Juana Candela, trans woman, Santa Clara, Cuba, Queen Mother, prison, discrimination, persecution, rebellious, tenacious, LGBTQ oppression, Cuba, elder, trans community, fighting spirit, social change.

By day, a city street sweeper; by night, legendary drag pioneer Lola Flores. Now in her mid-sixties, she began in the harsh 90s recession. With no resources, she found heels in the garbage, put flowers in her hair, and the stage became her home, a legacy born from resilience.

During the HIV crisis, Cuba isolated those who tested positive indefinitely. Crespo was held for 15 years in a sanitorium near Santa Clara. Now, for the first time since his release, he returns to the abandoned facility to tell his story of confinement and survival.

Artist/activist Javier dreams of professional artistic recognition in Cuba. As his drag persona Sinthya, he travels to rural towns near Santa Clara. Through performance, Sinthya acts as activism, working to change societal attitudes toward the LGBTQ community across the country.

Cuban drag's pioneers faced scarce resources, using DIY makeup and shared wigs. They endured brutal consequences for self-expression. Joel’s stories are both joyous and horrifying. Yet, despite everything, he remains in Cuba, fighting for LGBTQ rights and inspiring a new generation to join the qu...

Drag queen Nomi’s glamorous, sassy stage presence contrasts her serious work with CENESEX, Cuba's LGBTQ justice organization led by Mariela Castro. Through her life and advocacy, we see how attitudes toward LGBTQ people across Cuba are beginning to evolve.