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Island Goddess Legends
celebrating the contributions of our kamaaina mahuwahine Legends of the Future page 2 |
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Interview with a Legend |
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Hinaleimoana Wong
Aloha mai kakou! My name is Hinaleimoana Wong and I am a child
of the Wong, Luke, Mathias/Pali, and Kealoha families. I am the only
child of my mother and the last of my father's four children. I am
the eldest of the grandchildren on my mother's side, and the youngest of
the grandchildren on my father's side. My 'ohana ties run from Hawai'i
to Ni'ihau and I am privileged to say that by honoring and respecting my
family, my family in turn respects me -both for the things I do professionally
and personally.My multi-ethnic background has given me insights and perspectives that I wish more people in this world could experience and see. My Kung-Kung (Chinese grandfather) cams from a family of 3, while my Popo (Chinese grandmother) came from a family of 7. My kupunakane (Hawaiian grandfather) came from a family of 14, while my kupunahine (Hawaiian grandmother) came from a family of 16. With 7 marriages between both my parents, I can say that respecting and honoring individuals was one of the first and foremost lessons of my life that I continue to live out today. How do I do this? I know all of my extended family and indeed, diversity is only accepted and embraced through aloha that is simple, self-less, unconditional, constant, and consistent. My grandparents taught me to always honor the family and to never bring shame to our 'ohana by being mindful of my words and ways so that way, whenever people would look at me, they would only have good things to say. My parents taught me to be dignified, to mind my manners, to not be offensive to others, and to be conscious of my actions and how others might be affected by it. My siblings and cousins taught me to always appreciate what I have and how much of it I got because they never got the same kind of things. I am of Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese, and English descent and I am humbly the punahele of both sides of my family. Punahele means the favored or spoiled child, and why on earth would I say this? Simply because being a punahele means I had to possess the ability to live up to the highest expectations and produce quality effort/output in all I do. It is also means that I bear a tremendous amount of responsibility. I was one of the primary caregivers for my Popo and was fortunate enough to help see her to the next life. My grandmother and the rest of my ancestors regularly visit me through visions and speak to me through hoailona (signs). The older I get, the better I get at reading the signs and messages given to me by my kupuna who have passed on before me. As of this writing, I await my kupunakane to traverse the road already trodden upon by my other grandparents, and upon that day, the cycle of mana (spiritual authority, power, strength, fortitude, and foundation) shall be complete. My kupunahine once confronted my kupunakane regarding my personal life, an while there was initial tension regarding the course of my life, she stood up fearlessly for me and said that no matter what, I am her grandchild and that I would still be loved because that is the Hawaiian way. My Popo also said she would always love me no matter what, and that I should always 'behave' (meaning I shouldn't do things that I would regret later) and not 'make shame' all over the place. What does this mean? This means that while I have indeed lived a very unique life up until this point, inclusive of close calls, compromising and humiliating situations, as well as foolish and inconsiderate acts, my sacrifice is small. I never ever made it a point to say to the world that I was anyone else but Hinaleimoana and not anything else except a child of my family. I was not gay let alone transgendered, or even the negative view of mahu as imposed by western ideology. Am I mahu? Yes! Definitely and let me say that not just anyone can be mahu! In my cultures, being mahu comes with responsibility, duty and dignity. When I walk down the road with the rest of the Hawaiian Community in our struggle for economic, social, cultural, and political justice, I walk down that road with my head held high because I know that I am leading the new generation and what I am able to teach and pass down to my 140 students from grades K-12 is done with aloha (love and respect), ho'omanawanui (patience), and mahalo (appreciation). I know that my students love me unconditionally because I love them unconditionally. My students have been at the forefront of publicity when it comes to the Hawaiian community being present at various community driven rallies, protests, and vigils. Am I transgendered? Yes, by western standards I am. Do I