Elijah Palles (he/him/his) aka Eddie Broadway has been a drag entertainer in Phoenix, AZ for 10 years. During his time, he has held numerous titles, namely Mister Phoenix Pride 2014, Mister USofA MI 2017, Emperor to Reign XIII of the Imperial Court of Arizona, King Father to Reign XV of the Imperial Court of Arizona and is the current Mr. Trans USA 2020. Through his performing career, he has been an activist for transgender visibility and awareness. Elijah was the first elected transgender emperor of the imperial court of Arizona and enacted the Broadway Gatlyn Spectrum Grant that awards up to $5,000 annually towards an Arizona resident to assist with gender affirmation surgery. Elijah had the honor of assisting the 2020 scholarship cycle for the Jim Collins Foundation recipients.
Outside of performing, Elijah is a mental health therapist and works primarily with the transgender/gender non-conforming community in assisting with their transition and mental health concerns. Elijah also specializes in trauma therapy and works heavily with complex issues that face the LGBTQ community. Elijah sits on the board of RipplePHX and is the Vice President of the Board of the Imperial Court of Arizona. Elijah as a newly diagnosed transgender man and is the current co-chair for Aunt Rita’s AIDS Walk 2022, leading fundraising efforts for this organization.
His term on the Board expires June 13, 2024.