EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Days before Drag Queen Story Hour at North Park library, the volunteer selected to read at the event spoke to the Courier & Press.

I interviewed 23-year-old Owen Jackson and Jackson as his drag persona — Florintine Dawn — about life as a drag queen and Saturday's event.

The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library disclosed Jackson's participation to the Courier & Press earlier this week.

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Here's what Jackson (and Florintine Dawn) had to say:

Where were you born?

I was born Aug. 25, 1995. I was adopted from Romania. I was adopted twice, actually. My second family moved to Evansville in 2012, and I've lived here since. I barely remember my childhood, probably because it was a negative part of my life. I don't remember Romania at all. I just know that I was born there from pictures.

What does a day in your life look like?

I wake up at 7 a.m. It can be a struggle, sometimes. I get to work by 8. I'm usually done with work by 4 or 5 p.m. In my free time, I hang out with friends and party a little bit. Try to fit in some family time, too. I live a normal life.

What's your favorite restaurant?

I have several. My favorite Chinese buffet restaurant is Canton Inn. My favorite healthy restaurant is Panera Bread. I love it. I'll go there for salads all the time. My favorite pizza restaurant is Lombardi's pizza. My favorite high-end restaurant is Biaggi's. I go there just for the bread.

What are your thoughts on Evansville?

I love living in Evansville. It's very community-oriented. It's exciting to see Downtown growth. I hope to see the community get more tight-knit with each other, interact more and get along more. A dream of mine would be to get involved in local politics.

Aside from drag, do you have other hobbies?

I enjoy being outdoors. I love to take pictures, especially nature. I try to make the world a better place. I just like to hang out and live life. Living life is a hobby.

How did you get started in drag?

I went to my first drag show in 2017. I rushed to a show with a friend after work one night. We caught the last part. Seeing drag in person brought a sense of amazement to me. I thought, "I could transform into a queen, just like that." It was mind-blowing.

At what point do you become Florintine Dawn?

When I completely finish getting ready: the outfit, the hip pads, the breasts. That's when the character begins. Sometimes, Florentine will come out during the day, the sassy part of her. But mostly, she comes out after the outfit is on.

Are there things that you like or dislike about Florintine Dawn?

She can be a little conceited, at times, but she likes to have fun. She loves to entertain. She's very interactive with a crowd. Not all queens are.

What's Florintine's story?

There was a baby photo of me with "Constantine Florintine" on the back. I decided to keep the Florintine part. I wanted to have a connection to where I came from and keep it close to my heart. The name Dawn came from my drag mother, whose name was Misty Dawn. I combined the two names. From there, Florintine just grew on me. I originally had brown hair. All of the sudden, I became a blonde. Everybody said I looked better as a blonde — so here I am as a blonde, looking fantastic.

How does it make you feel to perform?

Sometimes, I get nervous. Getting ready can be stressful. But when Florentine comes together, my nerves calm down. My body becomes intertwined with (her personality.) I just love to have fun with it. It's exciting to do drag.

How did you become involved with Drag Queen Story Hour?

One of my former co-worker's wives currently works for the library. They contacted me and asked if I was interested in doing Drag Queen Story Hour. Obviously, I said yes.

What do you want kids to get out of this event?

First, I want kids to enjoy the books that I read. I want them to know that it's okay to be different. I don't want them to think they can be different just because they saw a drag queen read a book. I don't want to push drag on the kids, either. I hope the parents are supportive of the experience the kids (have at the event.) Honestly, I just hope they accept me as a normal woman reading a book to them.

What books have you selected for the event?

The first book that popped in my mind was "Goodnight Moon." It was read to me as a child. Another book I'll be reading is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

What would you tell the protesters or critics of the event?

Hopefully, they understand that change is not bad. I also hope they learn something out of this experience, positive or negative. I'm not here to force anyone's opinion. To hear criticism about the event must mean drag has a big impact in the community. It's no longer in the closet. When someone says something negative about me, it's not necessarily a bad thing. With negativity comes growth. And, with this event, the city will grow.