Episode 9: Thee Suburbia

This is part 2 to the amazing interview I had with Thee Suburbia!

Transcript

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Hello, and welcome back to the moment of truth podcast. This is the show where I invite you to take a moment to reflect and be proud of how far that we have come as individuals and as a community, but also honest about where we still have to go and our growth as supporters and protectors of black trans power, through personal testimony and honest conversation with community leaders, we will recognize the power we all have lurking within ourselves to not only impact our lives in a positive way, but also keep pushing black trans power forward. Okay, I'm your host, Junior Mintt. And let's get into this gig. Okay, because I have an extra extra extra special episode for you today. And if you listen to last week's episode that you know exactly what's going to be going down this episode, I am giving you the part two interview to the amazing interview I had with suburbia, literally so much wisdom, so much kindness. And last week, you got to hear a lot of her background as to where she came from beforehand in terms of Wisconsin military school, all these different aspects of how she grew up. And then this episode, you're getting to know who is suburbia today? Where did suburbia come from? How did suburbia get into drag for the first time all of these questions, and on top of it, there's a lot of wisdom that she drops and that we get to share together about simply navigating the scene what community means. And on top of it, how do we continue to be the bravest and proudest versions of ourselves, while also still showing up for everyone in our community, because it's hard to juggle both society doesn't make it easy. But together, we will connect and figure out how we can better get forward to the next day. The next week. The next goal, the next mission, okay. And before we jump into this episode, I also would like to remind you all and let you all know, to follow me at Junior Mintt. But that's again, Junior Mintt with two T's on YouTube, because your girl is going to be creating so much amazing content. And the first new piece of content is actually beginning on Friday. But the reason I'm telling you now is because what you want to do tomorrow on Thursday, March 4, you're going to want to turn on the TV and watch the TS Madison experience or we TV Okay, bitch. She is the first black trans woman producing her own motherfucking reality show and I will be breaking it down. And as well on top of it helping to break down the lens in which we can watch the show through of a black trans and empowered lens. Okay, whoa. So you do not want to miss it. You want to tune in every single Friday for my breakdown of the episode, okay, so I want to make sure you know that plus on top of it a bitch starting a Mariah Carey book club. And you're going to want to be a part of my Patreon and my YouTube account. So that way you can take part in this because we are going to be breaking down Mariah Carey, his memoirs, her music, her artistry, who she is as an icon and a legend. So you do not want to miss these amazing, amazing, amazing pieces of content and I'm honestly really excited to share them because both Mariah Carey and on top of it t 's motherfucking Madison have impacted me and influence me leaps and bounds. And if you love who Junior Mintt is and you love the influence that Mariah Carey and Ts Madison has had on me so I would love to take you along for this journey. So please take a moment pause this go subscribers and come back to this podcast because I am just so freaking excited. And on top of it just so you know I have been uploading longer minty Monday sermons there too. So let's jump into the episode now. Okay, thank you for listening. But before then, as per usual, we know exactly how we got to start this episode off, don't we? We have to start this off with our positive positive positive affirmations. I am so excited because the affirmation today really when I was writing it and it was just coming to me, it just it Oh my God took me to another level. It made me really just like start thinking about things and if you follow my Instagram which I do every single Monday, a new minty Monday where I go in depth and create a sermon based around some topic of self self improvement life improvement, motivational speaking something like that. And when I was writing this affirmation which has given me so many different avenues I plan on going down for minty monday so it is just it very much inspired me so let's hop into our positive affirmations you know, and so if again, this is your first time you know what you're going to do is you're going to repeat after me but you are going to say these words like Amina if you don't mean them say I'm like you do if you do mean them family with double the emphasis, okay? Because words are powerful, and they have meaning and they have weight. And it is so, so important that you make sure that you are using words that value you that have a positive weight, add it to you, okay? These are such important things. And so that's why we do these affirmations. Because even if we may not be in a positive mood, or if we may not be in a positive mental space, but I guarantee you, if you act it out enough, you will get in some way shape or form a little bit more positive, because it's the same way, when you start off with kind of like a fake laugh, or like, you know, you just like try to laugh without smiling, it will genuinely bring about real laughter. It's really about that muscle memory of just getting ourselves into the state of reminding ourselves of the positivity that we have some positivity inside of us, even if we do not even can see it, you know what I mean? So let's hop