For Vasti De La Cruz Estrada, the most meaningful moments in drag happen after the stage lights dim.
Performing as Vasti Love Montana has taken her to remarkable stages, but her proudest accomplishment is the chosen family she has built within the Montanas. The heart of that family is trust, care and the honor of hearing her children call her Mom.
“Doing shows is amazing, but the real heart of it happens off-stage—getting to know my kids on a deeply personal level, being someone they trust, and hearing them call me 'Mom,'” she said.
De La Cruz Estrada is a straight transgender Latina woman. At Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center, she works as development operations and volunteer coordinator, helping community members find support and feel visible.
“Every part of who I am fuels my drive to show up for others, make sure nobody feels invisible, and build a community where we can all thrive,” she said.
Her understanding of family was shaped by her trans experience and her role as a mother within her chosen family. It taught her to love fiercely and create spaces where people can feel safe simply being themselves.
That work extends throughout South Florida’s LGBTQ community. De La Cruz Estrada is part of ISCOAF, the Imperial Sun Court of South Florida. She is also active with Transpire, MCC of the Palm Beaches, local benefit shows and the region’s drag and ballroom scenes.
For her, being out and proud means refusing to let anyone diminish an identity or demand that a person become smaller.
“It’s about standing tall in your truth,” she said. “It’s so important because when people see you living unapologetically—especially the youth and the folks we help at Compass—it gives them permission to do the same.”
Her message to LGBTQ youth begins with belonging: “You are never alone. You've got a whole community and chosen family that you can trust on and loves you just as you are. Know your worth!”
Her personal motto carries the same resolve: “Just keep pushing forward, stay true to who you are and never let anyone make you feel small.”
Through Compass, drag and chosen family, De La Cruz Estrada has made herself a safe harbor and a constant presence for people who need one. That, she said, is the legacy she values most.
