Storytime in Stilettos

With her joyful, game-for-anything confidence and impressive ability to make stilettos look comfortable, Persia is one of San Francisco’s most beloved drag queens. Her nightclub performances are legendary, as are her star turns in music videos -- but you might not know that she also teaches at Children’s After School Arts (CASA) and reads to kids at the SF Public Library’s Drag Queen Story Hour.

Persia makes it look easy. But as KQED Arts learned on a recent visit, her journey has been anything but simple. Watch the video above for a peek behind the (fabulous, sequined) curtain. —Emma Silvers