments:

• Crowned Miss GAPA 2016 (Juicy Liu)

• Founded #JuicyThots monthly drag show, a QTPOC showcase in the Castro in 2018

• Founded #JuicyThots podcast, a queer comedy podcast interviewing LGBTQIA+ public figures in the Bay Area in 2020

• Elected to BALIF Board (Oldest and Largest LGBTQI Bar association) in 2019

• Completed three AIDS/Lifecycle rides (2015-2017)

Connect With Michael

Website

You can also listen to the podcast on…