We recently connected with Mia Tennell and have shared our conversation below.
Mia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
In November 2022, I was just getting back on my feet financially after moving from Maryland to Portsmouth, VA. In this process of moving, I lost about 90% of my things (clothes, furniture, etc.). I was working remotely from home, my son was living with his father in Seattle, Washington, I didn’t have a car, and although I was getting back on my feet, money was very low. I still had my (then) 8 year old daughter to take care of. I was driving one day to Washington DC in a rental car to a spoken word flash mob at the convention center during the black caucus for an anti tobacco company that I performed for in a contest a few months prior. On the way there, I received a facetime call from my son’s stepmother. And without going into details (I want to protect my sons privacy and thoughts behind this), the phone call became a moment of absolute anger, frustration, and helplessness. I was so upset, I had to pull over. Once the the siltation was handled, I proceeded to go to the performance in DC. During this performance, I met another spoken word artist who told me about a gala that was happening later that day and asked if I was going. I said no because I had nothing to wear. He told me that I needed to be there because there were people that were going to be there that I needed to meet. So I went to the mall, found a dress, and went to the gala. At the gala, I met one of the vice presidents of the American Heart Association on the west coast, more specifically, in Seattle, WA. When i got home, I emailed him and scheduled a meeting with him to chat. During our meeting, we spoke about different IT job openings that the company had and my previous experience. I told him that I wasn’t really looking for an IT position since I had been doing it for so long. So I offered him a Mindfulness Workshop where I could help his employees become more self aware, develop self love, and gain inner peace. I was so scared offering this to him because I had never done one but I knew I had it in me. About a month later, he called me and booked me for a workshop for a conference that they were having in Seattle, WA.I took him up on this offer, and did not put lodging and travel in the contract (mistake I learned after the fact). I saved up my money and purchased a one way ticket (because that is all I could afford with it being me and my daughter flying. I had to find a ride to the airport, spend a 24 hour layover in Colorado, and no car in Seattle. I got lost, my paycheck was short so I barely had any money, and my air bnb was only booked for 3 days because that all I could afford. Everything worked out and I still made it to my workshop and received great feedback. I was also able to spend time with my son who I haven’t seen in about 4 months. I took a lap of faith that led to more opportunities, connections, and experiences that changed my mindset from victim to warrior, I stepped out on faith, took risks, and believed in myself. That was the only way for me to get where I am today. Today. I have 7 publications under my name, I have my own LLC called Speakin’ Art, and I am also in the process of creating more mindfulness workshops. I continue to take risks because I have never failed anything. I have been readjusted and plans have changed, but I have never failed myself. I have learned and matured into a risktaker.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I got into poetry, digital art, and mental health solutions from hitting rock bottom and finding myself out. I developed processes that worked not just for me, but for others as well. These processes helped me through depression, anxiety, and overthinking. I use writing to express myself and say how I really feel. I use this space to be honest with myself, heal, and empower me. The types of services that I provide are mindfulness workshops that teaches individuals how to become self aware, how to find self love, and create inner peace. This helps employees become more productive by helping with burn outs and becoming overwhelmed with life/work unbalance, This also helps individuals do an inventory of their life at the present moment and develop solutions to get back aligned to live a purposeful life. I also offer digital art services such as book covers, illustrations, or just art for interpretation or vibe. I also of course offer spoken word services, copywriting services, and website design. I am able to capture ideas and bring them to life. I am most proud of my business and how its expanded into other gifts that I didn’t know I had. Spoken word was the seg way to my other gifts. I want my followers and potential clients to know, though I offer these services, it does not mean I have it all together. I am a human, being me. So as I grow, I share, I offer. Speakin’ Art is all about relaying messages via art. Whether it be through poetry, digital art, mindfulness, etc. I relay your truth in the most beautiful, vibrant, and intelligent way.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative is the immortality. You can freeze time when you create because what you create is energy, and energy never dies. I love that fact that I have tangible pieces of me that my generations after me will be able to see who they come from. I love encouraging people and helping them see the lightness in every situation that seems dark. It reminds me of my dark times and how I promised myself I’d never go back to. No matter how hard things get or how dark they look, I will never not value me.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
There was a time After a very turbulent day, I went to perform a poetry flash mob in DC. I was invited to a gala that evening with the rest of the poets, I wasn’t planning on going but went anyway. That night, I met one of the vice presidents of the American Heart Association. He gave me his information and we soon had a meeting about some job opportunities they were offering. As an IT, the job market is usually pretty good so I wasn’t really looking to get hired at the moment since I had a job already. I told him this. I took that opportunity to offer my services of mindfulness workshops. When I offered this to him, I was not really confident, but something told me to offer it to him anyway. He told me he would get back to me. To my surprise, he contacted me about two months later, inviting me to their conference to give the mindfulness workshop in Seattle, Washington. At that time, I did not have a workshop prepared, nor did I have the funds to go to Seattle, Washington in less than a month, I was not comfortable, asking him for travel and lodging arrangements since this was my first actual gig But I was being paid for the gig. I decided that I was going to make this happen no matter what. I bought a one-way ticket with a 20 hour layover and an Airbnb for three days but I needed to stay out there longer because my son was living there at the time. I had so little money, and really no idea on how I was going to get back to Virginia. But I knew I had to go, and I knew Spirit would work it out. So my daughter and I flew to Seattle and we had no way to get around. My ex-husband lives in Seattle, so I had no choice but to ask him. He picked us up and took us to our Airbnb. My aunt called me out of the blue and sent me money. My paycheck was also short, but I was able to get the rest of it back. I was so nervous doing this workshop because I felt truly unprepared but I kept telling myself I came way too far to back out now. The workshop did not come out the way I imagined, but I am so proud of myself for going through what I went through to get it done that was one of the biggest faith leaps That I have ever taken.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.Speakinart.com
- Instagram: Incouraged poet/wearespeakinart
- Facebook: We Are Speakin Art