Mina Liang Visits Section 36!

Photo: Steve Smith Photography

Section 36 has another visitor! Mina Liang is passionate about diverse leadership, a bikeshare entrepreneur, and the current Miss Blackstone Valley. I was so excited that she wanted to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So, let's see what happens when Mina Liang visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Blackstone Valley crown?

I decided to compete for the Miss Blackstone Valley title not too long before the competition, and I was beyond shocked when I heard my name announced as a new titleholder! I won’t lie, I wore my crown and sash during the entire 1.5 hour-long car ride back home, and refused to take them off even throughout the evening’s busy schedule: a heart-warming home-cooked dinner, quick ReneCycle strategy meeting, and preparations for my first appearance next day at the Miss Middlesex County Competition! 

 

What part of the upcoming Miss Massachusetts competition are you most nervous about? 

It sounds a little crazy, but I’m not that nervous for the Miss Massachusetts competition! I relish the rush of performing and I cherish any chance to share my social platform, Develop Diverse Leaders - it really means so much to me. For me, competing for Miss Massachusetts isn’t so much about performing to appear a certain way, but moreover about allowing my authentic self to shine through! My business director Steve Smith has been amazing, and he really helps me feel prepared and confident. 

 

What did you learn about yourself while competing for the Miss Blackstone Valley crown that will help you when you compete for Miss Massachusetts?

Steve Smith Photography

Competing for the Blackstone Valley crown was a blur, but I’ve learned so much since joining the Miss America Organization and taking on the role and responsibilities of being a titleholder! Sometimes serious business meetings for ReneCycle can be incredibly stressful, but I’ve loved being able to balance my workload in having fun meeting MA residents from all over the state during my Miss Blackstone Valley appearances! I’ve been working on effectively managing the hecticness of a company’s responsibilities while also not taking myself too seriously. This skill set directly translates into the Miss Massachusetts interview, where you have to think critically about how you respond to a tough question while also having some fun with it! 

 

How did you select your social impact initiative?

I’m not sure I ever “selected” Develop Diverse Leaders as my platform - it seemed like the natural and obvious cause for me to promote! Growing up as the daughter of two Chinese immigrants, I have spent a lot of my life considering the complex relationships between identity groups, race, and power structures in society. As a child, I was not always sure how to balance and navigate my Chinese and American “sides” - a dynamic especially important to master as a woman in business. Develop Diverse Leaders is all about empowering and equipping non-traditional backgrounds (whether socioeconomic, educational, or racial) with the resources, encouragement, and inspiration to strive to become the next-generation of activists and innovators. You can learn more about my action and progress at my facebook page @MissBlackstoneValley!

 

As a talented violinist, what do you enjoy most about performing on stage?

Bringing joy to my listeners - what I enjoy most about the power of music is its ability to transport people to incredibly beautiful, and peaceful places. My definition of “performing on stage” is hilariously open-ended. I once performed in the Salt Lake City airport when my flight got delayed to soothe myself and my fellow angsty travelers. During the summer of the COVID-19 pandemic, I also enjoyed hosting lawn concerts, which were an excuse for me to share my love of music and create community for people to gather outdoors! Performing to me isn’t so much about the stage so much as the power of music in uniting all different kinds of people.  

 

What is your personal fitness routine?

I’ve been a competitive swimmer and passionate dancer for the past 15 years. While not being able to continue my 15+ hour/week college swim training during COVID has been tough, I’ve discovered a new joy in running! Discovering new forest trails and exploring the gorgeous views in Western Massachusetts has been incredibly refreshing. I love listening to my favorite podcast - No Stupid Questions - during my long nature excursions. I also love impromptu dancing to my carefully curated Spotify playlists. Dance is such a powerful form of expression, and I like to think that my lifestyle fully embodies the quote: “Dance like nobody's watching.” 

 

You’re the founder of ReneCycle. What can you tell me about it? 

Leading ReneCycle has been one of the most fulfilling and

rewarding experiences of my life. While the concept of shared bikeshare systems has taken hold in cities such as New York, Shanghai, and Washington DC, ReneCycle aims to one-up existing systems by offering a new twist: bikeshare that is easily accessed, managed, and created for college campuses using existing bicycles. We pitched and won first prizes at both the 2020 Columbia Venture Competition (undergraduate challenge) and 2021 Penn Climate Ventures Challenge. The team has also been selected as finalists at competitions such as Y-Combinator, Business Today, and Pear VC. You can check out what we do at our website at www.renecycle.com and follow our updates on our LinkedIn at ReneCycle, Inc!

 

If you had an extra ticket to a WooSox game, who would you take with you? Why?

My older brother, Reece Liang! Despite our 10-year age gap, Reece is one of my closest friends and sources of inspiration. From partaking in my cooking vlogs to being an amazing prayer partner, I can always rely on my brother for amazing food, a good time, and spiritual support. Sports games to me means three things: quality time, concession-stand snacks, and getting a little rowdy. Hanging out with my brother always makes me feel so happy and fulfilled - he’s my go-to partner in crime!

 

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience?

I would be incredibly honored to throw the ceremonial first pitch! Incredible activists, presidents, and leaders have shared the honor of starting a baseball game, and if I were given such an opportunity, that would mean I had truly made a remarkable contribution to society. I imagine that the rush of pitching itself would be very exciting, but I would moreover love to look back on my life, knowing that I had left behind a legacy of service and achievement, shaping the world around me for the better. I’d have to work on improving my pitch beforehand though - I guess I better start practicing now! 

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That's probably a good idea!

As always, I want to thank Mina for visiting with us, and for sending along the fantastic pictures to go with the interview.

I encourage you to follow Mina on her title's Instagram and Facebook account. They're great ways to keep track of everything she has going on! Also, don't forget to visit the ReneCycle website for your bikeshare needs!

I also definitely want to wish her the best of luck when she competes for the Miss Massachusetts title. It would be wonderful to have another Section 36 visitor wear that crown!
 
Thanks again Mina, and good luck!