As a contestant on the first season of “Rupaul’s Drag Race,†David “Jade†Sotomayor brought a sense of class, sass and Latin spice to the competition. Even though she didn’t win the title of America’s next drag superstar, Jade is still moving forward.
Review Fix: How was your life like growing up in Chicago, Illinois?
JADE: It was really nice. I had a lot of friends and, at a young age, my mother always had me in extra-curricular activities.
RF: What is your family structure like?
JADE: My mother and sister have always lived together with me.
RF: What is your mother like? What about your father?
JADE: My mother is everything [to me]. [She is] literally my back bone. My father is a really great guy but since my mother and [he] have been separated, I’ve been used to going to my mother for everything.
RF: How did you come up with the idea to create Jade?
JADE: Honestly, I needed a job that I can make my own hours and be to able to continue traveling with my dance team. A friend suggested that I perform for this one club and ever since that first show I have continued to perform as Jade all over the US.
RF: How did you break into dancing?
JADE: I’ve been dancing for years now. I started in a non for profit dance team in Humbolt Park in Chicago. From there I received scholarships to other dance schools and continued training and performing for different teams.
RF: How did you feel when you booked the Hugo Boss campaign?
JADE: I didn’t book a Hugo Boss campaign. That was a picture a friend made for me as a joke. I have however had the honor to work with great photographers like Mike Ruiz and most recently Justin Monroe.
RF: What is your favorite activity, being Jade, being a model or being a dancer?
JADE: Well, all three things are definitely a creative outlet. I can’t really choose one because I’m so happy doing them all.
RF: Besides your occupations, what do you do for fun?
JADE: I love to go to dinner parties, movies, shopping, or even barbecues.
RF: Where do you see yourself in one year? How about ten years?
JADE: Next year, [I want to] work more. In ten years, [I want to be] rich and mega famous.
RF: Is there anything else that we should know about you?
JADE: I’m proud to be featured in a new online documentary series that examines how individual effeminate gay men survive and thrive in today’s American queer communities. It’s called 50 faggots.
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