BURIEN, Wash. — Kennedy Catholic High School's prom night at the Columbia Club turned into a groundbreaking moment for Marilyn and Payton, two students who just graduated.
"I have no idea how we got nominated," Payton said. Marilyn quickly followed with "Yeah, you do. We campaigned."
The playful back-and-forth banter left no doubt, these two have been dating for quite some time; two and a half years at this point.
"Okay, I campaigned after we got on prom court because I was like, 'This would be so cool if we won,'" Payton said.
"I think everyone kind of realized how monumental that would be, or the possibility of that," Marilyn said.
This possibility would have been hard to imagine for many at Kennedy Catholic High School just a few years ago.
"With all the stuff of the teachers being fired... there was a lot of uncertainty, I think," Marilyn said of the February 2020 controversy that embroiled their school. Two teachers let the community know they were essentially fired because of being members of the LGBTQ+ community. The school said they voluntarily resigned. The protests afterward had a profound impact on Marilyn and Payton who were freshmen at the time.
"We had sit-ins and walk-outs, we drove and protested up in Seattle," the couple said, finishing each other's sentences. "It was great to see the community really stand up for what we believed was right,"
The couple believes their classmates, remembering that contentious time, helped get them nominated and ultimately, crowned prom queens.
First-ever pair of prom queens crowned at Kennedy Catholic High School
"I think the student body was able to show how they felt through voting for us," Marilyn said. "Once they said our names, it was just really cool to hear everyone cheer and feel that unwavering support. It definitely felt like a full-circle moment. It felt like we were making history."
"A few people came up to us after. They were crying and said 'Oh my gosh, we did it," Payton said.
Now high school graduates, the young women hope their win will cement the possibility that anyone at their alma mater, no matter how they identify, can become prom royalty.
At the request of their parents, KING 5 did not use any last names. Marilyn's mom and Payton's father, Catherine and Jason, said they're so proud of their daughters, but still fear for their safety and hope to spare them from being attacked by people online.
Throughout the interview, the parents beamed with pride as their daughters spoke. They talked to us about the historic win. Listen below to hear some of what they had to say: