Mushpa + Mensa’s Journey

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belle and bear, Cara Reynolds, corona virus, covid 19, Craft Beer, el jefe, gay, hurricaine florence, lesbian, lesbians, Maria Emilia Borja, Maya the Magical Mobile Art Machine, Mensa, Mushpa, Mushpa + Mensa, NC Beer, NC State, organic cotton tees, organic t-shirts, robot girl, tuxedo cat, wilmington

Happy Thanksgiving Mushpa + Mensa Super Fans! We hope this newsletter finds you well in these 2020 times.

You may know us from when we used to travel up and down the eastern seaboard in our art truck Maya, the Magical Mobile Art Machine (our small mobile, solar powered tiny boutique) advocating for local, conscious, women-owned small businesses all over the world, all the while spreading our art, messages, laughter and love!

Things have changed a bit from then, for better or for worse in September of 2018, our art truck Maya was flooded during the destructive Hurricane Florence via North Carolina. Our little Maya was under 5 feet of filthy water and debris. She no longer started and was covered in black mold. It was her end and yet another new beginning for Mushpa + Mensa.

Yes, it did break our hearts, but we are firm believers that everything happens for a reason.  

Honestly, we are so happy to have discover Maya hidden in a corner lot in Staten Island, to have been able to transform her inside and out with our very own hands into the beauty she became. We are grateful that she took us on such great adventures, thousands of miles worth since we began in 2014. She was there for many a grand moment in our lives, always helping us spread our message of love to the masses. For that we are blessed.

Mushpa + Mensa did not give up their travels. We went back to tents, just like the good old NYC days. We kept touring and even made it to the Central Time Zone!

We did that for a year and then in March of 2020 came “The Pandemic” aka Covid-19 and all shows were cancelled until further notice. It is now nine months later and Thanksgiving weekend and we are thankful that our loved business endeavor has survived through it all! Nine months later and Mushpa + Mensa’s rebirth is a transformation from the streets to an amazing online presence thanks to all the support from our loyal customers and all the new ones we have found on this journey in the New World.new ones we have found on this journey in the New World.

We truly hope you see we love what we are doing, making a living selling our art, and get inspired to create change in the world through your own blessings and devotion to what you love.   We, Cara and Maria-Emilia, send love to all and a wish that we all stay safe this holiday season. Chins up, the vaccine is just around the corner.  

-Mushpa + Mensa (Cara and Emilia)

Just A Few Laughs

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bowling, Cara Reynolds, Happiness, hedgehog, inspiration, laughs, laughter, lesbian, Maria Emilia Borja, Mensa, Mushpa, Mushpa + Mensa, Mushpa Y Mensa, Pepper vs Tuck, queer, The American Hedgehog Bowling Association, The American Hedgehog Bowling Association - Pepper vs Tuck

Hedgehog bowling and not in a bad way… Please it’s us.

So cute.

-Mushpa

Killing Eve…I’ve Got Issues

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Amadeus, AMC, BBC, Cara Reynolds, Elena Felton, Eve, Eve Polastri, Fiona Shaw, gay, issues, Jodie Comer, Killing Eve, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, lesbian, Mushpa + Mensa, Oksana Astankova, queer, Sandra Oh, serial killer, villanelle

You got hands like oceans.

-Mushpa

P.S. – BBC thank you for Killing Eve.

Sooooo good.

Gay in 5 Minutes

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Chinese food, dating app, dog, Fortunate, fortune cookies, gay, lesbian, lesbian short film, Mushpa + Mensa, OML, One More Lesbian, queer, take out, Tristan True Giallani

You need a quick break?

Simple and sweet.

-Mushpa

Pa’lante My Friends

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Alynda Segarra, Alyse Young, bass, Bob Boilen, Bronson Arcuri, Bronx, Cara Reynolds, cello, Charlie Ferguson, Claire Harbage, congas, Cubana, Electric Guitar, Hurray For the Riff Raff, Jordan Hyde, Josh Rogosin, Juan-Carlos Chaurand, keyboards, Maia Stern, Morgan Noelle Smith, Mushpa, Mushpa + Mensa, New York City, Nothing's Gonna Change That Girl, NPR, NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, NYC, Pa'lante, Patricia Santos, Puerto Rican, Puerto Rico, Rican Beach, rums, Salvatore Maicki, Sarah Goldstone Claudia Chopek, The Bronx, violin

Before you loved me like that.

