Watch NBC4's report on West's first 'Drag Race' competition in 2019 in the video player above.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Nina West, the Columbus drag queen who was honored with a street named after her in the Short North, is returning to "RuPaul's Drag Race" to compete in a new season airing this summer.
West is one of eight queens participating in season nine of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars," a spinoff series featuring fan-favorite contestants from prior seasons, premiering on May 17. The Columbus queen last appeared on season 11 of "Drag Race" in 2019, where she placed sixth and won the title of Miss Congeniality.
"I'm back to snatch the crown," said West on social media, who is also known for making history in 2019 as the first person to ever walk the Emmy's carpet in full drag.
The competition lineup includes Angeria Paris VanMicheals, Gottmik, Plastique Tiara and Vanessa Vanjie, who performed in central Ohio last year at an annual walk raising awareness for those living with HIV. The queens are competing to win a donation of $200,000 for a charity of their choosing, marking the first time contestants are harnessing their drag skills to win money for a variety of organizations.
West is competing for The Trevor Project, a leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ youth. Trevor offers 24/7 crisis services, connecting trained counselors with young people whenever they need support. To drive prevention efforts, Trevor also operates robust research, advocacy, education and peer support programs.
After auditioning nine times, West told NBC4 in 2019 "it almost seemed like the impossible dream" before she was first chosen to battle for the title of America's next drag superstar. It was a wish come true for West who had wanted to work in show business since childhood, a goal she further achieved when touring the nation in 2022 as Edna Turnblad in "Hairspray."
"It's humbling to think that my journey really is just starting," West said to NBC4 in 2019. "I'm a product of [Columbus]. And my successes are because of this city."
West was later recognized in 2019 by Columbus when Hull Alley in the Short North was renamed "The Nina West Way," with the street sign bearing West's signature "be kind" message adorned in LGBTQ+ Pride colors. The same year, West was named the Grand Marshall of the Columbus Pride Parade.
"Nina West is not only a pillar in the Short North community, but a leader for equality and kindness," said Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance, when Nina West Way was installed. "To those of us who have known her kindness for years, it is a joy to watch the nation discover it through her recent success."
The Columbus queen also boasts herself as an advocate for youth and published her first children's book, "The You Kind of Kind," in 2022. Dolly Parton called the book "a charming message about the power of kindness through text packed with bolded and capitalized made-up words that beg to be read aloud."
West is also set to deliver the keynote address at the Columbus College of Art and Design's spring commencement this May, where she will receive an honorary doctorate awarded in recognition of her creative achievement and influence on art and culture.
"[West's] creative contributions to Columbus and to national contemporary cultural and LGBTQ+ activism are tremendous, not to mention the sheer joy he brings to those he encounters along the way," said Dr. Melanie Corn, president of CCAD, in a release.
