pride

The Pageant Queen Living Her Dream

Photo: Clifford Prince King

When Stasha Sanchez, pageant queen of HBO Max’s Legendary fame, thinks of Pride, she remembers the trans women of color who fought for her rights. “I’m a Black trans woman, and I’m proud to be me,” she told the Cut.

Sanchez is one of the stars of Coach’s “Pride Is Where You Find It” campaign, which treats Pride like a state of mind. After our year of isolation, the project celebrates the power of finding community wherever you may be.

As a way of giving creative opportunities to members of the queer community, Coach collaborated with emerging young photographers and directors from the agency Thursday’s Child to shoot part of the campaign, which also stars Rina Sawayama and Bob the Drag Queen. The brand also cast members of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, a nonprofit devoted to serving the needs of young LGBTQ+ people.

Sanchez says starring in a Coach campaign has been a lifelong dream, especially having gotten the message growing up that her opportunities in life were limited. “I just always told myself as a little child that I was going to be a star, and I used to practice posing on the red carpet at home,” she says. She attributes her stardom in part to her chosen family, who have given her support and strength.

This year, the Coach Foundation made donations to the Hetrick-Martin Institute as well as the Albert Kennedy Trust, Point Foundation, and CenterLink, the Community of LGBTQ Centers, as part of the brand’s Dream It Real initiative to support their work connecting young people with supportive communities. The campaign includes a collection of bags, T-shirts, and footwear featuring a rainbow treatment of Coach’s signature pattern.

The Pageant Queen Living Her Dream