Today we’d like to introduce you to Sweet Novemba.
Hi Sweet Novemba, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Sure thing! I was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida and lived most of my life. I was working a dead-end job and mostly just trying to survive, since there’s not really much there for a young person trying to make something of themselves. I’d been planning to move to Georgia and start a life there, but then I met my ex-wife and moved to Minnesota with her in 2014. I would never have expected to be this far north, but anywhere was better than Pensacola then. It was an easy transition for me: I already had a temp agency job lined up and I connected with the local fighting game community to make friends.
My first few years in MN saw me grow in numerous ways, both emotionally and in my worldview. I’d grown up harboring internalized white supremacy and anti-Blackness, part of assimilating as a survival tactic in Florida. I experienced countless micro-aggressions and outright racism in both my workplace and the neighborhood my ex-wife had chosen to live in. These incidents pushed me to seek therapy, where I began the slow and necessary process of unlearning all the harmful messaging I’d absorbed over the years. I also started attending MCTC in 2016 in pursuit of an Education degree, where I begin to develop a greater racial consciousness and social awareness. This was the start of me coming out of this shell I’d been in my whole life, but I wasn’t prepared for what it would lead to.
This newfound growth put a strain on my marriage, as I was growing into someone that my ex-wife wasn’t compatible with, and we divorced in 2018. I began exploring myself outside of heteronormative expecations and began immersing myself in queer community and coming out as polyamorous. Throughout all this I had left my corporate job and begun working in Special Education as a Para, where I was able to put into practice my pedagogy as informed by my social justice lens and newly-gained queer insight. I credit those 4+ years to shaping me as an educator and advocate, something I’ll always cherish. I also experienced mental and emotional trauma, primarily from micro-aggressions and racism within the district itself. This, along with leaving a toxic relationship and living situation in May 2020, pushed me back into therapy where I continued to address those traumas, along with the experiences of George Floyd’s murder and a global pandemic, and a growing sense of gender dysphoria. Looking back, I don’t think I would’ve survived without the support of my therapist, my housemates, and my friends.
This renewed sense of community gave me a safe space to continue exploring my queer identity, leading to me coming out as non-binary in Fall 2022 and diving into burlesque around that same period. I’d seen my first show in a 2019, a Rose Academy Student Showcase, and I vividly recall being blown away by both the sheer joy and the body diversity of the performers. I signed up for my first class with The Rose Academy of Burlesque that same Fall 2022 and adopted the stage name “Sweet Novemba,” an uninspired username I’d used for my Fetlife account. I had no idea then it would take on the life it has now.
Burlesque has since become a precious part of my life and that first class was the catalyst. My classmates were diverse in both body and gender, and my instructors had a delightful mix of gremlin energy and wholesome encouragement. Our performance took placed in November and I don’t recall much from the actual performance. What I do remember is standing in my final pose in the spotlight while the crowd cheered and thinking “I was meant for this.” After that night I kept taking classes while also leaning deeper into this newly-found community. I made it a point to be welcoming to newer performers, knowing how intimidating it is to be in that position. By the time of my solo debut in November 2023 I’d found my style as a sultry, graceful dancer with a wealth of stage presence. Even the song I chose had a deep meaning: “I Care 4 U” by the late singer Aaliyah, who was my childhood muse. In this performance I wanted to give freely the love I’d been shown by community back to them and more, for anyone who might be in need. I truly believe Sweet Novemba was born that night and that she embodies all of the warmth and passion I want to give out to the world. That feeling is what brought about my tagline: “The Queer that holds you Dear.”
Throughout 2023, as I steeped myself in the burlesque community, I’d begun leaning further into feminity and realized I felt no connection to masculinity. I’d always thought I was blending the two, but I began to realize I was wearing the blanket of masculinity for it’s comfort and familiarity, despite how little I related to it. I’d been having deep discussions with my therapist about calling myself a woman and how non-binary still didn’t feel quite right as my identity. Their support, alongside that of my partner and the affirmations of the burlesque community, pushed me to fully coming out as transgender at the start of 2024. As with all things I’d been doing in my life, I dove in headfirst with a mentality of not knowing what I’m getting into but being prepared for anything. I’d already begun socially transitioning and so the next step came in April 2024 when I started HRT. Since then I’ve found the deepest sense of inner peace and happiness that only grows as I progress in my transition.
Now here I am, a proud Black trans woman that does burlesque, plays ukulele, and rides a motorcycle. I have a wealth of community and love in my life, amazing partners that fulfill me, and a career in art that sustains me. I’m still living paycheck-to-paycheck, but I’m beyond happy.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Most of my struggles have been with mental health, particularly depression and anxiety. I had the hardest time working as a Para while attending college. The job was extremely emotionally taxing, moreso due to the micro-aggressions I experienced from other staff, and this led to my grades and attendance at school suffering. I would take off semesters at a time to recover my mental health, even leaving my Para job to work other places. I did this off and on from 2018-2023 when I finally quit for good. I would go on to eventually complete my Education A.S. in 2024. By that time I was already working as a freelance educator and had decided to take a break from attending school for an indefinite period of time.
