Elektra Abundance Is in The House: Trans Fashion Model and star of FX “POSE” Dominique Jackson
I’m anxiously waiting for the second season of “POSE” airing in June.
S02 Episode1- “Acting Up” begins with Elektra shocking the ballroom community with a bold move. The brilliantly written and directed series, about a group of trans and gay people of color fighting to succeed and survive in a straighter, harsher, more everything-phobic 1980s New York, while looking fabulous. I sat down with the star from the series, Elektra Abundance In Washington, DC for a very candid interview about her childhood and introduction to the ballroom culture.
Dominique was born on the smaller island of Tobago. Raised by her grandmother who worked for the government and was a very powerful woman, she would take her to the small villages to see what life was really about. This proved to be very important to Dominique’s childhood as it gave her a sense of humility and understanding that happiness doesn’t have to come from riches. Happiness can come from the riches of family, of people and community.
She came to the states at 15, after having some traumatic experiences. People saw the woman in her at an early age; they also took advantage of that. Her mother moved to the states because she wanted a better life. The move actually saved Dominique’s life because she had a place to run to and finally be that woman.
Finding yourself and place in the world
She became friends with members of the House of Revlon in Baltimore where she was introduced to Ballroom. But it wasn’t until she became a member of the House of Allure, Enriquez and Al Allure took her to New York to walk a ball. That was the moment she knew she had something special and started walking in her truth and ended up moving to NYC.
Robin Bonner, Tommy Ross, Hector Extravaganza and Larry Williams were all very instrumental during her journey in New York. These people saw the greatness in Dominique and encouraged her to succeed and never give up, but most of all to lead with kindness.
She met a fashion show producer in New York who put her on the runway. Eventually her career as a model paid off in 2009 when she became muse for designer Adrian Alicea and walked in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
To the big screen
In 2016 Dominique was cast for the Oxygen TV series “Strut”, the first transgender modeling agency reality show by Whoopi Goldberg that won a GLADD Media Award. When Whoopi Goldberg signed on as executive producer, it gave the trans community a sense of validation; people started seeing the community as equal. In 2017 she auditioned for her now leading role as Elektra Abundance on the hit FX series “Pose.” Ryan Murphy continues to revolutionize television with his creative take on Ballroom and the incredible cast and crew continue this groundbreaking journey that is “Pose.”
Dominique Jackson –
“I had to realize, I had to love me and I had to accept me.”
Troy Artis
Fashion Editor
