Exuberant photos documenting a Fire Island on the cusp of change
“Doll Invasion, Juneteenth programming and Papi Juice parties are creating history in real time” CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PRODUCER AND CASTING DIRECTOR MISSLEIDY RODRIGUEZ/ JIMI URQUIAGA PHOTOGRAPHERS CARMEN DECRISTO AND NABIL MERABET FULL CAST AND TEAM CREDITS CONTINUED BELOW Fire Island Pines, America’s most famous gay village, is synonymous with the kind of affluent, white and distinctly cis male who seems far removed from many folks’ experience of queerness.
However, in their latest project, Jimi Urquiaga – a costume designer, producer, creative director and drag queen – is keen to deconstruct this one-dimensional view of the queer holiday destination.
During the summer months, Urquiaga works on Fire Island – both in the plant shop Camp and as a landscaper for the island’s homeowners.
From this vantage point, the creative has been able to experience life in the Pines from a different perspective than the mostly white and middle class depictions we often see in the media.
