WINNERS

The Queens of Queen City

  • Photographer
    Michael O. Snyder, United States
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention

Drag queen Haley Hemorrhoid poses in downtown Cumberland, MD. Cumberland, aka “The Queen City”, was once a hub of industry and culture in Appalachia. But when the factories departed, the region fell into a spiral of economic stagnation and cultural decline. Rates of poverty, addiction, and violence have grown, disproportionately impacting the region’s minority groups and the LBGTQ+ community. However, 10 years ago, Haley and other members of the queer community banded together, created a thriving drag scene, and the region’s first Pride event, which is now the largest in central Appalachia.