MINK! Goes to Capitol Hill: A Look with Nana Adwoa Frimpong

History is not just a collection of facts and data. Context is a necessary if we are to understand what is achieved and by whom. The New York Times Op Doc MINK! displays the career of Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color elected to the U.S. Congress, and her fascinating life in a position to be appreciated for the immense impact it has on present-day America and the future.

Testifying to Ms. Mink’s extraordinary contributions was the film’s screening at Capitol Hill, the country’s lawmaking center. Organized by Breakwater Studios and United States Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (representing the 9th District of Illinois) and her office, the screening and discussion was hosted and moderated by Nana Adwoa Frimpong. Notably in attendance were Dr. Wendy Mink (Patsy’s daughter), the Honorable Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and tennis champion Naomi Osaka (executive producer of MINK!), among others. The power of this film is undeniable.

Ms. Frimpong concurs stating, “I think Patsy’s story is a tangible example of what is possible when you use your experience, your education, and your heart to move along the things that you believe in. Patsy was a loud voice in rooms where it would have most likely been easy or convenient to stay silent as a woman of color. Patsy is a reminder for all people that you can accomplish what you set your mind to and that is especially inspiring to me as I think about what is next and how I might continue to pursue my goals going forward.”

Narrated by her daughter Wendy and directed by Oscar Award winner Ben Proudfoot, MINK! relates the life and achievements of Ms. Mink, a woman of color in the vastly white male dominated world of American politics. While perhaps known most famously as the co-author and defender of Title IX which revolutionized the status of women in athletics, former US Representative Mink paved a path for many to follow via her life’s work.

One of the most powerful images in the film MINK! is that of Patsy and one other woman in her law school class amidst a sea of male classmates. It is obvious from this photo that Ms. Mink was not intimidated by the fact that she did not look like most of those around her.

Ms. Frimpong sees the seed of this expanding into the future of the U.S. declaring, “In my lifetime, I’d like to see a world where women, immigrants, queer people, trans folks, and anyone who exists at various interactions of a marginalized identity, can be leaders and culture shifters without their perceived ‘difference’ being the thing that makes them great, ‘brave’, or an anomaly. Being brave to be who we are and exist in one’s skin should not be the thing that sets a person apart.”

“We should all feel emboldened and supported to be who we know ourselves to be and love who we love without the fear of prejudice in any form. I long for a world where women identifying people have a right to our bodies. Where everyone believes and votes for a world where women have choice and Black women are believed when they say they are in pain and need support.”

The core idea of Patsy’s pursuits were perhaps most succinctly communicated by tennis legend Billie Jean King who spoke at the unveiling of Patsy’s Portrait at the US Capitol on June 23rd, 2022 when she stated, “Patsy understood exclusion first hand. We can never understand inclusion until we’ve been excluded.” Mirroring this idea, Ms. Frimpong notes that the time limitation on the discussion she directed forced her to hone the precision of what she asked the panelists. Naomi Osaka spoke about the importance of carrying on Patsy’s legacy and its impact on the younger generation.

Ben Proudfoot gave insight to how his sociologist mother exposed him to feminism which helped craft his filmmaking-activist style. Wendy Mink delivered the personal moments that could only exist between a mother and daughter. These conversations, so adeptly and thoughtfully initiated by Nana, reveal the potential we all have to achieve a greater good without the need for rebuking the comforts of family and friends.

Ms. Frimpong concurs, “I will always be an advocate for women’s rights and a firm believer that change begins at our respective dinner tables. Your activism doesn’t have to look like what other people think it should look like, nor does it have to be loud for everyone to hear. The most meaningful conversations I have had where change and understanding took place was between myself and another person sitting opposite of each other. It doesn’t take much to do the right thing. It’s about believing people when they say they need help, the willingness to be uncomfortable if it means liberating others, and the desire to see that change actually takes place.”