If the National Day of Silence goes as planned, a hush will fall over the Augustana campus on April 15. It is a day when people across the nation are encouraged to take a vow of silence to call attention to anti-LGBT harassment.

This year, in conjunction with Union Board of Governors (UBG), the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) will present a drag show as an end to the Day of Silence.

Augustana GSA Co-Chairs freshmen Nicholas Lahman and Austin Mielke contacted UBG early in the academic year with the hopes of teaming up with them to present a drag show.

"Many campuses and GSAs across America throw their own celebrations after the Day of Silence as a way to unwind and acknowledge the work that they did for the day," Lahman said.

Drag queens from Augie as well as the greater Sioux Empire will be competing in the show.

Co-Governors for Entertainment senior Rachel Gerber and junior Dan Bock headed collaboration from the UBG side.

"Dan and I thought it was time for some unique programming in order to expose our community to a new event," Gerber said. "It's about time our school is exposed to this common form of entertainment and expression."

For both committees, the decision was somewhat controversial.

"We had to jump through hurtles," Lahman said, "mostly people on campus being unsure of the appropriateness of another drag show on campus."

Gerber and Bock were positively influenced by the great lengths students in GSA went to in order to make the event a success.

"Our choice to help with the drag show was motivated by a desire to challenge the stereotype that a typical Augie student is a white straight person," Gerber said. "It's about time we enriched our campus with some diversity."

Despite opposition, the committees chose to embrace the nature of the event.

"Controversy is necessary to get people thinking in different and sometimes uncomfortable ways," Gerber said. "I believe this event will bring awareness and encouragement to our community, no matter the sexual orientation of the queen or spectator."

Not only does the event aim to entertain, but to promote awareness of gay culture and community.

"I think the Augie community is still somewhat unaware of the LGBT community that it actually holds on its campus," Lahman said. "I have heard mixed messages from every angle about the show, but no matter what I have pushed as hard as I can for acceptance."

Divas of Drag! will be presented at 9 p.m. Friday, April 15 at 9:00 p.m. A Q & A Session with the queens will follow.

Augie students get free admission with Augie ID, non-student admission is $5 at the door.