Episode 101 with Mia St. John, 5-time World Boxing Champion, Founder of El Saber Es Poder Foundation, Advocate for Mental Health Awareness, and Author of the Memoir, Fighting for My Life

Episode 101 Notes and Links to Mia St. John’s Work 

 

     On Episode 101 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Mia St. John, and the two talk about her upbringing, being a victim of racism, her private battles as a youth and her moving around a lot as a youth, her resolve in becoming a world-champion boxer, how her childhood shaped her boxing prowess, the highs and lows of high-level boxing, and the grief and love she has experienced, especially in recent years, which she has channeled into in becoming an advocate for mental health. The two discuss these topics and more through the prism of her recently-published memoir, Fighting for my Life: A Memoir about A Mother’s Loss and Grief.

 

   

     Mia St. John was born in San Francisco, California. Her fighting career started soon after, at the age of six, competing in Tae Kwon Do. Mia earned a black belt and received a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from California State University of Northridge in June of '94.

 

In 1996, Mia decided to pursue her true passion full-time, the sport of combat. Valentines Day, 1997, Mia made her pro-debut in boxing, knocking out her opponent in fifty-four seconds into the first round. Mia signed with Don King and stayed with him for a year and a half before she left King for his rival Bob Arum of Top Rank. At Top Rank, Mia spent four years opening for all of Oscar De La Hoya's major fights.

Mia has fought all over the world, including Beijing, China, where she won her IBA Championship. After accumulating an unheard of boxing record of nearly 60 pro fights, on June 14th, 2008, Mia fulfilled her dream of fighting in her mother's home country of Mexico. She fought one of the toughest fights of her career and became the WBC International Boxing Champion of the World at the age of 40.

In November of 2010, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano joined Mia and LA Laker Ron Artest for an official mental health and suicide prevention training at Napolitano’s district office in Santa Fe Springs. Artest and St. John have joined Napolitano to promote the Mental Health in Schools Act, legislation she authored which would increase federal funding for mental health therapists in schools.

She also spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, where President Barack Obama made a riveting speech at the CHCI's annual Gala.

As well as Congress, Mia speaks in schools and juvenile halls on the importance of education and overcoming hardship. She speaks of her own battles with mental illness, addiction, poverty and overcoming it all, to become a three time international boxing champion.

On August 14th, 2012, Mia fought Christy Martin in a long awaited rematch. Her dream of sixteen years finally materialized and at the age of 45, she captured the WBC Super Welter Weight Championship of the World.

 

Buy Mia St. John's Fighting for My Life

 

Mia St. John's Personal Webpage

 

Mia with Jim Hill on CBS LA

 

Support The Mia St. John Foundation

 

People Magazine Synopsis of Mia’s Memoir

At about 4:20, Mia talks about her mission in publishing her memoir

 

At about 4:55, Pete wonders and asks Mia a boxing question: How does someone train to get punched in the face?

 

At about 6:40, Mia references a synopsis of her memoir in People Magazine from Dec. 21, 2021

 

At about 7:20, Mia talks about her reasons and timing for her new book

 

At about 8:20, Pete asks Mia about the positive feedback-she cites so many notes from mothers-she has received for her memoir

 

At about 9:15, Mia talks about “seeds” for the book, explaining that its origins go back to childhood

 

At about 10:50, Pete refers to the opening of Mia’s book, and how a daily affirmation by Francisco “Panchito” Bojado affected and affects Mia

 

At about 11:50, Pete asks Mia about perspective and how years away from boxing have informed her book

 

At about 13:25, Mia talks about the “dark part of the soul” that was experienced in boxing and boxing in response to her tough upbringing 

 

At about 14:55, Mia talks about her determination, as manifested in her boxing days, and in her response to the horrible 

 

At about 15:50, Mia explains how her mother’s upbringing affected her later life, and the determination she inherited from her mother

 

At about 17:10, Mia describes the ways in which her father was a “functioning alcoholic”

 

At about 18:20, Mia details racist slurs and racism that she experienced growing up, and how sad it was that respect came with violence

 

At about 20:30, Mia responds to Pete’s question about how she was changed by moving around so often as a kid

 

At about 22:10, Mia responds to Pete’s question about what alcohol brought her as a young person who became addicted 

 

At about 24:10, Pete asks Mia about her independent trip to live in CA after high school graduation, and Mia outlines her early days in the Los Angeles-area

 

At about 26:30, Pete inquires into her educational hard work and her choice to study psychology and about her initial time with Kristoff St. John

 

At about 28:05, Mia describes her early days in taekwondo, and how her mentor “Mr. V” showed such tough love and brought out the best in Mia

 

At about 29:00, Mia gives background on how she decided to turn pro in boxing

 

At about 30:00, Pete describes Mike Aspinwall’s description (at about 40:45 of this episode) of the adrenaline rush and feelings associated with his time on WWE, and then asks Mia to describe he feelings about entering the ring

 

At about 32:00, Mia describes her time with her mentor Art, an early boxing coach and Pete asks about how Mia is still inspired by him to this day

 

At about 33:10, Pete wonders about the “shady” nature of boxing that Mia learned about early on, and she describes the idea of the “tomato can”

 

At about 34:40, Pete wonders about the “solitude of boxing” that Mia describes in the book

 

At about 35:50, Pete asks Mia about her experience being featured in Playboy, which Mia describes as an overall great experience and how she came to be featured on the cover for the November 1999 issue 

 

At about 36:55, Mia is asked to describe the incredible atmosp[here and feelings surrounding being on the undercard for the legendary Oscar de la Hoya vs. Julio Cesar Chavez 1998 fight

 

At about 39:10, Mia describes how she became a “boxer” under the tutelage of Fernardo Vargas’ team and left being a “fighter” in the past

 

At about 40:40, Mia talks about her relationship with and fights against Christy Martin, and she details her mindset and the moving end to their second fight

 

At about 43:00, Pete wonders what it was like for Mia after she retired 

 

At about 44:15, Mia talks about her beautiful and sensitive son Julian and his brilliant art and her daughter, “a hero” to Mia, and how Julian’s schizophrenia manifested itself 

 

At about 47:15, Mia talks about Julian’s legacy and his enduring art 

 

At about 48:15, Mia talks about Stone Art and The Mia St. John Foundation (donate here) and their missions

 

At about 49:00, Mia talks about using her knowledge of mental health and mental health facilities to help others and change the system, including working with Grace Napolitano and Metta World Peace on The Mental Health in Schools Act

 

At about 50:45, Pete asks Mia about the tragic passing of her ex-husband and its connection to our mental health system 

 

At about 52:00, Pete and Mia talk about her resolve and her family and friends who have helped her in these past years and Mia talks about her daily gratitude list

 

At about 54:10, Mia talks about her upcoming work, including working with homeless populations through Step Up

 

At about 55:00, Mia gives out contact information and thanks Elaine Aradillas and Post Hill Press for their help with the memoir

      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

       Please tune in for the next episode, Episode 102 with Tice Cin, who is an interdisciplinary artist from north London. A London Writers Award-winner, her work has been published by Extra Teeth and Skin Deep and commissioned by places like Battersea Arts Centre and St Paul’s Cathedral. An alumnus of Barbican Young Poets, she now creates digital art as part of Design Yourself – a collective based at the Barbican Centre – exploring what it means to be human when technology is changing everything. A producer and DJ, she is releasing an EP, Keeping the House, to accompany her debut novel of the same name.