Dolly Parton’s music and philanthropy touched communities across the country, including Juneau. After her recent death, Juneau residents honored her legacy of music and early childhood literacy with a commemorative march on Aug. 28. People walked from the Capitol to the downtown Seawalk, where reporter Jamie Diep talked to individuals about why they were marching and what Parton meant to them.
The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Alexandra Vrabec
She is like the ultimate expression of herself, and I feel like it inspires a lot of people to be themselves, accept themselves, move about in a way, thinking of others. I signed up for the Imagination Library for my oldest child, so we got free books from the time she was born until five, and now her little brother gets to enjoy those books.
I’ve dressed up as Dolly; I think this is my fourth time. So thankfully, everything was already in my closet. But really it’s whatever makes you feel good is something that Dolly would encourage you to wear, so that’s what I’m wearing today.
Brie Kauzlarich
Dolly’s just the ultimate feminist. She never lived by the rules of the patriarchy. She was always going to be herself, and she was. She did it with a smile.
This world is getting more and more self-centered, and she wasn’t like that. She cared about people. She really cared, and she did reinvest her money in her community, and her community grew and grew and grew. And you know, she could have been a billionaire. She chose not to be.
Ramona Anderson
I really like dressing up. I really like sequins and furs, so I just threw it together. I really like how she dresses up and is nice.
Caplan Anderson
Both of my children got a book until they were five, and I tear up every month when they came. Because it’s just amazing what she was able to accomplish.
Gigi Monroe
Dolly’s an inspiration for every drag queen. So when I started impersonating her about 15 years ago, it was such an honor to pay tribute to her in an authentic impersonation kind of way. And I’ve gotten to do some amazing things because of that impersonation. So I’m grateful to her and all the inspiration that she brings to everyone in that whole world.
The first time we did drag story time here in partnership with the Juneau Public Library, M.J. Grande, who was organizing all of that, asked me if I would dress up as Dolly and come and do that story time. It was really amazing because a lot of these kids had received books from Imagination Library, and they knew about the program, and the parents were there to support it. And so it was just like this really cool moment where I got to bring together my drag world and just being a Juneauite and caring about kids and the families who live here.
Annie Bartholomew
I’m a singer-songwriter, and in the Christmas Bazaar Extravaganza, I usually play Jolly Parton.
Who isn’t devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Dolly Parton? And what an important message to spread: love, tolerance, education, joy, being weird.
She’s another mountain music character. I probably play banjo because of Dolly Parton. I write songs because of her. I mean, without her, I don’t know what we’d have.
