Jade Esteban Estrada

Jade Esteban Estrada was born September 17, 1975 at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The successful Latin pop singer, comedian, choreographer, actor, political commentator, and human rights activist was christened "the first gay Latin star" by Out Magazine in December 2000. Born to now-divorced parents David Gonzales Estrada and Aurora Sanchez Estrada, Jade Esteban Estrada has four siblings: Celeste, David, Olga and Sara. As a young boy, he participated in extra-curricular school activities and sang in the school choir, where he first noticed that his talent captivated audiences. Through the encouragement of his choir instructor he began to take voice lessons and eventually traveled to New York where he worked as an assistant to Tony award-winning actress Zoe Caldwell. Estrada appeared in the German production of Starlight Express and also worked as a dancer for Seventeen Magazine. After two popular appearances as a transgender singer/dancer on NBC's The Jerry Springer Show, he won the attention of Latin TV personality Charo and worked as her chief choreographer and lead dancer. He gained international recognition in 1998 when he released his first Latin pop single, "Reggae Twist" on the Brooklyn-based Total Envision Records label. He later turned his attention to solo theatre and stand-up comedy. In 2008, he hosted the 19th Annual South Florida GLAAD Media Awards on Bravo. During the Obama Administration, he was invited to The White House to attend the State Arrival Ceremony welcoming the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón and First Lady Margarita Zavala.