From Sex Work to $50K Pop-Ups: This Trans Latina Built Mexisoul to Bridge Black and Mexican Culture

Goddess Grace
Aug 5
5 min read

Updated: Aug 7

The Mexisoul Vision: Bridging Communities Through Food

GODDESS GRACE in CONVERSATION with MILANA Q

PHOTO COURTESY of MILANA Q

A trans Latina creative, entrepreneur, and cultural curator behind Mexisoul—a brand that bridges Black and Mexican culture through food, music, and storytelling.

From launching immersive pop-up experiences to building thoughtful and dynamic community-rooted activations, Milana is reshaping what it means to create with purpose and lead with soul.

GODDESS GRACE

Can you describe yourself in three words and elaborate on them?

MILANA Q

God-fearing, loving, and ambitious. I was born and raised in Houston, TX, and my family is from Mexico, so I am Mexican American. I grew up in a Southern Baptist, Holy Spirit-filled church—one of those where people praise the house down and speak in tongues! Haha. So, I was exposed to religion and spirituality at a very young age. I’m incredibly grateful for my relationship with God because it allowed me to cultivate my own personal experience and connection as an adult. I’m glad I didn’t let Christianity or the structure of religion keep me from having a relationship with Jesus despite being trans. It’s hard for trans women to simply exist, given the social climate we live in and the narratives that society pushes about our community. We are constantly fighting against oppression and systemic barriers designed to imprison us, especially within Black and Brown communities. You have to wake up every day ready to fight against that—otherwise, it’s easy to fall victim to it. I couldn’t imagine going through that fight without my relationship with God. Actually, let me rephrase that—I know I wouldn’t be here having this conversation with you if it weren’t for that experience. I’ve always had high expectations for life—I’m a dreamer, and those expectations and dreams push me to never accept anything less than what God has placed inside me.

What are some of those dreams?

I created a dinner series called Mexisoul, which celebrates the influence that Mexican and Black cultures have in America. It’s an ode to the Latin and Black communities that raised me. Our goal is to elevate the Black and Brown experience by bridging communities—we’re in the business of creating organic moments. This idea came to me when I was transitioning out of sex work. I wanted to open a restaurant with a Mexican and soul food–infused menu, so I started working on a multi-purpose business plan for a restaurant and coffee shop, combining my passion for food and coffee. But as I strategized, I quickly became overwhelmed by the financial demands. So, I asked myself, How can I make this work with the resources I have? That’s when my friend and I started collaborating with restaurants, hosting monthly happy hours to build a community. Recently, we introduced the Mexisoul Dinner Series, where we fuse Mexican and soul food into curated dinner and brunch experiences. This way, Mexisoul evolves beyond just a happy hour or restaurant concept—we’re empowering communities through wellness, food, activations, and community engagement.

What led you into the world of sex work?

After transitioning, it became difficult to find work despite my strong background in corporate retail management. I had just moved to LA and was living with a friend who was a sex worker. She introduced me to that world—she showed me what sites to use, how to handle clients and stay protected, what to watch out for, and the red flags to avoid. She basically held my hand through the beginning of the process.