By, Daniel P’Lopez
photos Courtesy of Miss International Queen USA
Fresh off being crowned Miss International Queen USA 2026, Lo Colby is stepping into a bigger spotlight with grace, honesty, and purpose. Warm, reflective, and easy to talk to, Colby opened up about her journey from Hawaii to Los Angeles, her path to transition, and what it means to represent not only beauty, but the strength and resilience of the trans community.
Originally from Oahu, Hawaii, Colby said she was raised on the west side of the island, about 30 minutes outside Honolulu. She describes her childhood as loving and supportive, something she knows not everyone gets to experience.
“I had an incredible family that just allowed me to be myself,” she said. “I was very, very lucky.”
Even as a child, Colby knew she was different. She remembers always gravitating toward the girls, playing with Barbie, and sometimes wearing women’s clothes. Still, while she sensed that difference early on, she did not yet have the words to explain it.
“I always knew I was different,” she said. “I don’t think I had a concept of what it was until I was an adult.”
Growing up in Hawaii, she was aware that trans people existed, but understanding herself took time. It was later, after entering the drag scene and spending more time around trans women, that she began to see herself more clearly. Even then, she admits it was a process.
“For a long time, I didn’t allow myself to explore it,” she said. “Then through a lot of therapy, I allowed myself to explore it, and that’s how I started transitioning.”
Pageantry was already part of Colby’s world. As a member of the Colby drag family, she said competitions were always something she admired. In Hawaii, pageantry is not taken lightly — it is celebrated as both an art form and a serious tradition.
“Following in Sasha’s footsteps, pageants were always something that I loved,” she said. “Growing up watching Miss Universe and Miss USA, it was always around me.”
After beginning her own drag career, Colby started competing in drag pageants. But she never imagined that Miss International Queen USA would one day feel possible. That changed when Todd and Timmy recruited her at a drag pageant, opening the door to something bigger.
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, I could actually do this,’” she said. “Not only can I compete, I think I could win.”
She was right.
Still, when her name was announced as the winner, the moment felt unreal.
“I was kind of confused,” she said, laughing. “It didn’t feel real.”
It was only when first runner-up Janet embraced her and told her, “Girl, you did it. You won,” that everything suddenly sank in.
For Colby, the title means far more than a crown or a sash. She sees Miss International Queen as a platform meant to highlight the beauty, humanity, and achievements of trans women in all areas of life.
“It’s not just a beauty pageant,” she said. “It’s a platform that shows how incredible trans women are in the things that they’re doing in their communities, in their lives, and in their service.”
That larger mission became even more meaningful as she got to know the women she competed alongside. She described them as inspiring and deeply committed to helping others.
Winning also reinforced something she now carries with her: the power of authenticity.
“The experience taught me that being yourself can take you so far,” she said. “I promised myself I wouldn’t try to change who I was to win the crown. I wanted my personality to shine. I wanted people to just see me.”
That same honesty shapes the advice she gives to anyone questioning who they are or trying to understand themselves more fully.
“Take your time. There’s no rush,” she said. “Transitioning is not one moment. It takes time to accept who you are, to explore that part of yourself, and then it takes courage to live your life authentically.”
Outside the pageant world, Colby says her biggest love is her pug, Potato, whom she calls “the love of my life.” She also enjoys playing video games, something she says surprises people. But much of her life beyond the stage is rooted in service.
She has worked with organizations such as the LA LGBT Center and Camp Lightbulb, an overnight camp for queer youth where young people can feel safe being themselves. She says grassroots community work and fundraising are especially important right now as support and resources continue to be challenged.
“Doing the work is really important to me,” she said.
At the moment, Colby’s main focus is preparing to represent the United States in Thailand this September, where she will compete for the international Miss International Queen title. It is the next major step in a journey that has already taken her further than she once thought possible.
As for dating, she says that part of her life is on hold for now.
“She is too busy for a relationship right now,” she said jokingly.
Still, Colby remains grounded, hopeful, and clear about the message she wants to leave with others, especially in a time when many people feel pressure from the outside world to be something they are not.
“Don’t let the world paint a picture of you,” she said. “You get to paint the picture of yourself. Keep doing you, keep being exactly who you are. You’re loved, you’re seen, and we’re gonna get through this.”
With humility, heart, and a strong sense of purpose, Lo Colby is wearing her crown not just for herself, but for everyone who is still learning to embrace who they are.
Follow Lo Colby on Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms at @thelocolby.