into this. Okay, so repeat after me, there is nothing I can't accomplish with a positive mindset and time. There's nothing I can't be in this world. So long as I can imagine it, I can be it. I understand that success is a byproduct of happiness, not the other way around. What I focus on grows, so I will focus on self love and not self sabotage. And that is our positive affirmation for today, y'all. And again, repeat that as many times as you need stop, pause, replay, okay? positivity is boundless, and you deserve to have it in bounds and bounds in your life. Okay? positivity truly can change every facet of life, because a lesson is just a mistake that you've given time in love. Okay. So I hope that we are now ready to jump into our roads. And I thought of this week. And I have been thinking about the fact that these roses and these thorns that I've been doing each week, have actually truly allowed me to keep checking in with myself and an unconscious way, because I've sent in episodes before, like, it's important to be checking in with yourself and keeping up with how you're doing on a regular basis. And I was definitely keeping up with myself. And this was part of it. But one of my favorite things about putting in though consistent work of growth, and actually self awareness and loving yourself and growing into the person you want to be is the fact that there's so many different random unconscious bigs that you'll discover and find that are like, this is why I do the work. Because not because of the things that I could anticipate that's gonna be positive in my life. But because of all the things that I can't, and for me, I've been looking back at these and I've been realizing that as every single week has gone on, my take on my weeks have only gotten more and more positive, not because more good things have happened. But simply because when you actually see how you've been progressing, and how much how many things are thrown at you that like you really do come to realize the fact that you are strong, you are powerful, and the only true consistent thing in your life is your strength. And that is the one thing that has never left me because when I look back over these past weeks for like, my grandmother has passed away. My aunt has been in and out the hospital. I haven't said that on roses and thorns, but like that's a part of the whole thing. And then my mom and all of like her recovering from alcoholism, still, while trying to figure out her own happiness and take care of my family. There's so many different pieces of my life that have happened and had and required me to give it my attention over the past two, three months. And I'm just so thankful at the fact that I even have this the documentation of me having gone through it because I am just like, blessings, blessings on the fact that I am Here I am present. And I still have my strength. And that's not the roses week. Well, I guess that's in the bushel. But the rose that I had in mind is that towards the end of February, I just came to this feeling of realizing of like, how little I use my voice in some ways to make my life better. So for example, or to not to make my life better but to make me happier. But for example is like when I'm in dragged, bitch, I'm in control. I'm in command. I can take care of it. I will speak up I'll do the whole thing. But because of the pressure, it doesn't necessarily trade It's late, well out of drag, sometimes if I'm depressed, you know, like, I can put on the whole thing and like, get the thing done and drag, but like, when I'm depressed, out of drag, absolutely not nothing that's going down. And it's well, it's also a part of like having grown up, not necessarily not not putting myself first I was gonna say not necessarily putting myself first, but not putting myself first period because I literally did not put myself first until like, I would say, a good three months ago in my life. And it is something that is feeling amazing because it's just a weight off my chest in the fact that my anxiety has been at such a low level, ever since I came about to my family. And on top of it been just realizing that I haven't put myself first in 25 years of my life, literally putting myself first has never happened. And it's something that feels amazing, because I'm realizing that I've never consciously torn down this piece of the wall with myself. And so to get back to the rows, my rows this week, is that I will be moving at the end of this month, I literally just finished putting my deposit down on a place. I am so freaking excited. And it was just coming to terms with the fact that my current roommate and I are just not the most compatible people. And not even necessarily in a bad way, just in a way of like, you know, it's not at all bad. No one's uncomfortable or anything, but very much to the place of like, well, we could both find someone who like complements who we are better than we do right now. And honestly, it feels amazing. Because I've realized more and more over the past few months that I just really need to articulate exactly how I'm feeling. And I need to operate from such a place of love in terms of, I am not only coming up with what's best for me, but also what's best for you. Because if I want to put you in a place where I couldn't be with someone who's more compatible with me, you probably are feeling the exact same thing. Because at the end of the day, everything we think we carry in our bodies and our emotions and our auras and in every part of ourselves. And it was so amazing, because when we sat down and talked to was something that they agreed about, and it was like, see, we're both feeling the same way. But I just said it first. It's a very excited to boop. And so it's gonna be amazing in the space that I got, it's like, I just can't