Our current reigning Queen of Cortelyou is a talented AFAB beauty with a celebrated drag mom and a slew of gigs to carry us into the summer season: Mariquita! [Cover photo: Soy Leche]
Thotyssey: Hi Mariquita, happy May! We’re about half way through the month, how has it treated you so far?
Mariquita: May has been great! The majority of my bookings have been towards the end of the month, so I’ve had a little bit of time to prep for my gigs.
Excellent! How might you describe your drag today, as far as looks and numbers go?
I’ve been remaking some looks to pay tribute to artists I really love, like Kali Uchis or Shakira. I’ve based my drag around hyper femme, Latin diva culture and energy, and I’ve been really leaning into it these days.
Where are you from originally, and how do your drag journey begin?
Get ready girl, it’s a bit of a long story! So I moved to Georgia from New Jersey when I was 13, which was a major culture shock! I went from being an hour away from New York City to being an hour away from the nearest movie theater. While I was there, I discovered Drag Race and I would secretly watch bootleg episodes on my laptop–every episode, religiously.
Then when I graduated college I came to NYC, I started going to weekly Drag Race viewing parties in Astoria hosted by Freeda Kulo. I became a huge fan of her because I loved what her drag was about; I loved how unapologetically Mexican she was in her drag.
After some time, we became friends and she took me in as her assistant. After some time of doing that, she says to me “so when are you going to get in drag?” As an AFAB girlie, I didn’t even realize it was an option for me. But seeing how much she supported me and the potential she saw in me, I decided to give it a shot and fell in love with the art of doing it for myself.
What are the joys and challenges of being an AFAB queen in 2026?
One of the best parts of being an AFAB queen is being able to choose when I get to express my femininity, as opposed to it being expected of me at all times as a Latin woman. I also love watching other female artists and realizing, wait, she’s definitely a drag queen and I never noticed! For example, discovering Elvira and then learning she was a lesbian really rocked my world.
A challenge of being an AFAB queen for me personally is my own perception of having something to prove, and feeling the need to earn my space in the community (I certainly can’t speak for every AFAB performer and in no way has anyone made me feel like I was less of a queen for my identity).
Much like your drag mom Freeda, you’re also a pageant gworl! What can you tell us about the process of competing in and ultimately winning the Queen of Cortelyou pageant at Littlefield last summer?
What I enjoyed most about the process was having a reason to be creative! I loved the added pressure of a theme to make me think out of the box and create things I never would have had a reason to create otherwise. I also had so much support from my wife and drag mother. They really helped me grow, focus on what I was doing, and helped me feel confident during the actual competition.
You’ve got some cool stuff coming up this month, starting with guest performing at Jolina Jasmine’s bingo at Paradise on Tuesday! Do you get to perform in Jersey a lot?
I’ve been very fortunate to get the chance perform at Paradise every few months– whether it’s a tip spot, jumping in for someone last minute, or an actual booking. I’ve actually only performed at Paradise, but I’m definitely open to try other spots in Jersey! My goal for this upcoming year is to put myself out a little more, possibly do more open sets or competitions out there. I’m trying to be a Tri-State diva!
Then on Saturday you’ll be with Mother Freeda at her all-Latin drag brunch at Enoteca in Hell’s Kitchen! I bet that food is delicious.
I’m so excited to try it out! And performing with my family is always my favorite thing.
Then looking ahead to May 28, you’ll be taking part in Leopard Killa’s show at Medusa, “Killa Kasino!”
Yes! I’m so excited to work with Leopard Killa. They’ve always been really supportive of me, and I really love the casts they put together.
Is there anything else coming up for you?
I will be judging and stepping down from Queen of Cortelyou on July 19! I’m so excited to see what the girls bring.
And finally: who are you rooting for this Drag Race All-Stars season?
Since my girl Morphine has been eliminated (spoiler), I’m hoping to see more of Jasmine Kennedie and Dawn!
Thanks, Mariquita!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Mariquita’s upcoming area appearances, and follow her on Instagram.
Thotyssey 
