Michelladonna Has the City Purring

On old stomping grounds in Jackson Heights and the meteoric rise of Shop Cats

Feb 27, 2026

∙ Paid

Three years ago, I was shooting a queer prom in a smelly Williamsburg bar when Michelladonna walked up and introduced themself. They approached me with a warmth and confidence that, to this day, I’ve yet to see rivaled. We got along immediately.

At some point, after generously sharing a bit of their joint, I realized I had one roll of film left to shoot before heading out, and I was convinced I was radiating weird vibes. Without missing a beat, they said, “Say less. Let’s walk around together. I’ll direct your photos.” And that’s exactly what they did.

“Hold this balloon… Laugh like you’ve never laughed before,” Michelladonna instructed perfect strangers. We shot 36 frames together. Since then, we’ve been close friends and consistent collaborators. I love me some Michelladonna.

A few weeks ago, Michelladonna took me to Jackson Heights. We stopped at a bakery they grew up loving, then headed to a restaurant they’ve been going to their whole life. They knew exactly which table they wanted.

We put in our order, and they pointed out the dish their mom has always gotten to bring home for the two of them to split. I felt like I got a glimpse of who Michelladonna was at ten years old. And that felt really sweet.

Now, they can’t walk down a single city block without someone stopping them to say they love their bodega cat videos. Shop Cats is huge… featured in print in The New York Times, in Vogue, and beyond. The world is catching up to Michelladonna’s magic. They’re only just getting started.

A perfect night out?

This starts hours before you get to the club. We ate a good meal a few hours ago. We are sipping some henny, listening to good music, doing our makeup and trying on clothes, we figure out what time our DJ friend is spinning, we text them to get on list - confirmed. The bottle of henny is almost done at this point, we finalize our looks, we jump in the uber. We get to the club, the door person lets us skip the line immediately, and we head to the DJ booth to dance behind our DJ friend the whole night. Life is good.

What are you most excited about right now?

The revolution. And my directorial debut with my short film - AZÚCAR.

Describe your current era in one word

Ravenous

Favorite value?

The stock market.

Cats or Dogs?

Girl…

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Sheeeesh, so much will change within the next 5 years. I hopefully own a home for myself and loved ones in Colombia, somewhere in the mountains where I can escape to and rest. I’ll be leading intentional TV and film projects, acting and directing. I’ll have my own bike (I can buy a bike now but I have commitment issues with bikes). All my homies and I are eating good, I can fund community initiatives through I’m Finna Talk (@imfinnatalknyc) and I have a big fat juicy kitty cat named Pechuga <3 also I’m besties with Doechii

You’re a multi-hyphentate, why is that important to you?

As a first-gen queer Latine person, I am not afforded the luxury of only being good at one thing. I have to be great at a bunch of different things, that’s simply what the industry will ask of you to be taken seriously. I also have adhd, am an only child, and have a whole lotta curiosity. Add a hyphen to the list, certified scuba diver.