AskaNewYorker: What’s your name and what do you do in the city?
Stephanie: My name is Stephanie and I’m in recovery and I go to a realization center. I’m a recovering addict. I was homeless at one time. I’ve lived in the parks. I lived out of a garbage can. I sold my body for fifty cents. I’ve also made movies. I was raped by my father at a young age. My father gave me syphilis at a young age. So I’ve been through a lot in my life with my father. As I got older I got caught in to the streets trying to find some comfort of who I am and where I want to go. It’s a life style I choose to live which is not easy in New York society as being accepted as a gay man and then living as a woman. So I have a lot of things against me.
AskaNewYorker: I’m a little confused. ‘Living as a gay man as a woman…?’
Stephanie: I had surgery done. Now I live fully as a woman and live in a Women’s residency program in Kingsborough in New York. I go through a lot everyday. So like now I can’t do what I use to do to make money. But I’m blessed and I can sing pretty cool, I’ve made movies. Some of the movies I made I’m not proud of. But I had to do what I had to do. But now that I live in Queens it’s very hard for me to live in society because I’m in a program….
AskaNewYorker: So what would you like to see yourself doing?
Stephanie: I would definitely like to speak to people of young people of my color, of any color, it could be green, orange whatever. And let them know that there is life for us in this type of world. If we just had some sort of belief in ourselves. Because the hand you were dealt as a child doesn’t mean you have to live it out that way. And right now I’m going through great difficulty. They are cutting off my benefits. I have no money right now.
AskaNewYorker: Well you look great. Who does your hair?
Stephanie: You’re fabulous. I do it myself. I’ve been in the entertainment business for quite some time, like when I said, I used to make adult movies. So I learned how to apply the make up right and how to speak right. I’ve been fortunate enough to be on cover shots with Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. That was a couple of years ago, like in 1998 in People Magazine.
AskaNewYorker: What feature about your self do you like most?
Stephanie: My eyes.
AskaNewYorker: They are stunning. What part of the city do you live?
Stephanie: I’m going through a lot right now. I right now live in Brooklyn. I don’t like Brooklyn because it’s not really friendly out there. But I love Manhattan. I use to live in Central Park not to far from Strawberry Field. Something about New Yorkers. New Yorkers really want to help you if you’re willing to help yourself. And you would be surprised who you meet out here. Not everybody is really mean and cruel. You have genuine people out here. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet Freddie Jackson the singer. I met Stephanie Mills, too.
AskaNewYorker: Who’s Stephanie Mills?
Stephanie: She did the Wiz. You heard of Freddie Jackson?
AskaNewYorker: No, where have I been?
Stephanie: He’s a jazz blues singer.
AskaNewYorker: I’m sorry I can’t but help notice how glossy your lips are. What’s your secret?
Stephanie: Victoria’s Secret. It’s called “wet and wild”.
AskaNewYorker: And your eyes really pop out to. Are those colored contacts?
Stephanie: Yes, there called honey brown.
AskaNewYorker: Well thank you so much, Stephanie, for sharing. Keep the strength and positive energy flowing.