identify with western standards and ideals? No, Do I establish my foundation in the soils of foreign ideal to validate who I am? No! I know that my ancestors allowed me to experience life from the mahu (mahuwahine) perspective because I earned it, not because I'm being punished for it. I have the benefit of being both kane and wahine in this go around life, who knows what's in store for the next time around? What is my message? Accept others unconditionally, and if you cannot, do not expect other to accept you. Respect and love one another, especially your elders. Whether you agree with or identify with their ideology or not is a different story. to keep your mana flowing and always returning to energize and stabalize you, you must continue to keep a positive flow and outlook about yourself, and always put positive thoughts and actions into being . . . be that which is pono manifest because you are pono with yourself and others. Do not accept defeat or dismay, rise up above the billows of live and live aloha. Re-printed from Honolulu Gay Pride 2005 Magazine "Honolulu Grand Marshall" |
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Lanaye Abraxas 
1- Who is Lanagae' Abraxas
? Please share the Golden Dayz of The Glades Era...........as a Post
op mahuwahine ? The best days of my youth were those spent on Hotel Street
working at the Glade Show Lounge 1970-1972. Lanaye Abraxas is a entity
born from the established Glade cast members. As a show girl
I started as a line dancer. After winning the first
Miss Talent-O-Rama Talent Competition I was often requested to
give 'command performance's for Momma Jeri and or her family
members. That number was Natalie Wood's, Let me Entertain You. Later
the same thing happened when Cabaret came out I was cast as Sally Bowles.
Even after I stopped working I was still asked to be a guest performer
for special events and pageants at the club. Naturally I was always
honored to be called upon to do these extra little shows by request.
The choreography the costumes and the great lighting was always top
notch. Besides many ethnic dance numbers and Las Vegas type numbers we
also performed several Broadway Productions such as Jesus Christ Super
Star, Bye Bye Birdie and Cabaret. But out of everything, what
has lingered with me the most was the earth moving pageant called the
Ali Nui. A Queen represented one of the Island Queen complete with individual
island identity and Royal Court. Including kahili bearers, hula dancers
and Kahuna. And each queen was carried out to her thrown on the
stage. And at the end we would sing Hawai'i Pono'i. As a post-op
Mahuwahine I Have managed to go on to other aspects of the entertainment
world. I went to Modeling and Finishing School. I was a fashion model
for Bridal Shows and did a couple of TV commercials. I have had some
stage experience with a comedy troop and took a workshop in stand-up
comedy. For several years now I have enjoyed studying voice and have
had a fair amount of training in a Opera. Yes, we homesteaded for five years
out in the wilds of Alaska. Talk about building character as if I need
any more.These days I focus on my art in order to make social and religious statements. Which
I am happy to say is gaining more acceptance in the art community.
I am also writing and have already completed my first book, based
on Caused and Effect. I am now working on a short story about my homesteading
days. and some day hope to write a story about my days as a Glade Show
Girl.
2) Where are you living now ? ************************************************************************************************ 3-What inspired to become you?
As with most people like 'us' I was driven to march to the tune of my own drummer. It was all a matter of course. 4-Who is your inspiration ? I would not be here today if it were not for the love and attention to my development that was nurtured early on by the entire cast of the Glade. 5-What do you think you have
to offer to the transgender community
I offer the idea that we don't have to hide in a sea of heterosexuals as one of them. In my time if you could deceive and blend into society you in a sense had accomplished something grand. But when all is said and done you are what you are and we might as well make our peace with that and get on with it. As long as we are happy individuals what else can we ask for. One world is not better than the other. It is the state of our minds that really matter. 6-What makes you think makes you stand out from others ? Some of my piers have often referred to me as a trail blazer, a trend setter. In my own way I suppose I was, along with all the other girls of my time. 7-What's been your biggest accomplishment ? The First Mahuwahine to be on Hawaiian post cards that were distributed through Polynesia. This was a social break through for us in a little way. 8-What makes you happy ? The excitement of
what each day brings.
