My family taught me to love and give back to those in need. From a young age, I watched them sacrifice so much to care for others — and soon I wanted to help others, too.
Whether through events, raising money for those in need or opening an LGBTQ+ center, I knew my purpose was to leave behind a legacy of love and pave the way for those who came after me. My full-time job is to create opportunities for those around me to safely be themselves.
I spend a lot of time reflecting on the people who left me a legacy of love to help make that possible. Like my father, who has never hesitated to help others. The man gave anything he could to anyone in need. He ran food pantries and soup kitchens; he helped orphans and older people. He would help those who were suffering from homelessness and more.
Now in his 70’s, my dad doesn’t have anyone but me to help him. Many people he once knew have passed on or moved forward without him, but sometimes I talk to others lucky enough to have experienced my dad’s love. The one thing they will say about my dad is that he is such a loving, caring, giving man.
Once upon a time, I had nowhere to go after the church threw me aside because I enrolled in conversion “therapy.” I was scared and had been traumatized by the church and others who didn’t accept me for who I was. Fortunately a dear friend Ruth and her family opened their home to me.
Like my family once did for disillusioned strangers, Ruth’s family took me in, gave me a home, fed me and showed me so much love and acceptance that would later lead to me giving it back in other ways. Moreover, I wasn’t the only one they took in.
In all the years I have known her, I can confidently say she is one of the most caring and loving people I’ll ever know. When people told Ruth not to do it and to leave me alone, she saw something in me and gave me a chance almost 25 years ago. She left a lasting impression and established a long-lasting friendship.
Several years ago, I met someone else who greatly impacted my life. Their name was Cedar. They showed me kindness, love, compassion and what many in the ‘biz call “camp magic.” We finally met in person at the Austin International Drag Festival three years ago.
Later, they invited me back to Texas, where they helped lead summer camps and played music for youths. Throughout the several years of knowing them, Cedar weathered challenging situations and handled tough people with unparalleled gratitude and kindness.
They joined us last year at CampOUT and contributed much camp magic to the kids and staff. They always reminded me about self-care to ensure I was in the right headspace to care for others with kind words, a song, a smile and a hug.
Unfortunately, we lost them in a car accident in 2023 right after camp. Their legacy is beautiful. Every time we see a rainbow, we know Cedar has left a little magic for all of us to keep the fires of kindness and love burning. Outside the Rose Dynasty Center sits a park bench that our friends and family at CampOUT built in Cedar’s honor.
One of my favorite stories is of a Black lesbian in the early 20th century, Ruth C. Ellis. In a time when being out as queer wasn’t safe, she transformed her Detroit home into a safe house for gay and lesbian youths, Black and white.
She refused to hide her identity and lived with her partner. They co-owned a printing company and worked day and night to improve conditions for gay and lesbian folks. For decades, people in the area traded stories about Ellis’ fantastic work and then the Ruth Ellis Center was established in 1999. Much like ours, the center served (and continues to serve) the needs of the local youth.
Throughout my life, many people have changed the world in their own way. Many have been forgotten or were never known to begin with. Worldwide, people labor in silence and are overlooked by history. I encourage you to research those whose stories haven’t been told or those who you have yet to hear about.
Too many kind souls have worked tirelessly to care for others and change their lives, only for history to forget them. Some even end up alone, without anyone to care for them like they once cared for others.
I wouldn’t be who I am today without the help of those kind souls. I encourage you to think about those who have helped you. Think of someone you know who has tirelessly served the community and others around them.
Please take a moment to share your gratitude with them. If they are still alive, contact them to remind them how inspiring they have been. Share their successes with others. Tell others and contribute to their legacy.
The Rose Dynasty Foundation isn’t about me or those working with me. It’s about laying down a path for the future. It’s about ensuring that those who fight alongside us and come after us have a safe space to live in and be themselves.
For many years, I have said that life gives you 2x4s, and we choose what to do with them. I won’t stop laying mine down to build paths and bridges for those who come after me, to make their journey more accessible and leave behind my own legacy of love. I hope you won’t, either.
Momma Ashley Rose has been a family-friendly drag performer for over two decades. She is the founder and president of Rose Dynasty Foundation Inc., which opened the first LGBTQ+ center in Polk County this year.
