Austin Nation Brings FROM CRACK TO PHD to Renberg Theatre at the Los Angeles LGBT Center

Austin Nation shares his entertaining and humorous autobiography of his own life story, "From Crack to PhD: A Drag Queen's Story." A life that changed dramatically once he was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 1986. At the mere age of 26, it was the beginning of the end. In 1987, a medication called AZT came out and he had to take it every 4 hours around the clock. It was toxic!

In 1994, within a 6-month period, Austin lost all of my closest friends. He thought, if he was going to die, then he was going party his way out! Drugs and alcohol became his best friend. Playing around in drag was part of his experience while getting high.

Fast forward, he turned 40 years old and was still alive. What the hell! What was God up to? He was sad to have outlived all of his dearest friends, not being able to grow old with them. So he thought that there must be something else for him to do.

Austin beat my demons and today, he has 19 years clean and sober. He was able to obtain a PhD from UCSF, one of the best universities in the country. After being on disability for 20 years, He started thinking I might be well enough to go back work.

Today he's an assistant professor at California State University, Fullerton in the School of Nursing and Nursing Supervisor at USC Keck Medical Center.

Someone suggested the name A'Freeka Nature, sort of a play of Africa Nature as a drag name. Austin has auditioned for RuPaul's Drag Race twice, entered a couple of drag search competitions - placing in the top 5, and won the title of Mx Caring Heart 2020 with Orange County Shanti.

Performances run June 5-24, 2022.

Tickets are available at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/7498.