9- What is your secret of being married for over 20 years ?? Being sincere and supportive. 10-Who do you admire? Past ....Present?? My Mother has always been and remains to be my one and only Hero. 11-Do you have pet peeves? Unkindness 12-Where do you see yourself in the future? In Career ? Your expression as an Artist ? As a business woman ? As a Wife ? I see myself as always wanting to polish myself into a creatively enlightened human being. All other things fall into place as a matter of course. 13-What words of wisdom would you give to help someone reaching for help ? The best decisions come when you know yourself and have a good sense of your own stability. 15- When and where did you have
your SRS? Miss your Laka ? In Casa Blanca Africa,
1973, I was 21 years old.
No, I never have missed
it. I always knew that a laka was something I did not need
nor want.
16- What advice would you give
someone considering have a SRS ? Do you have any regrets?? I would say
the best decisions can be made by a person who has a good sense
of self. Talk with other sisters do as much research about
the subject and get as many different perspectives as possible good
and bad.
No, I have never had any regrets. It is the best
thing I ever did for my peace of mind. I knew at the start
of my life that this was the road for me.
17-Do you have final statement for our readers? Life is what we make it not how others tell us how it should be. Achieve your dreams and goals. There is nothing stopping you. |
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In 1964 I was invited to this b'day
party in the projects of Honolulu, the person having
the party told my cousin and I we were invited only
if we came in drag. The rest is history, worked all over
South America, Canada, Jamaica, and of course the South
Pacific. In the early 70's I opted to stay on the mainland (while on tour)and auditioned at this place in Chicago, Ill. called the Baton Show Lounge,. It was a religious experience coming from Hawaii and seeing all this tall gigantic concrete towers. Got the job and my career in the mainland really started. After winning Miss Gay Chicago in 1975, I moved to Atlanta, Ga., where I worked at "THE SWEET GUM HEAD", boy that was a blast. I also started electrolysis treatment, hormones and eventually SILLY CONE, my silicone Dr. was from New York but eventually moved to Atlanta. In 1980 representing Georgia I was 3rd runner-up in Miss Gay USA, Johnna Steele won that year, but they took the title away and eventually gave the title to me , I finished the year out and moved back to Atlanta. When we went to South America we were the first drags ever to work in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, it was A BALL "You girls know what I mean”. In 1985 I was diagnosed with "the gift that keeps on giving" HIV+, .I am happy to say it's been 18 years and I've had no symptoms and not on any meds. My viral load is almost undetectable and my cd4 count is 500........(I love my life), I am on a study to find out how someone can have HIV and not become so sickly,. I tell my doctors "Drag" makes me live healthy. Now if I can only get my feminine shape back, OH, WELL. I now live at a transitional housing for HIV-AIDS clients, it's a wonderful place too live. I have already had two big benefits for our home here. If anyone needs more info about my life please e-mail me, I would love to hear from queens from all over the world. All my love and aloha Miss Dina Jacobs (from tgconnect.com) |
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Raquel Gregory
It
all started with a bunch of mahus that wanted to put a show together
and entertain at backyard parties at the tender age of eighteen.
So we did shows on muddy stages, little garages and front lawns.
