Women We ❤️ is a chance for us to interrogate sit down with the women in our lives whose style we love, work we admire, and heart we adore. We give them the celebrated Proust Questionnaire—which dates back to 19th-century Parisian salons—and throw in a few of our own. Grab a coffee, something to take notes with, and get to know the women we love as they ponder love, death, and the meaning of life.
Without further ado, Dana Tyne.
When and where were you happiest? As the sun was setting, I was floating in the Pacific ocean off the coast of Hawaii last summer. Complete bliss.
What is your greatest fear? Not leaving this world a better place.
What is your greatest extravagance? My New York rent!
In which season do you feel most beautiful? Winter. There’s something about candlelit dinners, curling up inside a camel hair coat, and Christmas lights that make me feel beautiful.
What do you dislike most about your appearance? That some people assume my life is easier because of my appearance.
What is your most marked characteristic? My curly hair.
Which talent would you most like to have? Vocal talent. I can't sing to save my life. But in the shower, I'm Jennifer Hudson.
What is your most treasured possession? My gymnastics medals. They remind me of the strength, discipline, and triumph in attaining them.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Selfishness.
Which living person do you most admire? My mother. She is the most generous and hardest working person I know. I love you mom!
Which quality do you most desire in a man? An open mind.
Which quality do you most desire in a woman? Strength.
Which quality do you most desire in a pair of jeans? That certain je ne sais quoi that gets me singing “Girl I think my butt gettin’ big!” along to Nelly’s “Hot in Herre.”
On what occasion do you lie? The rare one. I make a conscious effort to tell the truth, no matter what.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Answering this questionnaire.
What do you most value in your friends? Honesty.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Consistency. To be consistent with my family relationships, health goals, aspiration to continually learn, and loving the woman I am becoming. When that gets overwhelming, I just recite, “You were born to be real, not to be perfect.”
Who is your favorite fictional hero? Batman. He’s the only superhero without superpowers (that I’m aware of) to save numerous lives.
Who is your favorite hero in real life? Minnijean Brown opened my eyes to the power of self. She’s one of the Little Rock Nine, the first group of black students to integrate a white high school in 1957.
Who are your favorite writers? Nicholas Sparks (guilty pleasure).
What is your favorite journey? Meandering through the streets Copenhagen.
Where would you like to live? When I eventually settle down, back home on the west side of Los Angeles.
If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? A chimpanzee. If for no other reason than to climb trees all day.
What is your motto? “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” —Maya Angelou