Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina Paul.
Hi Kristina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in New York, there were always different worlds to discover at each train stop; different music, food, and languages…I was constantly observing…I would sit at the park, people-watch, and imagine the homes people went to or wonder if they were in love. I romanticized the other, which is why I studied acting. I attended NYU Tisch School of the Arts. I received my acting training from Stella Adler Art of Acting Studio, Black Arts Institute, NYU Florence Commedia dell’Arte, and International Theater Workshop in Amsterdam. My education allowed me to continue my study of other people’s thoughts, ways of life, and it fed a curiosity to discover more of the world. Post graduation, I continued to travel until covid pressed pause on our lives; when things felt safe enough, I realized that my life was bigger than my bubble in Brooklyn. I packed my suitcase, bought a one-way flight, got an Airbnb, and moved to LA. It was really random, haha.
Many people who know me personally know me as Kristina Paul. I gave birth to Tina Rabel as a creative way to honor my Grandmother, Christine Jean-Baptiste. I learned my Grandmother’s maiden name was Rabel while skimming through my grandfather’s death certificate. Christine Jean-Baptiste to Christine Rabel opened new doors for my imagination – it unlocked the richness of memories, experiences, language, and history. As a multifaceted creative, I let these themes infiltrate my work through several mediums – writing, acting, and producing. Now that I’m in LA, I am a full-time Event Producer, taking every chance I get to act and creating and curating spaces for black folks to express themselves and build community. AyewéHome, founded by myself and two LA friends, Chima Egbuzie and Nichole Henderson, is an event series aiming to create a “home” away from home. We launch July 29th, 2023 with a kickoff pool party with catered carribean food and an intentional guestlist of LA Natives and Transplants struggling to find spaces in LA’s ever-changing social landscape.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Bumpy, but I am here for the ride! During covid, like many artists from low-income backgrounds; I had to choose between being an artist and earning a living. I started two businesses, a Shopify jewelry store and a hair-braiding suite under Knotless Knudes LLC. Before diving into entrepreneurial endeavors, no one tells you that when you work for yourself, you work triple the amount of hours – really, no days off. My businesses helped me foster a community of beautiful, unique individuals, and as time unfolded, those relationships have led to other opportunities. Ultimately, I decided that everything had run its course, and I needed to transition into the next phase of my life, prioritizing my creative visions and nurturing my dreams.
There’s never been a transition where I didn’t feel lost. I am a second-generation American of Haitian & Grenadian parents, the first to go to private school and to move 2,000 miles away from home. I moved to LA to discover my true purpose. “Struggle” is not the word I would use to talk about my journey, but my story is one of triumph. I learned stubborn trials that you have to lean on others. No one gets anywhere alone. And those who think they’ve made it anywhere on their own must look around and see the hands holding the bridge.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a multidisciplinary creative producer; people would say I am great at curating vibes and connecting people to their needs, a person who is unafraid to get down and dirty to discover any gems and a problem solver. I am a good listener and lover of space and time.
What are your plans for the future?
I’d love to produce and direct a film – looking forward to executing some creative visions.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinarabel/
