Nina West appears at Up North Pride 2023
3 years ago
United States Nina West, the drag persona of Andrew Levitt, is an American drag queen, actor, singer-songwriter, and queer activist known for her advocacy and philanthropy, consistently supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations and community welfare.
Dolly Parton and 'RuPaul's Drag Race' queen Nina West teamed for a limited-edition capsule collection featuring three items for her 'Kindness is Queen' charity collection benefiting LGBTQ+ youth. Proceeds also went to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to increase youth literacy.
Dearfoams, a slipper and shoe manufacturer, launched a collaboration with Nina West on new designs aimed at honoring the LGBTQ community.
Nina West and Lane Bryant collaborated to celebrate PRIDE.
Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream and drag queen Nina West collaborated to create the Dream Puff flavor. All proceeds from this collaboration went to the Nina West Foundation.
Nina West starred in a commercial for Pantene shampoo.
Nina West was featured in Pepsi's digital content.
Nina West debuted 'Treat Yourself' for Gay Men's HIV Awareness Day in partnership with OraQuick.
Nina West was involved in a campaign for the film 'Trolls World Tour.'
Nina West was involved in a campaign for the film 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.'
Andrew Robert Levitt, known by his stage name Nina West, was born in Greentown, Ohio. He pursued higher education at Denison University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater. His career in drag began in 2001, adopting the persona of Nina West. She became known for hosting the annual ‘Heels of Horror’ show at Axis Nightclub and the competition ‘So You Think You Can Drag?’. In 2008, she secured the Entertainer of the Year award, a recognition that highlighted her rising prominence in the drag community and influenced mainstream culture, with her ensemble inspiring Sia’s outfit at the 2016 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Nina West’s national recognition significantly increased with her participation in the eleventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. After nine previous auditions, she was selected for the 2019 season, where she finished in sixth place and was honored with the title of Miss Congeniality. During her time on the show, she achieved two challenge wins and made history in the ‘Snatch Game’ challenge by being the first queen to impersonate a figure from the original Match Game. Post-Drag Race, she released three EPs in 2019: ‘Drag Is Magic,’ ‘John Goodman,’ and ‘The West Christmas Ever.’ She later competed in RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 9 in 2024.
Beyond entertainment, Andrew Levitt has consistently engaged in philanthropic efforts and social activism, particularly for the LGBTQIA+ community. Living in Columbus, Ohio, he champions causes related to HIV/AIDS awareness and testing, marriage equality, trans rights, and childhood education. The Nina West Fund, established in collaboration with The Columbus Foundation around 2015, has raised over $3 million for various non-profit and charitable organizations, including the ACLU of Ohio, Dress for Success Columbus, Equitas Health, and the Kaleidoscope Youth Center. Her contributions were recognized with the Create Columbus Commission Visionary Award in 2017 and an equality award from the Human Rights Campaign Columbus chapter, further establishing her as a significant figure in both entertainment and activism.
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