Meet Tink le Belle

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tink le Belle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tink, why did you pursue a creative career?
The artistic career is not for the faint of heart. The pursuit is to court misunderstanding and illusions. Everyone is a critic of art, and to be the art and the artist is truly a wild journey. However, to be seen and to be understood by the ones who get me is the only reason I persevere. I am storytelling, I am living art, I am the reason some little queer kid gets to think that they too can be strong and become who they want to be when they grow up.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What I want people to know about me is that I will never stop working towards my goals and dreams, it’s my destiny to show the world who I am, share mine and the queer stories, and become a legend. My story may seem small now, however, I survived an oppressive cult that tried it’s best to stamp the spirit out of me. I survived a teenage angst era that nearly killed me fighting for a sense of self and understanding. I am still thriving in a world that is trying it’s best to legislate me out of existence. Like many other queer people, I am here and I am not going anywhere. If that doesn’t set me apart, my passion and excitement for drag does. I am gorgeous, funny, and a true light on the stage. I work endlessly to showcase my light and talents. I stand out because I use my platform to lift up social issues, lift up queer stories, and I am devastatingly beautiful.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
San Diego has so much to offer and is really a wonderful city to explore! I am a huge animal lover so our first stop would be the San Diego Safari Park, there they are leading the world in conservation work and creating chances to repopulate decimated populations of nearly extinct animals! Since that’s in north county we would then go to Same Same a Thai fusion restaurant and bar for amazing food and vibes, and of course it’s the second Wednesday of the month so we finish our night at the one and only Windmill Food Hall where I host Drag Queen Bingo, a drag show and bingo event with all sort of exceptional prizes! The next day to recover we will hit up Blacks Beach, San Diego’s premier gay beach, and then have lunch Ocean Beach. So many yummy spots to hit and fun shops to explore! At night we would hit up Urban Mo’s one of the longest running queer bar restaurants in San Diego, dancing, good fun, and strong drinks? Count us in! Friday night we have to go to Richs San Diego, the best nightlcub in the city! From there we will wander around and continue to explore all of Hillcrest!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I was outted and excommunicated from the Pentecostal Church in Oregon, I was extremely lucky to have a few programs in the city to help me learn more about my community and how to navigate this new life I was about to find. SMYRC, the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center and by extension the Pride Project program in Multnomah and Washington county probably saved my life. They run safe spaces for queer kids to have conversations with safer adults and mental health providers, meet peers of the same age going through queer experiences, and learn how to become more of who they are. I was 15 years old, a bit scared of what was to come, and thoroughly confused on how to navigate life outside of a cult. I was able to find community and resources that helped me grow into the person I am today. I am very grateful to their programs.

Instagram: instagram/iamtinklebelle

Tiktok: iamtinklebelle

Venmo: iamtinklebelle

Image Credits
Courtney Johnson – Pure Chic Visions, Silas Uribe, and Jamie G Hall