Mink Marché

I never thought that I, of all people, would be involved in a history project but I am truly honored by the request to be part of the first Spokane Pride History Project 2024. I never know where to begin so I’ll just spill it.

I was born Xavier Vasquez in Pasco Washington (Tri-Cities) in 1969. I’m the youngest of five children and raised by a single Mother who kept her family close at any cost. Sometimes we struggled but we made it. Growing up I was the only boy on the block, so I played a lot of Barbies- my Barbie always had the biggest hair and had the best clothes. I was the gay kid who didn’t know he was gay, I just knew I was different and didn’t know what it was called. My high school years at Pasco Senior High were better, I made lots of friends with the New Wave and punk kids. They didn’t care who I was and vice versa, they helped me embrace the weird ones which helped later on in life, and I’m still friends with them today. After high school I moved away due to personal reasons and started beauty school. 6 months later I moved home and finished beauty school in Pasco. 

As an adult I started going to the only gay bar we had here called LuCa’s Place, and watched queens go out on stage and wow the crowds. Since I was a hairdresser I did a lot of wigs for the queens, I always said “over my dead body I will never do drag”, LuCa’s was only open maybe a year or two and later another bar opened called Out and About which is now over 20+ yrs old. I was still doing wigs, and critiquing performances-whether they wanted my input or not. The drag artist Bonnie Marché was THE queen in town, she gave birth to several performers, myself included. One time after a show I was giving my “professional input” and she said “you know what? If you can do better, I dare you to get on stage and do what we do.” I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge so I said “Fine I will!” I needed time to prepare, so, in February of 2002 at a holiday show called Cupids Queens, Mink Marché took the stage for the first time.

Several years ago when my drag mother retired from the stage I asked to be the next head of the House of Marché and I was granted that illustrious honor, and bestowed the title of Queen Mother 1 of The Legendary House of Marché. During Bonnie’s tenure as founder she birthed 17 children. As the new head of the house, I have bestowed the Marché name to 58 more. This family reaches as far away as NYC, Southern California, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and soon who knows where I’ll give birth again. I’ve held a few titles along the way. I was Her Imperial Grand Sultana 1 of TriCities, I was Empress 40 & 45, and most recently Emperor 46 of Spokane. I have traveled all over the west coast representing the Spokane LGBT Community here and abroad. 

I have met so many amazing individuals along the way that have helped raise, guide, mentor and mold me into who I am today. Drag has allowed me to be someone I wasn’t in my day to day. I don’t try to keep Mink and Xavier separate anymore, she’s part of me and I wouldn’t have it any other way, Mink helped Xavier, me to be the person I am today.

The motto for me and for my Family is “Being brave doesn't mean you're not scared to do something, it means you're scared but you do it anyway.” Be Brave, face the Challenges, don’t be afraid to ask for help,, give to others with no expectation, donate your time even if you can’t donate money, sometimes that's worth so much more. 

If you feel like you’re not seen, trust, we see you.

Thank you for this opportunity and much Love to you all.

Heir Apparent & Queen Mother 1 to The Legendary House of Marché, Her Imperial Highness Imperial Grand Sultana 1 of the TriCities, Her Imperial Sovereign Majesty Empress 40 and 45, His Imperial Sovereign Majesty Emperor 46.

The Flaming Ultra-Violet and Titanium Black Diamond and Aurora Borealis Lilac of the Great city of Spokane, The Icon Mink Marché