Kayla LaShay is a female impersonator, residing in Raleigh, North Carolina. Their debut was in Wilmington, NC in 2004, with an eight year break, and a return in 2018 - they have quickly become a feisty and comical host of the Kayla LaShay show at The Green Monkey and hosts monthly brunches at Libations 317 and Triangle Beer Company. When not hosting events that Haus of LaShay produces, you may find Kayla supporting other events throughout the state. Kayla is big on community outreach and philanthropy. Previously planning and running the NC Pride At Night event in Raleigh, NC, hosting Say Gay or Drag Is Not A Crime events where patrons were provided postcards/stamps for free as a donation from The Green Monkey, to write to legislators expressing the bigotry and hatred that they portray by continuing to suppress marginalized individuals. Kayla believes that philanthropy is and continues to be an important part of the LGBTQIA+ community and sees organizations like the Crape Myrtle Festival as pillars of community outreach. When featured in Walter Magazine, one of the questions asked to Kayla was why do you continue to do it? And easily, the response has always been - "If I can make one person smile or laugh, or talk to a patron to make them feel as if they belong, then my work is done. You never know if that simple hello or how are you today, shug - is the only connection and communication that person has the entire day. The smallest gestures of not just being inclusive but making sure people feel as if they belong could save a life or simply just make someone know they are valued and loved just as they are."

Crape Myrtle Festival means so much to me, as a person identifying in the alphabet community, because of the HIV charitable actions and efforts their fundraising is aimed at addressing with the continuous challenges associated with HIV/AIDS. The impacts CMF makes to individuals, organizations, and communities by contributing resources, time, and support to improve the lives of people affected by HIV/AIDS and to combat the global impact of the disease.