by Jonathan Swindle When Donna Blaze Johnson came out in the summer of 1977, she found her way to Corpus Christi’s LGBTQ community through a series of articles in the Caller-Times—and what she discovered changed her life forever. For decades, Donna has been a beloved fixture in our community: the first woman bartender at legendary venues like the Zodiac and Jolly Jack Lounge, a performer with her band Donna and the Daves, a leader of Dykes and Friends on Bikes in our Pride Parade, and a mentor to countless LGBTQ youth. Her story is one of resilience, transformation, and the unbreakable bonds of chosen family.
Donna’s early years in the scene were full of the kind of energy that made Corpus Christi’s LGBTQ nightlife legendary. She became the first woman bartender in the LGBT community, working at the Zodiac and Jolly Jack, pouring drinks and soaking in the vibrant pre-AIDS community filled with drag shows and unforgettable queens like Michelle Lee. She also took the stage herself, performing with her band Donna and the Daves at the lesbian bar, describing herself as “a train wreck” but blessed with a three-octave vocal range that brought the house down. Those were days of Splash Day beach parties on Padre Island, seawall cruising, and a sense of freedom that felt limitless—until the AIDS crisis devastated an entire generation of beautiful friends.
But Donna’s story is also one of recovery and reinvention. In 1985, she got sober, finding new community in AA’s biker culture and eventually riding with the Chrome Divas at the Three Twisted Sisters. When she returned to Corpus Christi in 2001, she reconnected with old friends and discovered the vital work of organizations like the Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation. Donna has become a fierce advocate for visibility and safety, leading the Corpus Christi Pride Parade as part of Dykes and Friends on Bikes, bringing the powerful tradition of motorcycle activism from San Francisco and New York to our own streets.
Donna’s full oral history is a gift to our community—a candid, heartfelt conversation spanning nearly five decades of LGBTQ life in the Coastal Bend and beyond. You can watch the complete interview and explore specific moments at Our Community Lives.
Do you have a story to share about LGBTQ life in the Coastal Bend? We want to hear from you. Visit ourcommunitylives.org/submit-history to preserve your memories and add your voice to our living archive. Your story matters, and it deserves to be celebrated.