Life & Work with Ontaia Roberson of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ontaia Roberson

Hi Ontaia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve had an interest and talent for creating spaces and bringing people together since I was very young. I always had multiple friend groups and crowds that I ran with and was really good at bridging the gap and bringing them together. Being a creative consultant, I get to dabble and input my creativity wherever I want and fit. I really started consulting because I was frustrated that no title gave me the opportunity and freedom to do as many projects I wanted in different fields. Consulting allows me to do project management today, set design tomorrow and model next week. I was always creative. I got accepted into an arts middle school and continued that love for the arts into high school when I attended Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Even when finishing my high school education at my home school Culver City High School – I still did theatre, ceramics, ASB really any club that allowed me to socialize, create spaces for people to enjoy and express myself. My mom and dad both sing and write music/poems and my dad is a visual artist as well. Growing up in a family that breathed being a multifaceted creative being – led me to paving my own way in my consultancy and seek out opportunities to never be bored and monotonous with my routine.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My biggest obstacle is definitely myself. I am a perfectionist which sometimes gets in the way of my abstract thought. In the beginning, it was tough to remind myself of the goal! It’s so easy to abandon your creative vision/path because easy soul-less money is always available. Not that the conventional day job is horrible and soul-less, every job is someone’s passion. But I was searching for a way to feed my soul, uplift my tribe and be able to still live the spontaneous travel-filled lifestyle I enjoy. I had to constantly remind myself of that when funds were low or projects weren’t coming or even when my social battery was in the trenches. Becoming TrendyT, creating Solounlesswithfamily is my purpose. Being able to open doors for my friends, ideate worlds for artists and work with some of my favorite brands has been a blessing and I love doing what I do.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I offer my creative eye. I make projects come together. I am glue. I’m most known for starring in videos by production companies Jubilee and CUT. My community work with LTX Connect, as well as my work with my good friend Daniel D’artiste. Working with Jubilee and CUT has been such a good experience bringing authentic and much needed conversations close to home. I am a very open person and advocate for all the strife in my life that I’ve overcome. Being able to share my story means so much because people really resonate with my experiences. I’ve learned to grow from my past instead of letting it hinder or jade me. LTX Connect came at the perfect time in my life and has really helped me embrace my afro-latina side as well as shine light on the intersectionalities of being Native American. Community Management with them allows me to connect with so many people in the tech and creative spheres that I would otherwise not have met on my own through specified webinars and events that I put on to allow for networking for those in our networks. I worked as personal assistant for my friend Daniel D’artiste in the beginning, then it grew to advising him on tour with Justin Bieber and coordinating events and pop-up shops for his brand Transitions. The friendship that grew from the 2 years of being the point of contact really helped me develop my leadership style. I also honed in on my organization skills and relationship building as well being that I was facilitating and maintaining a lot of connections then. The way D’artiste poured into me and spoke life into my visions and plans is exactly how I hope to reciprocate in my work and in uplifting my friends and getting them paid as well.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Always gotta shout out my family that love and support me through the day-to-day and even star in some of the projects I get called for. But also my really close friends that keep me going and keep life fun. In school I had a teacher named Susie Tanner that really stuck out to me because she was secretly rooting for me and in my corner always. Would send random castings my way, push me to be a better actor and speaker. I’m a big fan of hers.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsontaia

Image Credits
Amel Adrian, Keturah Harris