I also was struggling financially as my Para job didn’t pay much and I ended up being evicted from the apartment I’d moved into after my marriage ended. I was able to move in with a partner at the time, but over the next year that living situation and relationship turned fairly toxic. I ended up moving out in May 2020, which would’ve been stressful on its on without a global pandemic and racial uprisings. I was able to find a new place with my own private living space, where I remain to this day. I also started therapy again to address my relationship and family trauma, as well as my growing gender dysphoria.
Transitioning brought about an entirely new set of bumps in the road. I fell off from communities I no longer felt connected to, further estranged myself from my family, and now had transphobia to deal with on top of racism. I’d always been hyper-vigilant, a result of existing while Black, but being a Black trans woman raised that awareness level significantly. It’s a constant toll on my mental capacity just being out in public, where the I either have to pretend I’m unbothered by the stares or confront them with a comment about how rude it is.
Overall, I wouldn’t change much, if anything, about how my life has gone and the choices I’ve made. I just want to move about the world as the person I’ve blossomed into. With this recent election, however, and fascism steadily rising in this country, I can’t help but be anxious about how long I might be able to do so.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve been playing the ukulele now for nearly 8+ years and teaching it for about half the time. I work as a Teaching Artist with a nonprofit called ComMUSICation and teach ukulele alongside basic music theory. I primarily work in K-5 afterschool programs during the school year and youth camps throughout the summer. I’ve been with ComMUSICation off and on for the past 4 years, but I’ve been fully freelance with them since March 2023. I also offer private music lessons and enrichment sessions for all ages at Christ United Methodist Church located in Maplewood.
My passion for the past 2+ years has been burlesque, an art form that’s become a huge part of my life. I’ve performed all over the Twin Cities in various venues such as The Brass Rail, Black Hart of St Paul, Phoenix Theater, and Amsterdam Bar & Hall. My style leans heavily into my sultry stage presence and dynamic movements, both to entice the audience and to tell a story.
I’m most proud of is my “Anti-racism PSA” number, a political act highlighting the harms of systemic racism in history. In the act I lip-sync to an audio mix from a Steven Universe video titled “Tell the Whole Story” and the song “PSA” by local Minneapolis rapper Nur-D. The video depicts Pearl, one of the characters from Steven Universe, doing an educational skit about the light bulb’s invention and becoming increasingly frustrated at how BIPOC contributions were left out. The mix then transitions into “PSA” where Nur-D delivers a powerful declaration on how Black people continue to be discriminated against and disenfranchised to this day. As for my costume, I start out dressed as a zany Ms. Frizzle-esque teacher and, once the song transitions, I remove the teacher costume to reveal a black mini dress and don a black beret, adopting the look of a Black Panther. All trace of mirth is gone from my face by this point and I speak cold truth to the audience without holding back.
The concept brewed in my head for over a year and came as a result of increasing frustration with racial injustices throughout the country. Nur-D’s music was instrumental in helping me navigate the mix of rage and sorrow I was feeling, and Steven Universe had become a keystone of my queer awakening. Being able to bring both of these important pieces of media together into a powerful message will forever be one of my favorite creations.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
If you want to play an instrument, there’s no better time than yesterday. I didn’t pick up my first ukulele until I was almost 30, and that was after deciding I didn’t want to go into my 30s without knowing how to play something. I would practice daily for about 5-10 minutes, carry it with me wherever I went, and use YouTube videos to learn chords and strumming. The very first songs I learned were from Steven Universe, a show I love dearly, and that did wonders for keeping me engaged. Move at your own pace and know that learning an instrument is a skill: you CAN’T be bad at a skill you’re just learning.
If you’re wanting to give burlesque a try, there are at least two avenues to get started: taking lessons at a studio or jumping into a show geared for newcomers. The Rose Academy of Burlesque, led by Headmistress Deeva Rose, is probably the most recognizable names in the Twin Cities and is where many of my fellow performers got their start. There are also many newcomer-friendly productions, such as Queerdo (produced by Granny PamT and Trisha Spectacle), as well as Transcendence Cabaret (produced by Eun Bee Yes of the House of Yes).
And no, you don’t necessarily need to be 100% confident in yourself, see yourself as sexy, or be brave. Burlesque is an art form ripe for self-expression and whether you want to be sexy, nerdy, scary, silly, or any combination of that, your art is valid and will be welcomed as such.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tinyurl.com/MissT-Ukulele
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/yoursweetnovemba
