Aug 20, 2003

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VR Who is Jodie Santana?
JS Well I think Jodie Santana is the person that I have grown into, She has been there all my life but now like the rose bush, I feel Spring is here and she is flowering.

VR Where are you living these days?
JS I live in Chicago Illinois.

VR Are you still performing and if so, any place in particular?
JS Oh yes I still perform in Chicago at the world famous Baton Show Lounge and other clubs and all over the country.

VR I know this is a hard question, but can you tell us what your life has been about?
JS My life has been up and down through the years like most transgender people, but the one thing that I have always tried to do was to make my mom proud of me and thank God she is, you only get one mom!

VR I know you have entered been the winner of many pageants in your life, can you share a few of them with us and do you have any pageants planned for the near future?
JS Yes i have won a lot of pageants, Miss Illinois USA, Miss Missouri USA and Miss Chicago Continental and I have finished in the top 4 in many others. I do have to say more then anything I want to be Miss Continental USA, and I am hoping it happens this year. (Note from Vicki: this title in my eyes, is the number one title in all of the USA. These ladies spend 10's of thousands of dollars to prepare for this event, good luck Jodie)

VR When you were growing up and each morning you would look in the mirror did you feel that was the wrong person looking back at you?
JS No I didn't think it was the wrong person I just new I felt more like a girl and it came easy to me I have five sisters.

VR Who was your inspiration?
JS That is easy, my mother, I am such a lucky girl to have her

VR Who do you admire?
JS Again it is my mother

VR I know in the show and drag world, we all have drag mothers, drag sisters and drag daughters, would you care to share any of them with us?
JS Lots of drag sisters and a few daughters, My sisters Monica Monroe, Mimi Marks, Ginger Grant, Sheri Payne, Shauna and all the girl at the Baton Show Lounge and can't forget my older sisters Blanche Dubois, Chelsea Pearl, Dena Cass, Chile Pepper and many more. My daughters are Danielle Hunter of Orlando, Florida and Jocelyn Johnset Santana of Chicago Illinois and a few more (Another note from Vicki: This woman has just named off ten names who, if there was a list of the best in drag entertainment, they would be in the top 25 for sure)

VR What do you think makes you stand out above others?
JS I think my ability to help people see that if I can do it, anyone can with a lot of hard work and a good personality. You know I preach you can be who you want, you just have to have the will to want to get there.

VR Do you get nervous when you are asked to speak to a group or perform on stage?
JS I would not be telling you the truth if I said "no not at all", If I did I feel that is when it is time to stop doing it, that is when I would be taking my audience for granted and that is not fair to them. Every time I go out there to perform I should and do feel like it is my first and that is what I love about this business.

VR Would you ever get SRS(reassignment surgery) or when did you have your surgery?
JS No I don't think that is for me, I decided a long time ago I am who I am no matter what!

VR What do you think has been your biggest accomplishment to date?
JR Well I have done a lot in my life, I am a very lucky girl but being whom I have become is the best, knowing that the people I love, love me back!

VR What really makes you happy?
JS Having ice cream<smile>

VR What really makes you upset?
JS Not having ice cream and but more than that, see someone I love get hurt!

VR Do you have any pet peeves?
JS I hate when people are late!

VR Have you ever had a true love in life?
JS No, not really

VR Are you in love now?
JS Not in love and don't think its for me right now but you never know later on down the road.

VR Do you think you are nice person or do you think you can be a bitch at times?
JS I think that I treat people good and i try to give everyone a fair chance but if you treat me bad I just don't have you in my life, period.

VR I know for a fact Jodie you are one of the girls, people come to for help or if they have a question about anything. You are one of the girls everyone looks up to, how did you ever get yourself in this position and are you proud to be there?
JS I like to help new entertainers, girls guys what ever. I am so glad that people know that they can ask me because I am not above helping anyone, we were all there ourselves at one time! I know I have reached out many time when I was young.

VR Where do you see yourself in the future, are you planning to continue performing or is there something else in your future?
JS The future is the future as they say, I would like to continue my education, you are never smart enough<smile>. As for performing, lets continue with the present and go from there.

VR As a transgendered person do you think you have receive proper respect you deserve in life?
JS That is a real hard question, the answer is no but have any of us transgendered or not got the respect we deserve in this day and age?

VR What do you think you have to offer the transgender community, anything at all?
JS I am a fish in a pond, if I choose I can swim alone or in a school. If I swim alone as one small fish, I can offer nothing, but if I swim in a school, I am one of many. What I am trying to say, is if we try to go it alone, we can offer nothing but if we stick together as one, we will be heard.

VR Do you think you have made a difference in the transgender community?
JS All I can say is I am very proud of who I am and what I have done, if that counts, but yes I think I have made a difference, but a small one. But again, like I said above, if there are many of us with a lot of small differences, we have made a big difference.

VR Do you think you still have more work to do for the transgender community?
JS Easy question, yes, but I can not do it alone, we must come together as one.

VR Do you feel that we as transgendered people are getting what we deserve as human beings from our government?
JS We have not in the past but it is starting to turn around in some of the states, but the one thing I would like to see is for all the states adopted the transgender community into their hate crime bills.

VR Off to an easier question do you have a favorite movie and why?
JS Yes the color purple, talk about having it hard and she came out on top just like I know I will!

VR What words of wisdom would you give a to someone who is reaching out for help?
JS Don't give up your desires just because you were told it would never happen. It will happen if you want it to happen hard enough.

VR Do you have a final statement, for our readers?
JS Yes Miss Vicki I want to thank you from all of us! I hope I will be as good a role model as you are sis. You have turned out to be a good friend, one I know will always be there if needed, thank you lady.

Final comment from Vicki Rene: Jodie I consider one of my very best friends. Just look at her beauty, did you know that that beauty is not just on the outside, it goes all through that beautiful woman. We have all known very beautiful people in the past and they are friendly when you are face to face, but you know I get email from this lady when I don't write her and let her know I am ok, she is like my mother, she worries about her friends, what a great person this is!

I really hope to God and I pray to him asking him to let the judges at the Miss Continental USA Pageant, that this is your next winner...there will be a lot of beautiful women there, but in my eyes and I hope yours also, this is the most beautiful of all. This is what beauty is all about.