We were invited to do a show a Kamakua mau loa Church annual Luau.This
is a little church in Kalihi on Mokauea St. We were thrilled about being
on a real live stage and with a seated audience. We had (and you could
say) our first press release hehehe. I don’t know how it came about
but we received an invitation from Mama Geri she was one of the proprietors
of the Glade Show Lounge. She wanted us to put on a little bit of
a show at her club for a private luau she was having for Tilly this
loud old Hawaiian butch queen that always wore a Catalya orchid pinned
on top of his head. She had a voice like a creaking old door and a nose
like Jimmy Durante for those of you who know who he is. The girls were quite tense and nervous as we performed being that the pros were in the audience and just about every queen that Tilly knew was there, but we pulled thru that night. Later that same night Mama Geri had asked some of our girls if they were interested in working on a show that she was booking in Kansas City. She had ask me to join her show at the club being that she needed a part comedian/light technician. Kalani and I got a room on Smith St at a place where some of the queens lived. It was in back of Shanty Bar a wooden slum structure which had a maze of rooms. Upstairs there were three rooms and a community shower and toilet and downstairs there were four rooms. Now this all does not sound to good but if you’re a queen you have alittle interior decorating talent........ we turned those rooms into palaces complete with chiffon curtains, pillows, satin covers and sexy lightning. Kalani and I lived there and I kept the place after she left for Kansas. It actually it worked out very nice all the convenience of home were right around you. If you needed to eat you had every ethnic food restaurant, if you wanted TV you had Hawaii, Princess, Liberty, and King theater. But if you wanted company the evenings brought that around. The Glade was like any other gay establishment the money was not all that. At this Point it was just a great honor to work with such great talent in a fabulous showroom. The first year and a half I worked with Brandy Lee before she left for the mainland and made more of a name for herself. The nites that I ran the lights it was such a treat to have the best seat in the house looking down on a fabulous show. Brandy was one of those people that just kept your attention from the time she sang till when she took her encores. People could not believe that, that voice was coming out of a guy. She had such class and poise and wore the most beautiful gowns that queens would die for. She sang such numbers as “Build me up buttercup”, “My Way” that was breath taking and who can forget her rendition of “My Life” which brought tears to your eyes. It was an all live show with a three piece band that gave this show something that no other drag show had till today. The show was so ahead of its time in stage productions. The celebs from Waikiki would come down just to steal some of the ideas from this show. Another great act was Tammy Kaye if ever I saw a queen that was so graceful and feminine it was Tammy. She put finesse into stripping, she wasn’t a bump and grind stripper but sold class also. The club had some many complaints about her being a real woman and she was a fraud. There Stacey Lane who was a comedian that I learned a lot from and also Butch Ellis who was the MC of the show. She also sang, told jokes, and sewed too. A lot of the costumes on stage were created by her and Brandy. And who could forget when Butch announced the next act” Ladies and Gentlemen the Glade is proud to present Hawaii’s Own........PRINCE HANALEI!” You would see this Majestic stage presence appear and walk in a graceful(but yet masculine) gliding motion from the top stage to the bottom stage. His head held high and every bit proud of what he was doing. You were mesmerized by his handsome face and at the same time saw the beauty in this man. The costumes he wore was so dramatic, with velvets, rhinestones, fantastic collars, and flaring capes. His whole act consisted of muscle control to standing on his head on a chair and twisting that chair to twirling Poe balls of fire on his butt. His act was one of a kind and I’ve yet to see anyone duplicate it. Along with all this you had for line dancers that did strictly line chorus numbers nothing else. It was Glades’ answer to the Rockettes. They consisted of Wanda Chapman, Edie Sherman, Kim Kimberly, Charmaine Lee Anderson, China Nguyen(Roxane), LaVon Mitchell(Taisha). These girls were the