honestly believe that it came about the way it did, because it's just like banks Facebook group. And so that's my rows and my phone too, cuz you know, I got a pack, I got to move the whole thing. But another blessing of this new space is a march 15 move. And so I have two weeks, and I'll be able to celebrate my birthday in a new space. And I won't have to be like unpacking or my birthday because my birthday is April 3 so badly, but like a cute little move in and everything. And I am so freaking excited. And yeah, I'll be probably doing a whole YouTube video about when I'm moving and get settled and everything. So another reason to follow that, okay. And yeah, I guess something that I want to tell everybody out there, it's just remember, the one space that you should always, always always be able to feel comfortable is the space that you call home. And as well, I want to let you know that home can mean a hell of a lot of things for you. Okay, home can be an apartment, home can be a five storey mansion, okay, home can be just the four walls of your bedroom. home can be an alley, home can be a dumpster home can be a bench home, could be a subway car, home can be a lot of things, and all of them are equal. And all of those spaces, no matter how much money you have, deserve to be safe, deserve to make you feel affirmed in who you are. deserve to make you feel comfortable, deserves to make you feel loved. So never believe that a space that you live in a space that you occupy or anything is your home if you do not feel comfortable there. If you do not feel loved there if you do not feel like yourself. And that is okay. And I would encourage you whether it begin planning out the steps in your head, whether it be saving money, make steps towards getting yourself to a space, a home that makes you feel like you like it's yours like your home, okay? Because there's nothing that is more traumatizing than calling a place that doesn't accept you or loved you home. Because something that my mom told me growing up very much and I think that it's something that like a lot of black people had to learn growing up is just that the place that you call your house may not be your home, and my mom was very, very, very Sure to make sure that we do the difference that like not every place is home, because we even when we were moving around, after my dad left, one of the places we stayed was with a family friend. And it was a family friend that very much made sure to like, let you know that like, this is her home and you are guests in her home. Not that like you can feel comfortable to live here get comfortable, like feel like this is your place. And so yeah, for me, there's a very big difference between where you live and your home. Because, yeah, I like to think that home truly is where the heart is one of those very cliche sayings, but it's a cliche for a reason. Because home truly is where the heart is, if you can't be someplace that makes you feel comfortable, loved and accepted. That's not your home. That's just where you reside. That's where you sleep. That's where you lay your head down at night. So yeah, that's my Rosie my thorn. I am very, very excited to share with you the journey of the move. I think because I'm out of my depression, there won't be any breaks in any of the content that I make because of the move because I can actually like put mental energy into preparing multiple videos and things like that. So don't worry about a stoppage in it. But a reminder that after this episode, we have one more episode for this season in the podcast, we'll be back. It will be coming back revamped. Hopefully in a video, podcast format, maybe not. I don't know, we're gonna figure it out, figure out what technology can do for us, you know, but also not make it to headachy. And so yeah, we will definitely be back. But at the end of this episode, make sure you stick around and I'll be announcing to you, who is our fabulous, fabulous final guest for the 10th and final episode of the season. I love y'all so much. And get ready for part two of the amazing interview that I got to have with the suburbia. I love her so so so so much. And honestly, you're gonna fall even more in love with her than you were last week. So just for a brief reminder, last week, we left off after she had just finished telling us all about her journey growing up as a kid military school. And so now we are just beginning to delve into what it was like for her to begin the process of discovering that she wanted to do drag that she was interested in drag and performance and all of these things. So get ready to pick up where we left off. Okay, so get ready for the one and the only the iconic suburbia. So my question for you is what is the birth story of suburbia? It goes right back to where I left off in the story. This is like a fucking movie Jr. Alright, so my dad has me once he knew I was good at anything. He He pushed me into those things. Mm hmm. With a with a force that wasn't it had nothing to do with what I wanted for myself. But once I found the acting, I was like, Okay, let me get into like, you know, see we could do with his force. And he found this guy I remember was me or it was him. But he found this forensics Summer Program at a university called Bradley University and I ended up getting scouted to that school for their forensics program, and we got national title. And when I went there, I really researched you know, what is it? What is it that I'm going to get out of this? Like, once I realized my dad, let me look it up. And like, I noticed that all the people that would go to that camp would win the national competitions and I was like, This is what I need. This is what I need. So I get out of sectionals, get out of state and just go live your best life. Yeah, except when I got