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rowing up in Maryland in the US, Miss Toto’s passion for marine life began early, with frequent trips to aquariums and beaches as a child kickstarting her passion for all things oceanic. “I was going through all my childhood stuff recently, and it was all books about the ocean and wildlife. And Steve Irwin was my biggest inspiration,” she explains. In 2014, Miss Toto, then 21, moved to Miami to study a master’s in aquaculture, joining her university’s shark research programme at the same time. The following year, she became a part of the city’s drag scene. At first this was a social outlet. Toto had no idea of the significance this decision would have in her later life and career. “I really just started doing drag as a way to meet other queer people. It was really easy for me to meet a whole bunch of people outside of school or athletics, which are how I made all my friends growing up. It was my first opportunity to actually develop community and develop friends just from our queerness.”
A few years later, Miss Toto abandoned her science career plans to pursue drag full time. “The most selfish reason was money,” she acknowledges plainly. Though still yearning for her hands-on marine science adventures, it was fate when the idea was formed to merge both passions through a conservation fundraising project — shark-tagging fundraising expeditions mixed with drag performances, later christened Drag ‘n Tag.
The concept arose during a chat with Miss Toto’s scientist friend Jake. “We were like, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we did a shark-tagging and drag fundraiser?’” she recalls. Field School, a Miami organisation offering various marine courses, helped bring the unique vision to life, with Drag ‘n Tag boat trips blending educational science with glamorous drag performances while raising funds for community issues.