Beauty anthropologist,

Creative director,

Writer, & 

Culture Curator.

I tell stories where identity, beauty, & ritual intersect.

I’m a writer, researcher, and beauty anthropologist exploring how identity is shaped across borders and cultures.

With a Ph.D. in American Studies and years in brand strategy, I bring a cross-cultural lens to beauty, storytelling, and design. Whether in hammams or museums, I study where the personal meets the political, and how we archive history through aesthetics.

Writing—

Currently creative director @dehiya. Curator @Modern Souk. Previously creative director @Breathe…a modern clothing lounge, art director @democracy collaborative.

Directing—

Currently writing the social life of beauty newsletter on substack.

I explore the intersections of beauty, culture, and identity through personal essays, cultural critique, and editorial features on wellness, travel, and lifestyle.

Here are a few examples:

Where do the mixed girls without monjok go?

Hi, I’m Mia—a Black and Korean adoptee.

My areas of expertise—African American history and literature, Black popular culture, hip hop culture, Black girlhood and coming of age, politics of beauty, ethnographic research, creative non-fiction.

Teaching—

Dissertation—Browngirl Narratives: Exploring Coming of Age in the Golden Era of Hip Hop (1986-1996)

Consulting—

I help creatives, cultural brands & institutions on how to build with beauty, storytelling, and substance. Currently accepting new clients.

Get to know me.

🌊 I’m a Pisces water lover — being near it resets everything.

✍️ My favorite topic I’ll never get tired of writing about? Beauty—the history, the politics, the culture. Like… capital B Beauty.

🧠 Enneagram 7. ADHD polymath. Also: PhD in American Studies. So, yes, layered.

🐾 My Boston Terrier, Goliath is my work husband. Boy mom (x2).

🎬 I believe White Chicks deserved an Oscar. Don’t @ me.

👖I believe in brunch, creating an experience, and the undeniable power of a well-executed Canadian tuxedo.

📍SoCal-based, but often found in Marrakech, Mexico, or wherever the mint tea is strong.