there. The coaches really looked at me and then great later when I got to the the university and was in the actual team. I noticed that the way that they that they work with everyone who's on our team is they really look at you. And you have a conversation about who you are and who the person inside of you is fighting for. What do they What do they you know, and coaches knew there was something clear about me. So they would suggest these things that I should try and trying to push you in a direction that's like, listen to who I am rather than being like, and I listen and I remember I was doing this number For a goosebumps book about a camera that steals people's souls, I know the one. And the first thing that this coach had me do was say that was have a gay guy as the character and I was so nervous about doing it. And I think I was I was like, 16. And as nervous as fuck, and, and this, this, this character would always say chatta. And like, they'd have this camera and be like, oops, I did this and design like, after that year I won state with with the Wiz and all my fucking characters are queer, it's fun. And then when I went to the school, I started I was given the peace, the gospel, according to miss Raj by George T. Wolf. And I won a bunch of competitions with that. And then there was another number I did with with a duo partner. His name is Cecil blusher, he's out there. He's he's on the screen. And he went on to win a bunch of nationals that we all went on to win a bunch of national titles. We were really poor, we were really good. We had a quick number that was called Same difference. And that number was about two black boys that meet for the first day of college and one black boy has two gay fathers and the other black boy, which was me was gay, I think, but he didn't know it. Or I don't know, I can't remember. But all I know is like, even that number. Those two things have me wondering like, why aren't there more narratives about these people or these patients? Or, you know, but when I admit Raj, it was to the point where people were like, what else are you gonna do what what other job are you going to get? Because like you like this is your near miss Raj. Where the drag began Wow, it came from Ms. Raj, with George Raj winning those competitions as a drag queen in when I was a freshman in college. That's how I learned about all my delivery and like giving jokes and to the die. So when I got here, like I didn't start really doing dragon so like. Wow, really? Yeah. But I knew that I like could do it. Because I had already been paid basically done it. I was just in a suit and a tie, like, you know, doing this mining. And then when I realized that that's a lot of like, what the people were doing, I was like, okay, it's mining but then when I really learned that there are all these different directions with drag. I was like, Oh shit, I've been doing. I've been doing this all along. And how did you land on the name suburbia? van. Well, the first name was Frito Lay. The first name was Franklin. The first name was Aretha Franklin. And I was a part of a trio Bushwick I think it was like the third Bushwick or maybe the second Bushwick and yeah, yes, Charlene was there Mary was there we sat outside together collected tickets with her lady Kaisa dilla was there a court horchata Tyler everybody was there well was there was there Miss Jade was there a lot of mcgriddles was there everybody was that who else was there in the nooks and crannies space babe was there Sandy air talking about buy like you've done so much like so much. It's wild and tiny it was was everywhere. And title Queen wise, but it don't make sense that they weren't. You have you haven't even got we're just getting to the beginning. We're not we're just now getting to the beginning. Again, I got names. I got places. When did you start? What year? So you started doing drag when you moved here, but when did you When did you start? Like Like what year was 2014? See, even in my own head. I'm shifting the years where I'm like, Oh, yeah, I feel like she would have been like 2015 to 2016 like 2014 for being so Wow. I was literally I had just graduated high school. It was starting my Yeah, I was at my freshman year. Wow. Wow, that just should be that's just my soul. So So wait. So let me get this straight. Let me get this straight. So you moved here in 2014 Back here in 2011, maybe even 2010 either way it's been a decade why Morehouse College which was a whole nother drag act, but I did I did have a moment in in Atlanta when I was going to Morehouse where my Spelman sister we went to something saddles place in Atlanta. And that's the my first time seeing a drag show in Atlanta. And when I tell you, honey, it wasn't a pageant. I've never let me let's get something straight, y'all. I'm no pageant person. pageant person I like to be and the grit and the grime. I like to see people squander because that's their art form. That's what I like I could do. Only like pageants solely solely solely for the competition. I like competition, but I don't like cattiness or negativity. I'm just like, Can we all compete as who we are? shine is who we are, and let the judges be judgmental and determine a winner. There was no judges that night. No, nothing was just not another performer, another performer, not a performer. And I just remember being like wow, what the fuck is this? Something I really started to find out about our the community that we met with then through going to will share it and show hot fruit that was that at Metropolitan for years. The only show that I would go to because my the friends that I had. They're a little bit older than me. And they were like, Oh my god, you don't know if I will share it in and I will tell you I showed up as a regular. Um, well, I wasn't here earlier first. It