apodeme of drag, eye make-up lashes out to the door, hair-dos that no hairstylist could ever do. Actually I could go on and on with this show. How can you express excellence?.................. I worked on that show for many years we won’t say how many and the many cast members that changed thru the years. There was Dina Jacobs and her strong vocal cords and her comedic talents, Shalei Lutrell, Kalani Kai, Sophia Tai, Gina Laskala, Jovan Marcell, Salyss Rome, Dolinda Ko, Dusty Dushannon, Alana Kela, Isadora Sei, Sherry Shane, Macie Williams, Zana Montez, Zena Shawn, Lacie Lee, and Jackie Japell actually Jackie is the last of the showgirls from the Glade era. If you ever get the chance to watch her perform you can see that something extra with her. She enjoys what she does and shows her love for the business on stage and her professionalism. But it was thru these girls and more I earned my credentials. The Glade gradually came to an End in 1977. They tried pulling it thru with a show first and disco in the later hours but it never worked. The girls that were coming out had no examples to see what it should be like. The former showgirls were moving on to the states and making names for themselves from Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Florida, Atlanta and New York and every place in between. A lot of them were gone for 10 to 20 years before hearing that beckoning call to come home.............it was time. After the Glade, I went to a trade school for awhile then I moved to Oregon with a boyfriend....... we know how that goes . I returned and live in Wahiawa for awhile God knows why...........But I adapted and soon found myself living there for seven years. Zena Shawn needed to get away from the city and became my roommate. We had a nice life there we both had live-in lovers that were in the military and eventually got out and continued to stay with us got jobs and life was nice. We were content Zena went to school for hair and eventually landed a job in Wahiawa at Fantastic Sams as a manager and I started a job at Goodwill. For those seven years we built a whole new life there, till I decided to move back to town for the yearning of show biz and the stage.Zena stayed on in Wahiawa and continued to live her life there thats another story. Ironically we opened up a show at Elsie’s Polynesian club which was right across the street of where the Old Glade once stood. We called the show Dream queens which consisted of Jackie Japell, Lacie Lee, Ursula Rosa, Rita Yancy, Zena Shawn, Samoan Angel, and myself. The show ran alittle over a year we drew mostly a local clientele. Lacie decided to venture into other goals in her life. And it was hard to find the right girls to replace others. At that time Garbo’s(which is Fusion Waikiki today) was the hangout for dancing and they wanted to put a drag show in. They ask Macie to do one, in turn Macie ask me to join her in this endeavor. A long time ago Macie and I were roommates in Waikiki and we had a difficult time living together due to differences of opinions on things. So I knew and loved Macie but I couldn’t work with her I know that both of us were strong minded people in what we wanted in ideas for a show. The show at Garbo’s was a success. It was an all big girl show and was really good. But there came a time when there a misunderstanding on things and the show closed. Following this show came “Serena and Friends” which was a show just full of beauty and talent. The show was based on more solo acts and very little production numbers but it still held its own and was a good show. Alittle while after that the cast members on the show kept changing and was never steady except for a few. I loved the show very much they had such beauties as Junie, Serena, Regina, Edrika, Cassandra, Angela and others. That was the closest I had seen to the Glade Show since its closing. There was no steady flow on the show and supervision. After awhile a very good friend of mine which I could tell you stories of our escapades when we were young.....young? Did I say that? I’m talking about Monica Monet she stepped in and gave the show guidance all on her own. Now Monica was from old school too so she knew how to run a show. The girls respected her and she did a good job of costuming and chorus numbers. At this time Alvin Loch and Sue Kaneshiro had asked me if I would give the show my know how. I loved the business so of course I accepted. The first few months it was really hard for there was a lot of resentment towards me and what made it harder was Monica and I were good friends. But