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T he most rewarding part of drag performance is seeing the faces of strangers light up. That ‘wow’ moment, which frequently happens with children but can also happen for adults, makes it all worth it.”
Fighting the “Goode” Tim Newborn, also known as “Oshi Goode,” uses performance art for a greater purpose
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good interview is a rare and memorable thing for any writer, and this was especially true when I sat down to speak with Tim Newborn, philanthropist, artist, war veteran and wellness advocate. Scheduled for early evening, our chatter carried well into the night, as we recounted all of the things we love about Charleston, being creative and working with others. Newborn, a native of a tiny rural town in Mississippi, knew as a kid that there was a bigger world out there—if he could only find a way to reach it. He decided to join the United States Navy, where he spent the next five years as a photojournalist, garnering accolades such as the Joint Commendation Service Medal and the Navy Achievement Medal by the Chief of Naval Operations. At the end of his Naval career, Newborn further heeded his inclination to be creative and enrolled at the Savannah College of Art & Design, where he studied performance art and advertising. Today, Newborn works for Blackbaud as their Customer Advocacy and Engagement Manager. He also performs as Oshi Goode, a fun-loving drag queen who fundraises for community
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awareness on the topic of lung disease, which is near and dear to his heart. Your background sounds quite creative. How do you obtain creative fulfillment in your current role at Blackbaud? My role at Blackbaud is to drive customer engagement and advocacy. That said, creativity is necessary to design valuable experiences and meaningful moments that will delight and inspire customers to advocate for our company. It’s very fulfilling, because I’m able to associate with people who are doing incredible things to change the world. How does your performance as Oshi Goode help perpetuate your beliefs that disease does not discriminate and that it’s important to take a non-biased approach to health (and everything else)? I ultimately decided to begin fundraising under the stage name Oshi Goode—that’s “Oh, She Good” with a little flair—for a few