The three faces of Eve… She is amazing.

I gave up TV and fell deep into the music and books y’all. Not gonna go on and on about it, but life, I must admit, is improving and it wasn’t so bad to begin with.

Edify us Girl.

– Mushpa

She’s Looking Through The Wrong End Of The Telescope

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Andrew Burri, Berklee School of Music, Berklee School of Music alumni, Bob Boilen, Brooklyn, Brooklyn NY, Cara Reynolds, Chic Band, Christopher Parks, Danny Molad, Denise DeBelius, Don't Just Sit There, female music, Genevieve, Go Home, Holly Laessig, Jess Wolfe, Kevin Wait, Lauren Rock, Lucius, Mushpa + Mensa, Mushpa Y Mensa, music video, New York City, NPR Tiny Desk, Peter Lalish, Ryan Smith, Turn It Around

Turn it around.

Feels like a curse.

Sounds likes a dream.

Don’t know what it means.

But it means everything.

Two of us on the run.

I can be the one who’s going insane.

A bike ride from our place in Brooklyn. We ate here so many times.

I love ya girl.

Took me 5 years to find them…but I did.

-Mushpa

Welcome Summer

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calvin harris, love, music, queer, rihanna, sledgehammer, Star Trek, Stevvie Nicks, Summer Jams, summer solstice, summertime, this is what you came for, you da one

I can’t believe 2 things I love found each other.

Summer’s Goddess.

You da one. :]

-Mushpa

Mushpa’s Lesbian Chic Flick Preview Reviews

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Ah-ga-ssi, Aisling Walsh, Ana Maria Hermida, Andrés Aranburo, BBC Series, Beth Grant, Bradley Rust Gray, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Chan-wook Park, Cho Jin-woong, Elaine Cassidy, erotic psychological thriller, Fingersmith, gay, Ha Jung-woo, Heartland, homosexual, Jena Malone, Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri., La Luciérnaga, Laura Spencer, lesbian, lovesong, Manuel José Chaves, Maura Anderson, Olga Segura, PARK CHAN-WOOK, Riley Keough, Sally Hawkins, Sarah Waters, So Yong Kim, South Korean, Steve Agee |, The Firefly), The Handmaiden, Todd Waring, Velida Godfrey, Velinda Godfrey

I know you all have been waiting for my 2017 lesbian flick preview reviews to come out. Keep in mind they are not all from 2017, that is just when I reviewed said previews. It is 3AM on a Tuesday, raining, perfect.

I have not seen any of the actual movies yet as they are either not officially out or because I now live in an endearing little town in the South that does not have a place to watch said films. I should be the one to remedy this.

The first film is, La Luciérnaga (The Firefly) from 2013. A sister loses her brother and then falls in love with his widow.

Next is Ah-ga-ssi (The Handmaiden) a 2016 South Korean erotic psychological thriller. It’s based on one of my all time favorite BBC series, written by lesbian Sarah Waters, Fingersmith. Watch it first! This should be breathtaking.

Next is Lovesong. No regrets. 2016 release. May not be a full fledged lesbo flick, but you know…. :]

Last, but not least, Heartland – 2016. Death, The South, lesbians, and love, I can’t wait.

Movies are art. Art is life. Life is connecting.

Love to all,

Mushpa

The BEST Women’s March Speeches Breaking Down the Truth. Amen.

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action, activism, america ferrera, ashley judd, call congress, democracy, democracynow!, fired up, gloria steinem, human rights, inspiration, michael moore, Mushpa + Mensa, nasty woman, nina donovan, resistance, revolution, run for office, save america, stand united, trump, we the people, we will not step back, what can i do, women rights, Women's March

We are fired up!

This is such a special time in our American History, and I am proud to be alive in these times. The Women’s March on Washington is most likely going to go down in our history books as the start of another wave of feminism, and this time, WE WILL NOT STEP BACK.