like everything else things has a way of working itself out. This was 12 years ago, Everyday is still a struggle in this business it has not changed from my first day at the Glade to my first day at Fusion Waikiki. But thru my years I feel a great inner happiness to have worked with so many fabulous and great queens and its mine to remember and share. There’s no way this is going to stop yet. I still see it still happening around me with a new generation of fabulous queens. Thru my eyes I see a new Brandy Lee, Tammy Kaye, Shalei or Kalani Kai. Everyday is a new talent and in this business There’s always room for more. I’ve seen it come, I’ve see it happening and I’ve seen it pass on. But its always there......and they’re always there. Its just another time with another face but they’re all there still. You just gotta love it, take it and make it happen for you. Don’t let anyone tell you different you have it only once in a life time so express yourself the best way you know how. And do it now! Raquel |
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It is such an honor to be writing these lines and
sharing part of my life with all of you and I hope you feel the
sincerity, humbleness and the overflow of emotions that I am expressing
in this article.It all started as a joke for me to imitate a “legend” from Puerto Rico, her name was “Myrta Silva”, and who knew that was going to be the beginning of a new life for me. The response was overwhelming and then one thing lead to another and here I am so many years later writing about it. My drag parents (Reggie & Hector) weren’t in any shape or form in the glamour scene, they were just two gay adult men who convinced me to do “drag” and I got the help and assistance from almost everyone I could imagine and that one night in October of ???? (yeah, right LOL) Cukie Jones was born. Then “The Atlantic Beach Hotel” became my “House of Entertainment for many, many years! I had been close friends already for quite some time with a “Diva” in her own category that some of you may recognize as the now “Barbara Herr” the reigning Miss Continental Elite 2005-2006. She was definitely my “mentor” a real jewel. She was “The Queen”! I became involved as a contributing writer for the “Puerto Rico Breeze” newspaper with my everlasting Tom Koontz. We decided to work as a team and create Puerto Rico’s Finest Gay Newspaper ever existed and it’s still standing till the day of today. At the time, there was a high rise of cases of HIV/AIDS and at the beginning of this disease appearing, there was no “education and prevention”, there were hardly any answers to questions, even nurses refusing to treat these patients, it was an epidemic that was causing destruction to lives, everyone was scared. So many friends, relatives, loved ones dying that it was just devastating. “WE MADE THE RULES HAPPEN”! “WE BEGAN THE EDUCATION AND PREVENTION, YES, THE GAY COMMUNITY BECAME A STRONG COMMUNITY AND BEGAN TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS EPIDEMIC AND TRY TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN DEAL, LEARN, EDUCATE AND FIGHT FOR PATIENTS RIGHTS! I WAS THERE. Meanwhile, many people dying, I decided to focus my life in assisting and helping those infected, I just believed I will die of something in this world, so it didn’t scare me at all. Just jumping on this subject comes to mind a gay guy wrote to me in “myspace.com” negative things about drag queens etc…and I am going to insert some parts of my response to him because I feel it goes in accordance to a lot of the questions I have been asked to prepare for this article and here are some of the things I said to him: First: I believe this is a place "MYSPACE" where you can interact with other people, get to make friends and when you travel around or if they come to where you are, there's at least someone you may know and be able to make a friendship happen! Second: As a gay community, it's enough with all the BULLSHIT that WE have to put up with and if we don't make ourselves stronger, AS A COMMUNITY, who will???? Third: How do we expect the "outside" world/people to respect us, when we're the first one's causing division amongst ourselves, separation of identity, separation of beliefs and separation of i'll be with this group or that group!!!! Why can't we just all gather and become a stronger group, instead of looking upon ourselves by our "personal" preferences, rejecting people that can make differences amongst the community and criticizing! EVEN "DRAG QUEENS", TRANSEXUALS, TRANSVESTITES ETC...CAN MAKE DIFFERENCES! