Beyond the aesthetic, the spirit of chongi feminism truly lives in the way we stand together in solidarity and share with our fellow immigrants, putis, queers, and working-class people in our community. I’ve enjoyed plenty of queer- and femme-centric spaces that started thanks to chongis: Out of Service, Jinx by Witches of Miami, and Perreo del Futuro. Chongis show up for each other in plenty of ways outside of perreando of course. We feed each other, counsel each other, provide each other with childcare, spiritual healing, and accountability. None of my other relationships compare to the ones I have with other chongis; they just get it.
leen (they/them)
Language raised me, and chongi is a word that influenced how I saw and presented myself to the world. I used to only wear Brazilian jeans, and honestly wish we could bring those back. Shout out to all my faja girlies. Y’all shaped us, literally. At one point, being a chongi was part of my identity and it came with clinks, clanks, and loud, fun times. In my late teenage years, there was shame around this identifier. Those who wanted to assimilate pushed repression onto me and at that time I wasn’t strong enough to fight back.
Over the years, I've begun to reclaim who I was, not as an aesthetic but embodying a ruthless way of being. Being a chongi makes one unapologetic, our ways of being were centered around our pleasure and enjoyment. As time passes and shame leaves my body, I just want to be more of who I was when I was teenager: clinking, clanking, and being honest in all the ways I want to be. Chongivity Activity is perreo, it’s laughing, it’s playing, and it’s standing up for yourself and your friends. Chongi life is community life. It’s doing you 200%.
Christina Abanto, nail technician and social work student (she/her)
“Chongi,” to me, means liberation. The subculture that aligns with all things sparkly and beautiful, while also recognizing the hardships and objectification that other Black and brown femmes face, specifically here in South Florida. In the past year and a half, I’ve noticed a massive influx of nail art inspired by our culture, and it’s been such an amazing phenomenon to witness and partake in. Krocaine, my personal and professional muse for nail art and an icon in the industry, has been a powerhouse for the chongi community by sharing her art with the world.
The beauty of chongi aesthetics lives in my craft, creating living pieces of art and testimony of chongi culture. It’s been such a beautiful experience to see my peers and lovely clients have a similar journey to embodying Chongivity Activity through nails. During our appointments, I have beautiful conversations with my clients that promote cultural competency and embrace our roots.
Despite the current sociopolitical climate of South Florida, specifically attempts to censor and erase queer culture and to control our bodies, it’s important to note that we are still here. Chongi culture isn’t a caricature. It’s who we are. It’s the art, the history, and the embodiment of our aesthetics. It’s the confidence and audacity to be who we are despite what others may try to do to take it away from us.
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