Vee Moree Shares Her Journey and Future Plans on We Live In Color
Photos by Jordan Somers
"We Live In Color" is back with another fantastic guest this week. Host Deaunte Damper returns with an exciting new episode featuring community organizer and comedian Vee Moree. In this episode, Moree shares her background, journey to the 206, and a major upcoming life change.
Originally from Chicago, Moree was the eldest of her siblings, raised by a single mother. Her family faced significant challenges, including the devastating impact of the crack epidemic and gang culture. Amidst these hardships, Moree also grappled with her identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, a truth she has known since she was 16.
"I fought with it so much because of where I come from and because of what I've known and been taught and just the upbringing that I had," Moree said.
Despite receiving support from her parents regarding her sexuality, Moree found it challenging to be open about it due to her background, religious beliefs, and a series of tragic circumstances.
"I never really spoke about it with my family very much until I knew that I was if that makes sense," Moree said. "I told my mother before she had passed, and I told my father. But I think the way that they were, the way that they both responded, was welcoming." Moree's mother passed away when she was 16, followed by her father when she was 20, adding further hardship to her life.
"It happened right after I told them that I was queer," Moree said. "It kind of drew me back to trying to speak to my family about it because I'm thinking this is killing them, because, if this is such a bad thing, you know, I really thought that, but I didn't start speaking to them about it until I was confident in knowing that I was."
Moree later attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, where she earned her degree in theater arts. Her university experience was a mix of hiding her true self and finding acceptance.
"It was always a struggle, and then going to a private Christian school, I put myself back in the closet because I thought, well, this is not of my religion," Moree said. "I covered up, so I dated men as beards, or I just stayed single, or I just thought I needed to be delivered from it. That was a thing that was always pushed so much when it came to me struggling with this. And so I would always struggle with it and fight it off."
Ironically, her pursuit of theater studies at the university allowed her to express her true self.
"When I got into theater, I had a little bit more of a lean way because everybody got some kind of queerness in the theater department," Moree said.
Her growing confidence in her sexuality during her time in the theater, as well as reaffirming her feelings, fostered a profound sense of acceptance and self-assurance.
"It helped me realize it, and I struggle with loving God in between all that," Moree said. "But I've always been working on a redirection with knowing who that person is, whether it be she, him or they. There's something that's covering me when I wake up in the morning."
After graduating college, Moree relocated to Seattle, driving from Tennessee to Federal Way. Upon arrival, she took on various jobs as a chef and babysitter.
"I hustled and did what I needed to do to survive while still auditioning and turning in plays and doing stuff like that," Moree said.
Most notably, she worked as a security guard at R Place, a well-known gay bar and nightclub in Capitol Hill that unfortunately closed during the pandemic.
"Every Sunday, it was homo-hop," Moree said. "It was a night for Black queers to come out, and I had noticed living here that there wasn't a lot of Black spaces, and so our place on Sunday nights was a space for Black folks to come.
For Moree, R Place was where she found a sense of belonging and community in Seattle.
"I was working downtown Buffalo Wild Wings, and I was learning how to be a chef and do all those different things," Moree said. "But I didn't find my niche of why I was here until I met the Black folks from R Place."
Her time there was cut short due to the pandemic and the eventual closure of the establishment.
"It messed me up a lot. Just because I was safe at our place," Moree said.
She later began working security on the streets and at Target during COVID-19, where she frequently witnessed the chaos and challenges of the pandemic.
"People were coming into the stores with underwear on and all kinds of things we couldn't apprehend. We couldn't touch anybody. People were just robbing, " Moree said. "Safety-wise, it was mainly us trying to keep a lot of the crime out. It was a challenge for me in a different way.
Nevertheless, she maintained strong ties with R Place by finding community within her drag family, the House of Dior Black. She began with them by providing security for various RuPaul's Drag Race performers.
"My drag sister, Scarlet Dior black, shout out to my sis. She was able to get me back on the stages after the pandemic, and so I was able to perform," Moree said. "I started doing drag myself, which, I mean, I have a degree in theater, but like I said, I've always tried to hustle and make sure I had a couple of jobs going because I didn't know when I was gonna get an audition or get booked for anything."
Moree began evolving her drag differently from many other Seattle performers.
"I saw drag kings and queens, which is great, but I wanted to do a female song, and then maybe for my second number, do a male song," Moree said. "So I was able to create. I wanted to do nonbinary drag. , I'm going to do Missy Elliot, but I'm also going to do Chris Brown sometimes."
Since joining them, Moree has become a frequent performer. For the third consecutive year, she performed at the Black Drag Show at Federal Way High School alongside Koach Giggz's dance troupe, the host and founder of the yearly event.
"I developed so much with Kutt 'N' Up, his dance group. These children are growing up and so creative and talented that I was so inspired with them every year that I worked on my craft throughout the year even if I wasn't performing with them," Moree said. "When he asked me to come back the third time, he said, what do you want to do? I said I wanted to do Missy. I wanted to do an icon, and he worked it, and I was willing to do it. Honestly, it was a dream come true."
Regarding Koach Giggz, Moree highlights him as one of the most influential figures in her life.
"I've always loved this man. He's been my heart and my soul," More said. "The things that he has done for this community, and how much he has put into this community, and how he has inspired me, and we've worked together, and he's given me a lot more confidence and helped me believe in who I am as a performer, as an artist, as a human being, and I've learned so much from him just because of how I've seen him in this community."
Looking ahead, Moree is preparing for a significant change in her life.
"I'm going back to Chicago, and I'm doing it because I want to create generational wealth. I want to create healing for Black folks, and I think a lot of the healing starts from your family," Moree said. "I'm stepping into that, and I just want to pursue my dreams. I want theater to come out. I want to do my stand-up. I want to do it in more safer spaces, and just be surrounded by a little bit more Black folk. So that's the plan."
When asked if she had any final words for Seattle, Moree shared this message.
"Seattle, the only message that I have is that we show up for real, for our Black and Brown folk. We show up for the people that have paved the way for us to do the things that we're doing today," Moree said. "Honestly, the rates of the support we had during the pandemic have dropped so low because it seems like it's been a facade. Let's stop being fascist and facade about this and do the right thing for our Black and Brown people. We need them. We need to take care of our community. That's what we need to do, and we need to take care of this next generation."
Join Deaunte every Thursday on all Converge Media platforms for more engaging conversations with guests like Moree, highlighting advocacy work, inclusivity, diversity, and living life in full color!
