"As a drag performer, it's a great place to be - it's a very LGBTQ+ friendly community here. There's a lot of theater, a lot of cabaret, and great restaurants. It's also walkable, which I love. The moment you leave the house here, it's like one big "hello." That's what's really special about this place. It's why I come here - and why I'm still going to come back."
"When I left around 10:00 a.m., it was a very different scene. Everyday life was juxtaposed against horrendous property damage. There was an older woman sweeping leaves in the street, while burned-out car after burned-out car was in flames. My neighborhood was particularly hard-hit. One neighbor pointed out a burned out car that belonged to another neighbor who's an Uber driver with two young children. That was the bulk of his income."
Steven Polito, 49, is a drag performer from New York who spends five to six months each year in Puerto Vallarta. He performs as Hedda Lettuce and values the city's LGBTQ+-friendly atmosphere, theater, cabaret, restaurants and walkability. He feels welcomed by a warm, greeting community and chooses to remain to support neighbors when times are hard. Cartel violence erupted after a cartel leader was killed, producing burned-out cars and widespread property damage. He experienced a quiet morning at the gym before the attacks, witnessed the juxtaposition of everyday life and destruction, and observed neighbors and businesses offering help despite shock and loss.
Read at Business Insider
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