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK MAKES FUNDRAISERS HAPPEN??? WHEN DO YOU SEE MALE STRIPPERS VOLUNTEERING THEIR SERVICES UNLESS THEY GET PAID???(Sorry to say but it's true, with very few exceptions)! Fourth: Whats wrong with being simple friends, respecting each others space. Fifth: Just because you have facial hair and "hairy" all over and i may not like that, means i will separate myself from you and reject what could be an inspiring experience to meet an intelligent human being!!!!! (IF YOU WERE TO BE ONE)! Sixth: People who go by what they see, which is the visual, lose the perspective to understand what hides underneath the skin of other human beings!!!! Seventh: Don't judge a book by it's cover! Read it before you criticize and make your opinions!!!! AND "Like Judge Judy's father use to say and title of her second book: "Don't Pee on my leg and tell me it's raining"! I WAS AN HIV/AIDS COUNSELOR AND EDUCATOR, I COME FROM THE ERA WHERE SOME DOCTOR'S AND/OR NURSE'S DIDN'T WANT TO ATTEND/TOUCH THE PATIENTS. I'M PROUD TO BE AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO MADE EDUCATION AND PREVENTION HAPPEN! I HAD TO WRAP UP A DEAR FRIEND IN PLASTIC BAGS WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, BECAUSE THE NURSES DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH AN AIDS PATIENT! I'M PROUD TO NOT HAVE JUDGED PEOPLE FOR THEIR SEXUALITY, RACE, RELIGION OR BELIEFS AND HAVING HIV/AIDS, I TREATED THEM ALL EQUALLY! I'M PROUD THAT AGAINST ALL RULES, I WOULD TAKE THE PATIENTS IN MY CAR AND TAKE THEM TO MEDICAL VISITS, EVEN IF I DID IT IN MY OWN TIME, LIKE THAT I WASN'T BREAKING THE RULES! I MADE MY FRICKIN RULES! IT WAS THE PATIENTS NEEDS THAT NEEDED TO BE MET! I'M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN THE FIRST FEMALE IMPERSONATOR IN PUERTO RICO TO BRING THE HOSPITAL TO THE PEOPLE AND NOT WAITING FOR THE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL, WHEN ALL THE CHAOS OF HIV/AIDS HAD EVERYONE UP IN ROAR. I'M PROUD THAT I BELIEVED I WILL DIE OF SOMETHING IN THIS WORLD ANYWAY, SO, HIV/AIDS DIDN'T SCARE ME AT ALL, JUST MADE ME STRONGER! I'M PROUD THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF HIV/AIDS, NO ONE SHOWED UP TO ENTERTAIN FOR ONE OF OUR FIRST FUNDRAISERS AND I PERFORMED 26 SONGS AND 11 COSTUME CHANGES AND RAISED OVER $5,600.00 BY MYSELF WITH A FABULOUS AUDIENCE AT "THE BAREFOOT BAR" IN PUERTO RICO! AND I HAVE PROOF TO SUSTAIN WITH ARTICLES EVERYTHING I AM WRITING HERE! I'M PROUD THAT I ORGANIZED WITH TOP #1 SINGERS, ACTORS, ACTRESSES, COMEDIANS IN PUERTO RICO TO DO FUNDRAISERS AND RAISE AWARENESS FOR HIV/AIDS! I'M PROUD THAT CNN CAPTURED WHAT I DID ON THEIR HEALTH SERIES TO INVESTIGATE HOW CAN AN ENTERTAINER CAPTURE EVERYONE'S ATTENTION AND THEN DELIVER A MESSAGE OF EDUCATION AND PREVENTION THROUGH SHOWS!!!! I'M PROUD TO BE THE FIRST FEMALE IMPERSONATOR TO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO JOIN AN ORGANIZATION IN PUERTO RICO TO RAISE AWARENESS OF HIV/AIDS AND STD'S! I'M PROUD AS A FEMALE IMPERSONATOR TO HAVE RAISED OVER $100,000.00 FOR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN FUNDRAISERS ETC... INCLUDING NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA, PUERTO RICO, TEXAS, LOUISIANNA , ARUBA AND HAWAII! I'M PROUD THAT I WAS CASTED AND PARTICIPATED IN TWO OF THE MOST BIGGEST SHOWS OF IMPERSONATION: "KENNY KERR'S BOYLESQUE" AND "JEWEL BOX REVUE" FROM LA CAGE! AND BY THE WAY, YES, AN ENTERTAINER, A FEMALE IMPERSONATOR, ALL OF THAT, DOESN'T TAKE "YOU" OR ANYONE ELSE TO BED WITH ME, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR HUMAN BEINGS, WHO RESPECT OTHERS AND JUST WANT TO SHARE EXPERIENCES, INTERESTS AND BE FRIENDS! ALL OF THIS I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AS WHAT YOU CALLED A "DRAG QUEEN"! WELL........ I'M NOT "ASHAMED" OF IT AT ALL.... I'M "PROUD" TO BE A "DRAG QUEEN", A "FEMALE IMPERSONATOR", AN "ENTERTAINER", A "LIPSTICK QUEEN", WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. I'M STILL ONE BASIC AND IMPORTANT THING: A HUMAN BEING!!!!! AND I WILL DO MORE FOR AND IN HAWAII, CAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU JUST MAKE ME STRONGER, AND...ONE MORE THING.... I HOPE YOU NEVER GET SICK, HAVE A CAR ACCIDENT OR A SERIOUS INJURY, YOUR KARMA CAN BE THAT A "TRANSEXUAL", TRANSVESTITE OR A "DRAG QUEEN" CAN BE THE ONE TO COME TO YOUR RESCUE! AND I'M MORE PROUD TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF THIS AND EVEN MORE NOW FROM A WHEELCHAIR!!!!! I think I straightened him out. Yes, wheelchair, well I had two accidents