Missleidy Rodriguez wasn’t on the yearbook committee in her Las Vegas high school, and she and the head of the school yearbook club never really saw eye to eye. But she’s forever immortalized in the record of her high school years with an awful picture. In its pages is a picture of Rodriguez, whose real name is Jimi Urquiaga, just having finished a cross-country track meet.
“She posted the biggest, ugliest picture of me,” Rodriguez told Them. “I was sweating, out of breath, mouth wide open. I was looking rough. Liz knew exactly what she was doing”
Rodriguez’s time in high school was overall much more positive, she says, than many other queer people. She was not closeted and felt a sense of queer community with other out LGBTQ+ students; but she knows that her experience is not typical of every queer or trans high school student, which is why she produced the “Class of '24” yearbook project, a digital yearbook and film that includes over 125 queer and trans drag artists, musicians, TV personalities, politicians and fashionistas. Some of the featured talent includes New York City councilmember Chi Ossé, stars of Shudder’s reality program Dragula, and stalwart members of New York City’s vibrant queer nightlife.
Shot in New York City’s High School of Art and Design, the colorful yearbook features these queer creatives embodying an assortment of high school archetypes, with the drama ratcheted up to 11. A science nerd’s experiment has blown up in their face, the manicured rainbow mascot is giving influencer vibes, and the football and cheer squad eschew any kind of gender boundaries. At a moment when schools are a battleground for LGBTQ+ rights, Rodriguez says her project wanted to blend the real and the unreal, creating a simulated high school where everyone could be exactly who they wanted to be with zero judgement.
“I wanted to create the fantasy in the reality,” Rodriguez said. For weeks prior to the shoot, Rodriguez held long conversations where she pushed participants to really dig deep into their characters and not rely on pure stereotypes. Rodriguez said she pushed people in the shoot to give their characters backstories, make them feel tangible. “They had free range to just bring it, to really dive into their character, to tell us who they are, not just surface-level.”
As a creative director and a producer, Rodriguez said that her passion is shooting people who she finds to be “mind-blowing.”
“I love shooting people who I find to be stars, whether I’m shooting my great grandmother or my best friend,” she said.
Getting to put these people in a high school setting was, then, sort of the opposite of what had happened to her in her own yearbook. She got to shoot everyone looking their best and imbued the project with humor. The yearbook also includes photos of people embodying high school superlatives. Some, such as best dressed and class clown, are more standard. But others have a queer bent: the “best hair” group includes actual hairstylists and the “best dressed” category is all designers.
Everyone, then, got to show up both in costume, but also an authentic version of themselves, something not every queer person is afforded in high school.
“It was very healing to be in that space and experience it in a fun, positive way,” she said. “If we wanted to show up as a zombie prom queen, that was our prerogative.”
Below, take your time flipping through the yearbook, school portraits, superlatives, and BTS from the shoot.
CREDITS
Creative Director: Missleidy Rodriguez - Jimi Urquiaga
EQ: Milk NEIGHBORS
Location: HIGH SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN
Special Thanks: Maximillian Re-Sugiura
Graphic Designer: Kelly Garrett
Yearbook Portrait Photographer: Martin Gatti
Photography Assistant: Celso Assunçao
Superlative Photographer: Nicolas Padron
1st Assistant: Chris Morell
2nd Assistant: Kyle Glenn
Candid Photographer: Flavia Daniele
FILM CREDITS
Director - Creative Director: Missleidy Rodriguez - Jimi Urquiaga
DoP: Riede Dervay
Editor: Elliott Moe
2nd AC: C De La Cruz
Colorist: Keith Jenson
DI Producer: Bonnie Gross
VFX: Simon Giuseppe Floris
Graphic Designer: Kelly Garrett
Music: FOUND OBJECTS
ECD & Co-founder: Jay Wadley
ECD & Co-founder: Trevor Gureckis
Head of Creative Production: Elijah Torn
Executive Producer: Katt Matt
Creative Director: Ben Marshall
Associate Creative Director & Composer: Adam Weiss
Senior Producer: Nick Chomowicz
Music Coordinator: Lee Cash Chisholm
Vocals: Wes
Vocals: Saint Ahmad
Vocals: Beverly Chillz
Vocals: Senerio
Set Designer: Ilana Portney
Set Dresser: Caitlin Charles
Set Assistant: Isabel Najjar
Stylist: Kat J
Production Company: NEIGHBORS
Lead Creative Producer: Felix Cadieu
Creative Producer: Carter Burch
Creative Producer: Kendal Steensen
Production Coordinator: William Manogue
Production Assistant: Rafael Guevara
Production Assistant: Luna Abreia
Production Assistant: Kaylin Skye Mirel
Production Assistant: Alex Sweterlitsch
Casting Director: Missleidy Rodriguez - Jimi Urquiaga
GRADUATION GIFT SPONSORS
barrière
Beautyblender
good light
LoveSeen
Touchland
LUNCH SPONSOR
MAGNOLIA BAKERY
TWO BOOTS PIZZA
CAST
Faculty
Missleidy Rodriguez, Citrine Cash Collins, Yuhua Hamasaki, Phaedra Phaded, Sherry Poppins, Spectra Electra, Atomic Annie, Mila Jam, Jackie Cox, Marti Cummings, Dallas, Venus Mystique, Izzy Uncut, Jasmine Rice LaBeija, Freeda Kulo, David Puck Drag , Aimee Amour, Amanda Tori Meating, Amygdala, Andramada, Angel Au, Angel Rivers, Angelina Fierce, Ash Lee , Ballgownboy, Beatrix Bella Rouge, Benji Harless, Bertha Vanayshun, Beverly Chillz, Big Baby, Briar Blush, C’était Bontemps, Cain, Chase Runaway, Chi Ossé, Christine Dior, COLETTE, Corma Kelley, Cunning Stunt, Dahlia Sin, Daniel Ofori, Daniella Darling, Dannyboy, Darie Santana “beauteuss”, Desi Napoles, DiDi Opulence, Divinely Daddy, Drew Harrymore, Dusty , Eric Sedeño, Erotica, Eva Laurent, Evangeline, Fletcher Kasell, Griffin Maxwell Brooks, Groovy Bluez, Hanukah Lewinsky, Harriet Tugsmen, Harry Hill, HAUS KAT, Horrorchata, Indigo Inferno, Jack Salk, Jaime Christmas, Janae SaisQuoi, Jaxona Lee, Jay Kay, Jazzmint Tetra Dash, Jiggly Caliente, John Mangru, Julian Shane, Kekoa, Klondyke, Lady Doll Heirs, Lauren Chan, Lexington banks, MAGNIFA, Maljo Blu, Martyr, Marquis Neal, MAUVE, Maximo Xtravaganza, Maxxx Pleasure, Menthol Menthol, Mina Gerges, Mr. E. Minx, Mx. Ology, Myster E Mel Kiki, Nicki Batista, Nxthing, Obscura, Onyx Ondyx, Oliver Herface, Oracle, Paul Keo, Pierretta Viktori, Pink Pancake, Pleasery, Privilege, Robin Rose Quartz, Ryan Roachie, Saint Ahmad, Senerio, Silly Brown, Spindarella, Stasi, Sunday, Sweaty Eddie, Tanner Richie, Travles, Trouble, Tyshon Lawrence, Vas Halastaras, Vena Cava, Vicky Vee, Vidana, Venus, Wes, Wesley, X-Emma, Xana Whoria, Yves, La Zavaleta
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