by Princess Harmony
Black Girl Dangerous’ Crush of the Month is a feature where we choose the most swoon-worthy and inspirational QTPoC whose work and flair has left us inspired and blushing. Then we interview them so our amazing readers can join us in crushing, fanning, and absolutely swooning over these amazing QTs.
This month’s crush is Mia Mingus!
Mia Mingus is a public speaker, writer, educator, and disability activist coming live from Cali! Her goal of creating a violence-free world for the disabled, and particularly disabled children, has earned her accolades from magazines like The Advocate, organizations like the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, and the White House. She wants to shake the world and has already shaken our hearts!
Without further ado, here’s Mia!
Princess Harmony: What’s a good romantic night to you: a big outing or something cozier and low key?
Mia Mingus: Definitely something cozier and low key. Though, I have had lots of great romantic times that were a mix of the two, but all of my favorite moments end up being the more laid back and cozier times.
Harmony: Music! What have you been listening to lately?
Mia Mingus: For the last 2 weeks I have been listening to 90’s R&B non-stop. Being raised in the Caribbean, it’s what I grew up listening to, singing and loving. It will always be one of my most favorite times in music.
Harmony: Are you as excited for Beyoncé’s upcoming album as we are?
Mia Mingus: Um, YES. I’m alive and I have a pulse, don’t I?
Harmony: I know you travel a lot to speak at different places. What’s been your favorite place so far? Do you have a particular city/town that lights your fire, so to speak?
Mia Mingus: There are so many great places that it have gotten the chance to go to that I never would have been able to experience. I have so many favorites, all for so many different reasons, that it is hard to pick just one! Most recently though, I was invited to speak at the University of Buffalo and just fell in love with Buffalo. It surprised me! (Though, I should preface this and say I wasn’t there in the dead of winter.) I had never really spent much time in Western New York, but there was something about the grit of the city and the kindness of the folks I had the pleasure of meeting (who so generously and proudly shared with me much of the history of Buffalo), that moved me. I love places where people feel a sense of history, connection and pride about where they live (and with each other) and I tend to find that in the smaller cities I visit. That always inspires me and reminds me of the small place I grew up in.
Harmony: Your work seems to be rooted in love. Do you think the revolution should come from love, or from anger?
Mia Mingus: Love for sure, and anger is a part of that love. I think we mistake anger for the antithesis of love, when in fact is a necessary part of love and what it means to be human in an inhumane world. I think it takes great love to be able to be angry with each other. And to be clear, I am talking about accountable anger, not abusive or malicious anger, but anger that is grounded and comes from a deep love for each other and ourselves. This kind of anger is a risk we take to be vulnerable with each other, to show who we really are and what truly matters to us. All of this, to me is love; and love is one of the greatest risks we can take. The most visionary work I have had the honor of witnessing and being part of has been work that has been grounded in love and the courage that love requires of us. Whether it is the courage to share our individual and collective anger with each other; the courage to take to the streets; the courage to build alternatives to the state; the courage to be vulnerable and humbled; or the courage to change ourselves for the better.
Harmony: What’s been your funniest and most romantic moment?
Mia Mingus: My most romantic moment continues to be whenever I meet someone and feel a genuine connection with them. There is a romance, to me, about true connection in a time when we are saturated by so much violence, trauma, isolation, fear, betrayal, shame and shallow connections. Whenever I get a chance to feel that kind of organic magic, in whatever form it takes (e.g. access intimacy, past life feels, those moments when your heart/soul recognizes a kindred spirit), it makes my heart flutter.
Harmony: If there’s any one thing you could tell to a younger version of yourself in terms of loving others, what would it be?
Mia Mingus: I would tell her that trust takes time to build and that everyone is fucked up and has baggage/trauma and in the end, we choose who we love. Everyone is complicated and, well… human. Everyone has people who could tell great stories about them and everyone has people who could tell horrible stories about them. Everyone has made mistakes they are ashamed of – no one is perfect. We choose each other and we choose ourselves too.
Princess Harmony is an afrolatin trans girl who speaks in the language of fire. She’s also unapologetic weeb trash that likes anime, video games, and visual novels. Go figure! <3
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