We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mia George a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

At a moments notice, the nursing school I was on a 2-3 year waiting list to be admitted to had an unexpected last minute open slot for me after only 1 year of waiting.

By “last minute” I mean…I was called the first day of classes, was told I had to make a decision THAT day, and would have to catch up on about 8 weeks worth of preparation that all of the other students had…in 3-5 days!

The decision to attend at a moment’s notice meant a drastic and immediate change in many areas of my life. The most impactful being my inability to maintain my employment and not having the extra 12 months of working + saving I planned to have, so that I could afford to attend the program.

I decided to take a leap of faith and accepted the offer to start the program early. I quit my job, used the money I did have saved to by my books, supplies, uniform, and pay my fees. But as you can imagine…the money was gone QUICKLY. Soon, I began to feel the effects of my dire financial situation. I did not qualify for aid or grants…and my family could only offer me minimal assistance. I did not want to take out loans and create debt for myself. But, as more fees became due…I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it work.
In time I was awarded several scholarships that helped ease the burden a bit…but the issue still weighed heavy on me.

One day, I received an anonymous letter in the mail. There was no return address and no signature. The note stated that they heard about my financial situation and wanted to help me finish nursing school. They included the exact amount of money I needed for my fees. These letters and monetary donations came regularly, as fees were due, until I finished the program.

The last letter I received was so heartfelt and I wished so very much that I could thank the person who had done this wonderfully generous thing for me…but they remained anonymous.

The anonymous donor’s only ask was that I go on to become a great Registered Nurse…and to pay it forward.
I have answered that call in my 17+ years as Registered Nurse and 5+ years as a Public Health Nurse. I have taken it even further by advocating for the Health and Wellness of the Black Community through my purpose-driven work at CURATED…for the CULTURE!

Mia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I officially launched CURATED…for the CULTURE! in November 2021.

CURATED…for the CULTURE! is a dream realized…a purpose-driven passion project of sorts that was birthed from my innate calling and my own need to connect, to find safe spaces that allowed me to heal, express myself fully and authentically, unlearn toxic mindsets, deepen my pride in my African/African-American heritage and in the Black community, find joy, embody peace, have fun, and create community.

With systemic racism at the foundation of the lived experience for African-Americans in the U.S., economic disparity, social inequality, and continual exposure to trauma has become the normalcy of our existence.

Deep-rooted pain requires deep-rooted healing.

Healing in the Black community isn’t linear in function nor presentation…a delicious soul food meal, a live music set, a canvas-painting party, a haircut at a local barbershop, a laughter-filled comedy night, a 3-on-3 basketball game, an art show, an open-dialouge, a protest, a prayer, a poem, a hug, a cry, an affirmation…can ALL generate healing and strengthen us and our community.

CURATED…for the CULTURE! amplifies the already beautiful, powerful, and healing spirit of the African-American collective….in a variety of relatable spaces and experiences.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The “first”. The “only”. Those are the adjectives that proceed “Black Nurse” as it relates to me and my 17+ year career as a Registered Nurse.

Upon graduating nursing school (where I was only 1 of 3 Black nursing program graduates), I was hired onto a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (my dream job!).
There I became the first and only Black RN the Unit had EVER had. I went on to become the “first” and “only” Black Charge Nurse and the “first” and “only” Black Clinical Lead on the Unit for the first 6 years of my 7+ years there.

My next job was in a Pediatric Outpatient Clinic. And yep…you guessed it…out of my organization’s 12 local Pediatric Outpatient Clinics throughout the county…I was the “only” full-time Black RN for the first 7 years of my 8+ years there. There was 1 Afro-Latina per diem RN from Brazil who worked 1-2 shifts per month during my first 2 years there. Otherwise…it was “only” me.

Fast-forward to my current position…I came in, again, as the “first” and “only”.

To be the “first” is one thing…to be the “only” is another thing entirely.

The isolation, exclusion, prejudice, ambivalence, invisibility, unrelenting gaslighting, lack of respect, lack of genuine care and concern, lack of social and cultural cues and awareness, lack of accountability, and the lack of privilege you must endure on a daily basis at the hands of your superiors and some of your peers as the “only”…when all you want to do is come to work to do the job you’ve been called to do and love to do…with the same level of respect, support, and care as everyone else…………is heartbreakingly EXHAUSTING.

Having to rise above the mental, emotional, spiritual, and sometimes even physical anguish that comes from navigating an environment where you are essentially unseen, unheard, and not respected or cared for as much as your peers…or even at times as just a human being…in order to maintain your livelihood and dignity, persevere, and provide amazing care to the patients entrusted to you…requires an ethereal type of resilience.

Being the “first” and “only” has inevitably trained my heart and mind to resist injustices, repel micro-aggressions, advocate for equality, equity, and visibility, and to honor, protect, and affirm myself daily.

In doing so, I have been able to rise above circumstances that were meant to break my spirit…give up on my calling as a Registered Nurse…humiliate me…and ruin my reputation.

But all of those attempts made by previous nursing professors, hospital supervisors, clinic managers, and several coworkers to break my spirit…give up on my calling as a Registered Nurse…humiliate me…and ruin my reputation…FAILED.

I have and continue to THRIVE professionally, personally, spiritually, and purposefully.

My care and leadership as a Registered Nurse, my character, creativity, and purpose-driven impact as a human being, and the resolve, inner-strength, grace, compassion, and resilience required of me as a Black Woman in America speaks for itself.

In the eloquent and timeless words of Queen Beyoncé Giselle Knowles…”You won’t break my soul!”…but you may break your own soul trying.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I feel that a supportive partner or team that sees, feels, honors, and is eager to bring your vision to life is the true key to success in this space.

Yes, during my first year…outside of enlisting several gracious peers to facilitate or present at my events…I essentially carried CURATED…for the CULTURE! on my own in every aspect.
I prepared as much as I could, but eventually had to just brave this space and take a leap of faith. If not, I would have be stuck “preparing” forever. Therfore, I had to pretty much learn EVERYTHING on the job…trial and error.
I had to fully finance the business on my own using personal savings and at times incurring debt. Additionally, I have had to produce these experiences/events (from inception, development, location scouting, design, marketing, set-up, tear down…you name it)…on my own.
I’ve done this all while maintaining a full-time job as a Registered Public Health Nurse during an unprecedented pandemic…and raising 3 children as a single parent.

Being “supported”…and having an actual partner or team you can depend on every time you show up to create…are two very different things. And, if you have a supportive partnership or team…you know exactly what I mean.

I am grateful for all I’ve been able to do, learn, and experience on my own. I’m honored by those who have come beside me to offer their support and insight along the way.

However, in order to see CURATED…for the CULTURE! sustain and grow into the community staple I desire it to be…I will need a partner and/or team composed of amazing, aligned, purpose-driven, heart-centered individuals…who see and honor my full vision…and desire to come alongside me to help bring it to life.

I wholeheartedly hope 2023 (year 2!) is my year for partnership, team-building, and impactful expansion. And so it is!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.curatedfortheculture.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/curated.fortheculture
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CURATED4culture
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Isiah “CinemaZay” Jones: solo photo of Mia Roy “Max Exposure” Maxwell: photo of CURATED…for the CULTURE! outdoor CIRCLE event