MACON, Ga. — The Central Georgia LGBTQ+ community is coming together on Saturday to support a woman they say is a legend.
Tangerine Summers is one of Central Georgia's longest-performing drag queens and has been a fighter for the LGBTQ+ community in Macon for years. She has been in and out of the hospital for the past 3 months but friends and family have a way to help.
Macon's drag troupe, The Tribe, is hosting a benefit drag show called Sweet Tingz at JBA in downtown Macon. All the proceeds will go to helping Tangerine with medical expenses.
"We decided as a group, as the Tribe, to give back to her in the way she gave to us," drag performer Christina Leon said.
Tangerine has been performing in the Central Georgia community for over 50 years. Leon says Tangerine is a trailblazer who has entertained generations of people but she is also a kind and generous person.
"I call her my drag grandmother. I mean I have a drag mother but Tang was there from the beginning even when I was discouraged and I thought about quitting drag, she said 'Don't you ever let nobody, you know, make you quite drag.' So, outside of drag, she's just been an amazing friend," Leon said.
Leon began doing drag in downtown Macon seven years ago. While they say they met a lot of queens who have changed their life for the better, they say Tangerine is something special.
"Tangerine has been one entertainer that has poured into myself and into all of my drag sisters and all of my drag children and just poured into me by showing me what love in this community felt like and what it was," they said.
She says Tangerine paved the way for the Tribe to be able to perform across the state.
"She's our Tina Turner, she's our proud Mary girl, she's that lady for all of us," Leon said.
Leon says people should come to the show to have a good time.
"I'm going to zip by boot up and dance my heart out. I'm probably going to cry, I've cried a lot throughout this process but I'm just cited to do it. One thing that Tang always taught me is that the show must go on so I'm going to do that," Leon said.
For the event, you can come wearing pride attire and let your rainbow fly. You can donate directly to Tangerine Summers through her Cash App at $RayTanSum or you can reach out to the Tribe Macon on Facebook or email at thetribemaconga@gmail.com.
The show is this Saturday at 9 p.m. They are asking for a $10 donation at the door.
"I think that's just an amazing thing. So many generations, it's just that she's touched so many lives. So I think that to be able to give that back to her and show that this community truly does love her, I think that's a phenomenal thing," Leon said.
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