Buffalo Imperial Court continues to help the community

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Getting on stage can be a lot of fun.

“So I’m doing more lip syncing,” said Zachary Dornsife, Monarch 33 “Pup Bolt” of the Imperial Court in Buffalo.

It’s also a way of giving back.

“We raise money for LGBTQ youth services like GLYS and other local charities and charity events,” he explained.

He wears the crown as Monarch 33 of the Imperial Court of Buffalo, a chapter of one of the oldest and largest LBGTQ+ groups in the world.

“It really depends on what you want to do, but we encourage a lot of people to go out and help, cook, perform and participate in the events,” Dornsife said.

Members have their own unique royal titles and names.

“They’re totally camp, you’re just making them up,” he said.

They move up in rank as they become more involved.

“You address a lord, lady or lord as a non-binary lineage,” Dornsife explained. “Then you can move up if you do good in the organization.”

While they usually attend shows, pageants or other events, on this day things were a little less glamorous.

“We are hosting a Pride Alliance blood drive to highlight that members of the LGBTQ community can actually donate blood,” he said.

Dornsife set things up to publicize the Imperial Court in Buffalo, but he also became more active.

“I’m going to donate blood today,” he explained.

All of this work is aimed at improving these community relationships.

“It’s giving back to my community that supported me, so I want to support them as the community helped me get through this,” he said.

This chapter is 30 years long and it is important for Dornsife to maintain this growth.

“We want to have more community engagement and that’s why this event is one of our most important because it not only helps people in our community but also allies in general,” he said.

This year alone, Dornsife says he has donated more than $30,000 to local organizations.

“Friends of the Night People, GLYS and other organizations important to the city,” he said. “We have everything from food donations, to youth, to the arts.”

They give back, while providing a safe space, which is ultimately the biggest problem for Dornsife and the entire Imperial Court.

“We want to make sure everyone is accepted in the community,” he said. “No matter who you are now, no matter what gender you represent.”