was like every three years. And then it turns into something where I read a home, one of my friends was a guest for well, and they were releasing a poem. I think their name is Tom Branca. They're known in the community. A legend. And, or are no, no, no, it was a hot fruit. And I was just doing something at the Bowery. I didn't home at the Bowery. And I wanted it at the Bowery. And then we went to you love it. I mean, we went to Metropolitan. And Mary was this is a true story. Mary, if you listen, and I know you remember this story. So I'm standing on this stage, and I'm delivering my phone. And as soon as it's over, Mary walks up to me. She's like, Oh, my God, you made me cry. Well, you close out the Brooklyn nightlife awards. This is the linear track honey, this is the linear track. She's like, we close the bridge. Whereas I'm like, first of all, what's the Brooklyn nightlife award? Sure. That's literally what I said. I think I was like, sure. And this is before dragon everything. This was this was I was sort of in and out of it. I hadn't made a choice about it. It wasn't even like a choice in my brain. But what I did at home is when I went to the Brooklyn nightlife award years this, this was 2015, maybe, okay, okay. Okay. Because if I also always ask the year, because I'm gauging what social media is like, because I'm like, okay, Instagram was around and poppin and stuff wasn't around. Not the biggest fish in the game, but like, you know, like, okay, cuz I always like to think about whether I can look up images later, but continue, continue. Yeah, so I went to the Brooklyn nightlife awards in drag. And I remember, right, after I got on stage, Mary was like, I always pay my girls and she puts money in for my face. And I was just like, Oh, sure. No one's ever like, give me money for is that what they do? That's when the wheels started turning bitch. And that's what Marissa was like, you come in for my gig. And that's, you know, a whole nother story. But um, so that's literally like well that were around at that time. Mr. Shiny pen is the no BS. I see. I'm sorry to say names. Thank you for saying these days, because it's really actually really giving me a like, in the picture. Yeah. Candy. Me and candy. Were in the st. Me candy and me. Great. where we're at the beginning of the nobodies. What was the first time you did like a number? Like you were like? It was I mean, well, one that I was conscious about? Yeah, like when you were like, I do drag. I'm about to go do this number. And like, maybe didn't slay it, but like the first time where you're like, Okay, I'll take you back to it. I'm Mary hammy. Do dragon I remember Mary was like, come to my place, come at you do your makeup horchata was there they were living together at the time. And I go downstairs and I can't I just remember that it was dragnet. And I was I had this pink wig. And I had a magazine and I just started ripping things off the page listening to cutting my hair. And then I think I did like, I did something. I don't know. I don't want to do as everybody Do you remember the song. I had that corset that we all have? I had those types of those. I had those galactic metallic types that we all have. We've all seen all the things that people had, I was ready to like, that's a really good quote. I had all the things that people have. Okay, that was the first one. I think that was the first one my mind's a little blurry. But my first one for the nobodies I just showed up and did like some Patti Smith number I think free minute was free money I still have to do when it comes to your drags you do a lot. You do a lot. Like you do wigs you do outfits, you do all of it. And are all of those things that you taught yourself how to do? Or are those things that like you studied up on because, like, again, I've been a part of amazing productions with you like for Suzanne bars is love ball where like, all of these amazing wigs are crafted by you designed by you to tell a story and a concept. And so like it's things like that, where I'm like, Did you just like, watch a bunch of YouTube videos and be like, I can get better at this or did you like study somewhere? This history I'm about to give you so alright, when I started doing a drag, I also was doing the club kids circuit to you we're doing everything. And then and I was doing hair and that's it to design. I remember one night I was working for Nikki I was working for Nikki Oh tab. Love to host and this is before Nikki was even a queen. And this damn story I made awake for Nikki and I was sure this wig was good. She said she wanted to look like I'm telling a story. Nikki, I know you're here to start telling us like maybe this kimchi rig. I get the hair, making the wick honey that week was in the trash by the end of the night. That's when I knew I had to go to beauty school. I can no longer get away with making these wigs that I was making for Linux every night she was going out to do these damn things with me and linens used to be bermain. And, you know, my eyes really open and I was like I've got to I have to. So I had I had like a nervous breakdown. This is like birthdays ago, three birthdays, or maybe three or four birthdays ago. And literally a nervous breakdown. And the next day I ended up in beauty school the next day. And while I was there, I didn't know drag. I was like I'm not doing no draw. I just want my mind to be applied. Right. And I really dove in. I learned how to do everything. I learned a bunch of different cuts. I learned how to ventilate. I learned how to sell it, learn how to perform. I learned how to do relaxers, I learned how to do anything that you could think of. And by the time I was out of there, I was working in fire. But by by the time we were before we were even halfway through I was working in Fire Island doing a monthly show at Fire Island. And it was an all black review. We barely had any people come to the show. And even even though we were saying like all black, you know we're here. We have people I had my drag sister on blackberry from Texas. I had that that was my first guess my second guess was was was tank. Tank. And Mm hmm. And we did the best we could with with that. But But But through it all I learned how to work with the hair. And I learned how to make dreads and you know, up until then, like I would draw my I would draw everything on. I didn't go fact I draw my lashes on. I draw everything on everything. ragamuffin would be like, let's look let's see are her lashes false? Or are they really false, honey? Yes, yeah, to the point where I started to dig deeper and learn how to stack wigs and learn how to how to do things faster how to learn different learning different techniques by experience and then it really just turned into its own my own education. So after that I went to work at a salon, and I was also doing a few a few times while I was there. I did watch Scarlet MBs hair In that whole experience of washing and doing her hair, I mean, you're you're doing it and you are who you are, and you're not who you are, who you are. And no one no one in your staff really knows who you are. Because you don't like that. That's another thing to talk about. Like, I would go down this track of like, I didn't want any of my coworkers to know that I did drag. Because, like sometimes at the clients, I wouldn't let them know I did drag because then you find them saying things like, but don't make me look like a drag queen. And you're like, Girl I don't like did you have to say that? You don't think that I got what you don't think I got it? Damn, I'm sorry. That is some high level racism and homophobia going on there. Because there's no way shape or form that like just because you were a drag queen does not mean you're not a versatile artist enough to have somebody else not like a drag queen. Just because you do. They're like hair. Like it doesn't make sense. But at the end of the day, that's why we rise above and still as my Angelou says, We rise okay. When you were living in New York, and you were beginning to find your community and all the people that like you know, like minded people, your community all your loved one, I can only imagine what the scene was like in 2015 in terms of like, I can give you a scene and that will tell it all set the scene for me set the scene. I think it was Charlene Birthday One night, and we went to this this I can't remember the name of what the place was that it was off of. It was around the corner for Metropolitan and some of y'all out there probably know what I'm talking about. I can't remember the name. But um, it was Charlie's birthday and we walk in and violaceous was a was a was also like a guest there and I remember lady case Adela walking on the stage of the big ass watermelon. And I didn't really know what happened at a drag like I'm still learning what goes down it shut like I was like really trying to figure it out. And I remember lady cases elegant on the stairs as big as watermelon and saying you know what we do in my contract with a sub was birthday. We open crush the watermelon? And I was just I was just like oh my god I've never heard this before. And then they fucking crack that fucking watermelon open I don't remember whether I got a piece of it. I remember what they did. But then I remember later on Mary cherry was on people walk over there got smoky they went up into this little nook and cranny corner upstairs. It was VIP. And then there were all these other people started rolling through and next thing my patience comes up and she just goes What's her What's her what their fan? And she has this big ass 90s thing with like, I got my education. I'll never forget that like a number. She did. I got my education honey. everyone's life was got married. Mary got up there and did what she do. She did. What's that girl who is The Princess Diaries? who wasn't an Julie Andrews? Yeah, yeah, that no, no, no, no. You're talking about that white girl. The other white girl. It was another white girl pop girl. She's she was another Britney Spears. But I can't I can't think of her name. Y'all know what I'm talking about? Yeah. I think Well, I think are you talking about Mandy Moore? Mandy Moore? Yes, yes. No, she was not. At all. She was not in Princess Diaries. She wasn't. She was. It was not. No, I am thinking of a girl who was in um, y'all know what I'm talking about. But I just say, well, it's the girl who's like, who's in her class. And she takes off the hat. And she's like, what the fuck? Are you got your hair done? You don't remember that girl. And then when like that, when the when the camera was outside of the school, she got out of the limo. The girl was like, was right there. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I'm Google. I had to Google it. And I'm really, really, really mad at the fact that you were right. How did I know that Mandy Moore was in this ditch. She was funny as fuck. You're a phenomenal storyteller. And I say that because something that I really love about that story is the fact that like, it just sounds so different from everything I've experienced. And I think that one living in the time that we live in like when I moved here was 2017 which was like, you know, Instagram was different than 2015 The scene was much larger drag race had gotten bigger. All these different things like drag race was over the h1 and I like to think the community Just the more mainstream drag got, I thought the community became more full and not necessarily as queer. You know what I mean? Like, there's a lot more Hell's Kitchen, gays, there's a lot more street bachelorette parties, there's a lot more, all these different things. And so even just down to the fact that like, you can list off all of these people who were in there as performers, and now when even I go into a space, I may know 2530 people in here, but there's still 400 performers in here who I don't know whose names I don't know, who like have their own followings and careers because of their own platform. And very beautiful job of making sure that that feeling of community is not lost in this time that we live now. And that there's still support and community for everyone out there. And I just I thank you for it. I thank you for it. And I think that my next question for you, is a little more like that. Mm hmm. I agree. What are you working on now? How is suburbia evolved from the suburbia who first came here to the suburbia that we see now? How is she grow? And what is she working on now? Well, I mean, back when I didn't know what I was doing, I just did everything. And everything. I mean, I put I would put on everything to like I would just do whatever like and I now I know like, like, How to delete how I want to deliver my jokes and like, like and I know I'm a comedian. Yes, you are. Yes, you are. And a lot of people don't know that. I'm a comedian. I know how to sell a lot of people don't know, I know how to. So what I'm working on now is like I just had this new show called legends. Yes. so successful. We had a lot of people drop out, but it was okay. Because a lot of people got that good pay. Some people were dropped out for for a very, very big reason. A lot of people have a lot of things going on. A lot of people have a lot of medical things going on family things going on. You need to make sure that if you ever get on drag race, you do the Parkers, because the promo the car. Yes, it was all perfect. The editing, it was literally like, amazing. The hair, the firt it was all perfect. It was the best, like the best intro I've ever seen. And it fully like the moment I saw it, I was like, and now I'm inspired. Like these are the moments where like, ideas, because I was like, for the next delivery color. So I'm like, okay, so I need to do something like, like, I need to figure out what this intro is because you made me realize that I would have put more energy into like the intro of the show, like, you know what I mean? Like, what I know now I know like I want to purpose, my energy and what I what hearts, I want to put it into. Mm hmm. But pledges was really successful. And in over 15 $100 raised right over 1500 that we raised 15 $101, for food bank for NYC. And all of our all of the performers were able to get just about close to a regular base pay for the production. And we already have the cast ready for March. And that is still going to be a cabaret. And it's also going to be a brunch. In man, there's going to be serving brunch at Club while people view it. And the theme is Motown. So I just been listening to Motown trying to like really like dive into the Motown era and see what's going on there. But we got we got some amazing people coming through like we got. We got some seasoned people, we got some new people we got people you probably wouldn't even think would be there. Not all drag. It's just all queer people of color with talent. Hmm, that's what the collective is all about bringing queer people of talent together. And it's been funny because I've been noticing that, like, you know, I'll ask someone like, do you want to be part of this thing, just as I like the collective or like a show or whatever. And the first thing people will ask us, but they'll ask like, do you have to be in drag? Or they'll say, but I don't do drag. And then and with pledges and like all the things you've been doing, it's been showing people like that's not what this is. This is all about. Mm hmm. This is just about finding, bringing people on stage who are queer person of color, any talent, even if you're an orator Exactly, exactly everyone has something to share and something to bring of themselves to the community. And I, I love that about you. I love that about you. And I think I have two more questions for you that are going to be thickening. You're not ready for him. If you had to give your younger self advice, or pat them on the back, what would you say? What would you do if you got an opportunity to talk to your younger self for just a minute? Just a minute just to be like, Whoa, let me let you let me let you let let me let you in on this. I would have told my 17 year old self ditch, get a damn sewing machine so you don't get worse dressed to New York Fashion Week a few times. But if I wouldn't have done that, I wouldn't have met B Hawk. So, you know, but I will congratulate myself on leaving that day. And that story that I told you about? That's the number one thing I always congratulate myself for. Because I don't know where me or my mother would be right now. emotionally, physically, financially, huh? Well, my next question, actually, I have two more after two more now. My next question, what makes you most proud of yourself? Um, that I trust my instincts. It's been a whirlwind of trust in myself, especially over the pet ever since ever since I was 17 it's been a whole thing of like recreate rebuilding my own world, you know, and trusting in myself. And now I have a lot of trust in myself and I make choices. Risk rather I take risks without worrying a lot more now. I pat myself on the back for that, because that was a hard journey to get to so hard journey for us all. You know, you fall in it, you fall out of it, but for a while I finally fallen into it. And I'm not feeling any turbulence as of right now. Good. That is stability is nice. Amen. Amen. Yeah. My hair is that has never been this length before. Growth. Yes, I'm with someone who actually don't say that. I'm with someone who loves me. Who can healthily love you. We love that. We love that. And the final question for you. My final final question. What is your favorite Mariah Carey song? What's the one where she's on the swing? butterfly. Always be my baby. Oh over the lake. Okay. Cuz she was on a tire swing and butterfly but always be my baby. She we know. Vice versa. She was on a swing and butterfly but tire swing over the lake and always be my baby. Yeah, you're right. And now she has this whole camp that she's maintained since the 90s in upstate New York called Camp Mariah. And it allows kids from inside the cities to actually have a space where they can actually go for free to go to camp and get fresh air for the summer. And that was actually filmed there. And I believe Mariah actually directed that video as well. And so my right Ooh, Devin, good taste good. That's like a song that followed me for years. Because I had these two friends. It was Liliana chesky and you bet Amata. blacker on a white girl. They're like Oh, wow. And like the same sort of friend group is kind of a it was kind of a queer group. Mm hmm. They will always play that song. That song would be that's that they've done that song. All the damn talent shows all the damn time that song comes on. Tap it to be there. And I'll never forget those two. They'll probably never even listen to this. Maybe they'll listen to it. They probably will. I love you suburbia. And I thank you so much for sitting down with me talking with me sharing with me because this has been a very powerful episode. And I think I've already kind of determined that it will be a two parter because I feel like there's like with everything that we've talked about. I feel like there's two distinct episodes in there one about like before the drag that went after the drag because I think this is like such a beautiful episode and I cannot wait to edit it and put it out. Like I'm so excited suburbia. And this Actually just the beginning for anyone who's listening like this is this is just the sampler this isn't even before this is an episode of a 15 episode series oh mama This is an episode of a life long movie bitch and before we sign off, let these hosts know where to follow you send you money support you follow me at the suburbia everywhere to ease th e suburbia so when I'll have a website, maybe pay for it at you know what I need a new computer. I have a dog that needs to go to college. When that is you know in your Venmo list the suburbia two oh yeah that he collected and what's what's the handle for that suburbia? Um, we have we actually have a PayPal account so you can always donate to the PayPal account with the Pay Pal and Instagram. It's packed deck packed deck p o CDAC. Which is p OC drag art collector. And it What is that for? Is that for the Instagram or PayPal? Or both? Just PayPal. PayPal is just packed deck list l.edu slash pocket jack? Is this in? Is this in somebody's link tree is it was in mine I think. Okay, work. So it let's say you dyslexic is fun. If you are listening. You can always go to suburbia, his Instagram bio. Yeah, I have a link tree so like the links will be there as he slowly pulls up her laptop to make sure I love playing playing with the boys. me five more these coins. I love you suburbia. And thank you so much. You're welcome. I love you. I love you more. And now you got to see the amazing suburbia that I know the suburbia that I love and the suburbia that I call Auntie, I love her so much. And the amount of wisdom that was in this freakin interview is just mind boggling to me because I'm just so thankful to have her in my life and as well in my community because she is the definition of not only a survivor and a pioneer, but as well on top of it a good kind as person. And so with that we come to the end of this episode. And I am just so beyond excited to announce who our next guest is for our final season finale episode of this podcast. Get ready for the one in the only one of my favorite performers. One of my favorite people. actually probably my favorite in the entire world she is someone who always cares about other people always puts other people first and before herself. She is always willing to be there if you need her while at the same time to remind you that you deserve to focus on yourself just as much as you focus on everyone else. So get ready for a bad bitch and iconic, iconic member of the Brooklyn nightlife scene, the one and only Junior Mintt. me I realized most of you probably don't know much of my own journey in life and how I got to where I am now. So yeah, it's gonna be me and I'm gonna just sit down tell you my life. tell you my story. tell you my wisdom, of course is going to be the abridged version because a bitch needs to make sure she leaves some stories for the memoirs. Okay, but we're gonna have some fun, I'm gonna tell you about my life. I'm going to tell you about how I got to where I'm at. And what is coming next for Junior Mintt. And, yeah, I'm just so excited to share myself with you because through this entire process of creating this show, I have recorded a lot of interviews, I have talked to a lot of people, and it made me reflect on my own life. And I often talk about what goes on in my life, but not necessarily in a chronological or in depth manner. And I'm gonna give it to you. So tune in next week for our season finale. I'm going to be laying it down to you there's going to be a full freakin episode of just me. So I hope you're ready. I love y'all. Thank you so much. I just can't thank you enough. I hope you love this and I hope you share some of this wisdom with other people. And until next week, we will be seeing each other. I love you. Take care of yourself. Take care of your community and take care of others and be safe