and with time things have changed, but it hasn’t stopped me from wanting to do more. Going back, I do have a lot of people I remember as an inspiration, many of them already passed away but still alive in my heart. It was an era where it was hard and difficult, nothing as easy like everyone has in these days. There were so many turmoils with this AIDS epidemic that was just causing heartbreak one moment after another. Anyone can put a dress on, makeup and just do a number, but to convince the attention of the audience, to make them believe that you are the one singing/performing instead of their favorite artist, to convey a performance that wow’s the audience, to create a moment where your performance is in command, that you are “the best” at what you are doing, NOT EVERYONE can do that and I believe the audience deserves YOUR BEST! I come from the “Old School” we made the best with what we had. We had no “MAC”, we had no “digital cameras”, “computers”, we had no “Vavoom”, no “Paul Mitchell”, “no Sebastian”, we did everything from scratch. Creativity was our game. Innovation is what we brought to stage. We always believed in perfecting everything we did. Our best black eye shadow (and this one is for the old timers to laugh and remember, but it is true) light a match to a champagne or wine cork and boom, the best black eye shadow right there…those were the days my friends…lived it and loved it. We learned everything the hard & difficult way. Nothing was given to us easy, as it is now for so many. I was the host for G.O.A.L. (Gay Officers Action League) this is an organization of real gay police officers and around 150 of them arrived in Puerto Rico, this was covered by major news media, associated press, television etc…and I was their “girl”. CNN covered my show and health news about AIDS in Puerto Rico. My fondest memory which I have on tape was participating as the “closing performer” in New Yorks Gay Pride Festivities and it was on my birthday and to have over 750,000 people singing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” to me right before my act was breathtaking, a real unbelievable moment. I do have a couple of people that I admire in the entertainment industry here in hawaii, hats off to a real diva herself, the majestic Dina Jacobs, she is a legend, an exquisite entertainer, a 100% vow to hawaii’s very own Diva/Legend herself Ms. Brandy Lee she can sing and entertain, I could be watching her for hours and hours and never get bored, in the younger version I have always fell in love with the magnetism of Teighlor Armani, she always knows how to conquer and please an audience and she’s always a sexy hottie (especially when she does Tina Turner), but also a driving force behind the microphone and a dominatrix on stage. Some accomplishment’s I am proud is to have been the “FIRST ONE” in the History of Hawaii’s Gay Pride to have ever raised so much money for charity and become MISS GAY PRIDE HAWAII 2004-2005! To have been part of Empress Gingers XXII reign as Amethyst Grand Duchess 2004 to The Imperial Court of All Hawaii, to have been acknowledged by the community and be elected as Grand Marshal for Hawaii’s Gay Pride Festivities 2003-2004, and to have received the “Helping Hands Award” from Empress 19 Del Anna C, especially when all of this has been achieved from a wheelchair. To finalize this story I just have to say to everyone reading: We all make mistakes, we all have our errors and trials, we all have moments of regrets, but the best thing that we can do is to face it all on our own, be true to ourselves and let the shining moment of justice prevail for us. Sometimes it takes a while to see justice served, be patient it will come. It’s never to late to do right! In the end, we only have one judge and he above all, know’s the truth within us. So, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, errors etc…let that be your strength, learn from it all, let it make your path to be better. Many are the “FAKES” out there, it’s ok, just make sure “YOU are the REAL THING”. And as I said before and will always repeat saying: YOU don’t have to be INFECTED To be AFFECTED by AIDS! Thank you for allowing me to share some of my history With lots of love and aloha from the bottom of my heart to yours, always Ms. Cukie Jones |
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Worldwide
Goddess Websites |
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Bernie
Brandt 
Isadora Sei
Tina 
Kaina
Jacobs 
Yoshiko
Oshiro 
Sharee
Angela
Carera
Teighlor
Roxy
Cukie
Tavena 
Kayleen
Leslie
Asia
Stacia
Liane