Mushpa + Mensa were unable to hitch a ride to DC, and maybe all happened for a reason. We were meant to stay at our own city rally in Wilmington, NC. We stayed in our home town, made signs, and shouted, chanted, and participated in the Wilmington’s Sister Women’s March. What a phenomenal experience. Even more amazing was coming back home and seeing the pictures and videos of ALL THOSE WOMEN. Men and children also there supporting. Political figures, icons, celebrities, artists, and humans from all walks of life. All these little pink hats, all these powerful signs. So much to say, yet such unity in our voice. Despite the hiccups of  what it means to be part of this march (Can a pro-lifer still be a feminist? Is there space for white woman oppression?) the energy was ONE.

I am so proud of all of us. This light inside me grows. The strength in me grows, and so does the motivation. We are awake, and ready to go.

Despite not being in Washington physically, our collective energy filled every corner of the world, from Berlin, to Paris, from London to Costa Rica. This is not an American movement. This is WORLD WIDE.

The internet has united us, and I have witnessed some amazing and moving moments from the Women’s March. Here a few favorites. I hope you play them, enjoy them, and let them fill you with hope, motivation, and furious energy to fight this culture of hate, misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia and darkness that has crept up to a mainstream platform.

Without further ado, press play, and may the force be with you.

-Mensa

“We too must stand united….if we fall into the trap of separating ourselves by our causes and our labels, then we will weaken our fight, and we will lose. But if we commit to what aligns us, if we stand together steadfast and determined, then we stand a chance at saving the soul of our country.” -America Ferrera

“I’m not nasty like the combo of Trump and Pence being served up to me in my voting booth. I’m nasty like the battles my grandmothers fought to get me into that voting booth…We are here to be respected. We are here to be nasty!” -Nina Donovan interpreted by Ashley Judd

“We are the people. We have people power, and we will use it…This is the upside of the downside. This is an outpouring of energy and true democracy like I have never seen in my very long life. It is wide in age, it is deep in diversity, and remember: the constitution does not begin with “I the president”, it begins with “We the People.” So do not try to divide us…” -Gloria Steinem

The 4 things we need to do according to Michael Moore:

1. Call Congress every single day (1 rep in the house, 2 senators) 202-225-3121

2.  JOIN A GROUP!

3. Form your own rapid response team: people that you will call, when we need to move fast. 10 people

4.Form regions of resistance. Blue states and cities. The country will follow your lead!

5. YOU have to RUN for OFFICE!

Last Minute Women’s March Sign Ideas

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activism, art, Audre Lorde, Awesome Event, be brave, Cara Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, Ecuadorian, environment, Feminism, gay, God, Government, green, Happiness, Health Care, inspiration, Latina, lesbian, love, Love is Love, March, march signs, Maria Emilia Borja, NC, North Carolina, political, politics, Princess Leigh, Protest, protest march signs, protest signs, queer, recycled, resistance, revoltion signs, revolution, Sign Ideas, Star Wars, The South, Voltaire, wilmington, Woman Owned Business, Women's March, Women's March Sign Ideas, WomenAlice Walker

If you are anything like us, we can get real close to the time of whatever-it-may-be and then get what needs to be done, last minute style, done. Don’t get us wrong, we do it well under pressure. The Women’s March tomorrow is no different. We are going to wake up around 7AM to get our signs done to get out to our local Wilmington, NC Women’s March. I did some image research and quote digging and came up with 10 good sign suggestions off the World Wide Web.

1. We go high.
2. Your silence will not protect you.
3. Nasty Woman
4. “Those Who Can Make You Believe Absurdities, Can Make You Commit Atrocities” Voltaire
5. Hate Kills
6. “I am deliberate and afraid of nothing.” Audre Lorde
7. Woman’s place is in the resistance. (in reference to Carrie Fisher…Princess Leigh….Star Wars. You get it.)
8. I am stronger than fear.
9. Truth matters.
10. “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”  Alice Walker

Get your recycled pieces of boxes, cardboard, old sheets and get to creating. We will collectively be with every human at every women’s march tomorrow. We love you.

Love trumps hate. Be brave.

Cara and Maria Emilia