Navouny Divinne
Navouny Divinne's Story
What's your preferred name?
Navouny Divinne
What are your pronouns?
She/It
Share with us how you identify and how you came to that understanding of yourself.
I identify as a Trans and Two-Spirit Woman. I've come to know the multitudes of me through over a decade of reflection, expression, and exploration of myself, my culture, and others. I take great pride in my culture as a Black and Indigenous person as I develop my understanding of self through my ancestors and cultural past, present, and future.
Tell us about how your self-expression has helped you grow.
It is who I am meant to be, a human embodiment of trial tribulation growth and excellence.
Where did you grow up? What was a formative experience you had in childhood that led you to where you are today?
I grew up on the lands of the Duwamish, Suquamish, and Muckleshoot peoples, colloquially known as the greater Seattle area. I grew up dancing and playing in the Salish Sea and Puget Sound waters. I grew up playing with dolls, paint, toy cars, dirt, bugs, and other animals, which all encouraged me to explore and be curious, which is how I found my love for color change and expression through physical adornment.
What is a life goal that you are working on or have achieved? How has working towards this goal helped you understand yourself as an individual?
I am working on becoming a Drag Race and Dragula allum. It allowed me to understand how much I love the art form of Drag, and if I play my cards right, I'll be able to be well off as an artist, which is my dream.
Who is someone who inspired you to be your true self? What was their influence on you?
Grace Jones's ability to mix and match numerous genres and energies is a huge inspiration to my overall development as a drag artist.
What's something that you worry about?
Being homeless and not having basic needs met overall.
What gives you hope?
The possibility of me living a full life for those who came before me, those now, and those who have yet to become into the world of the living within the trans experience. I live for me, I live for others, and I live because that is what is supposed to happen when you're gifted this finite experience.
Drag gives me home because it fuels me mentally and emotionally; through time and work, I become a better artist, the true love of my life.
If you had a message for your younger self, what would you say?
Dive even deeper into your art. I know you have to do the conforming thing for a bit, but know we will achieve greatness by being beautiful, talented, intelligent, kind, and creative. And through the arms of many, you will love forever, directly or indirectly. Look for every experience as a lesson to work hard. But remember, rest is revolutionary. You can't be your best without it, even if it's hard to accept; you're not a robot. You are an imperfect, mushy, bony, physically singular ecosystem that is a human being.
What's a piece of wisdom you've learned that has helped you?
Focus on your art, do the work, enjoy yourself, and stay out of drama at all costs; the people who care about you will show you with time, love, care, and understanding. Always be open to learning. There are many things out of our control in this world, but you have to be good with yourself.
What is something you wish other people would know or understand?
I am not perfect, but I learn and am constantly changing. As well, I am a human being just like you, struggling under Capitalism.