“On Her Hustle” is a monthly series of interviews with women of color artists, entrepreneurs, healers and activists who hustle hard for our communities. Colored Girls Hustle uses this series to amplify the work, talent, and passions of other women and girls of color. Click here to read more about our series and to nominate someone to be interviewed.

This month we’re featuring Katina Parker, media maker and content curator  who hustles hard to ensure that images are created to accurately reflect who we are. Read her interview below to learn more and support her fundraising campaign for her new documentary webseries Truth. Be. Told.

Colored Girls Hustle: Describe your media-making process. How did you get started? Who are your subjects? What kind of content do you curate?

Katina Parker: I make films, shoot photos, write words, and design. I also create presence for projects and causes through my communications skill-sets.

These last few years, my life has been focused on documentary work. I’ve managed to slip in narrative projects, here and there, like the “Devil’s Teeth” music video that I directed for Justin Robinson, Grammy Award-winning founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

I document out of love, out of a desire to preserve the stories and legacies of people who matter to me. It started with my family in Oklahoma when I was 10, obsessively documenting my great grandmother’s tall tales (which were often true) about life as a 6 foot tall Black Indian woman raising 11 kids, practically on her own. Fighting men and dogs in the street. Going to church every Sunday and many days in between. Doing men’s work from the time she was 9. Picking cotton, 200 pounds a day. Working as a foreman in the cotton fields. Cleaning White folks’ homes. Raising their kids. We’re from Spencer, Oklahoma. There’s no street you can drive up or down where she can’t tell you a job she worked.

She brought me my first camera, a Polaroid, when I was 10… She regretted it everyday afterwards. From there, I went to tape recording interviews with her. I have over 100 hours of stories. From there I graduated to film/video.

Later, my documentation continued with the people I grew up playing basketball with in Wilmington, Delaware, where I came of age. We were all street kids. I don’t think any of us thought we would live this long. There was something about feeling expendable, vulnerable no matter how tough we cursed or how hard we fought to be respected, I always wanted to remember that about our fierceness in the face of uncertainty. Ironically, most of us are still here. We get together every year and play a reunion game. In those moments, we’re 16 all over again, with older, crunchier knees and bigger bodies, but laughing and loving the memories. I document that too.

There’s Odunde, the Yoruban street festival that happens every June in Philly. Been photographing that for 20 years. I’m working on a book. The colors, the people, the food, the culture, everything is vibrant.

There’s One Million Strong: Photos from the Million Man, World Day of Atonement, Million Women, Million Youth, Million Youth Movement, Millions More Movement, and Million Family Marches. I spent 10 years, from the time I was 20 until I was 30, creating that body of work. It’s a touring exhibit and I’m working on a book.

When I was in LA, I befriended Saul Williams and Cody ChesnuTT. Documented their shows/personal lives for many years. Working on books for those images too.

These days, I document the evolution of my family – my kids. I have a 3- and 4-year old. Some of my newer work focuses on Black Indian identity, cultural practices, and ancestry. And, of course, there’s Truth. Be. Told., my new doc series about Queer Black Visionaries.

Colored Girls Hustle: Describe yourself in 3 verbs.

Katina Parker: Catalyze. Ground. Persist.

Colored Girls Hustle: Tell us about your hustle philosophy: What does the word “hustle” mean to you and how does it apply to your life and professional practice?

Katina Parker: Your search proves your love: These are the words that guide my journey. I came of age in the streets of Wilmington, Delaware during the 80’s and 90’s. For me, the word “hustle” is synonymous with life force, that push, that achingness to transcend and outlast hard circumstances, in order to know freedom, love, healing, stability. It is my ability to imagine and create magical new realities through a combination of opportunity, readiness, creativity and resourcefulness.

Colored Girls Hustle: Tells us a bit about your new documentary series “Truth. Be. Told.” Why are you creating it? What are you hoping to accomplish?

Katina Parker: “Truth. Be. Told.” is a documentary series that seeks to reclaim the birthright of Queer Black Visionaries within our families and communities by providing a platform for out, Black LGBTQI-SGL-TS people to tell their personal stories of challenge, radical self-inquiry, transformation, and triumph.

To date over 50 Queer Black Visionaries have committed to being interviewed for Seasons 1 and 2, including: Staceyann Chin (Jamaican-born, Tony Award-winning playwright); Emil Wilbekin (Editor at Large for Essence magazine), Patrik-Ian Polk (Creator of Logo TV’s “Noah’s Arc” series); Mia McKenzie (Creator of the Black Girl Dangerous blog) Linda Villarosa (a former Editor for the New York Times); Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs (Co-Creator of the Mobile Homecoming Project); Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler (Filmmaker/Transgender Rights Activist); and Valerie Spencer (Actress & Transgender Activist).

Currently, we’re raising $4,000 to cut the pilot episode. You can check out trailers and the IndieGoGo campaign here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/truth-be-told-pilot-fundraiser-take-two

I believe that “Truth. Be. Told.” can significantly shift the culture of acceptance for Black LGBTQ people in our communities while creating a high level of sustained media visibility that focuses on our positive contributions to American culture.

Colored Girls Hustle: What do you believe is the impact of media on social change?

Katina Parker: When I was an intern at BET – back in the day when Donnie Simpson and Sherry Carter were hosting “Video Soul” and “Lead Story” was still on – there was this Rastafarian dude, he told me that TV is the greatest form of social programming to date. ‘Tis true. The image, the moving image in particular, creates change. It’s what gave the Civil Rights Movement momentum – those heartbreaking images of our people being mistreated went out to the world and international disgust created pressure on the American government to answer to its own moral compass.

Now, with social media, the implications for social change are broad. Essentially, we are teaching one another, cultivating our values and shared vocabularies through Twitter, Facebook, etc. We are also igniting one another to care – and to stay engaged - through the use of powerful imagery and consistent validation of our shared values. Despite some of the drawbacks, I think social media is evolving our collective consciousness as a people.

Colored Girls Hustle: We’re in a DIY generation where there are few gatekeepers of information and resources. Almost anyone can take pictures and capture life events on video. How do you think people can use their resources to tell their stories effectively? How do you see this access affecting traditionally under-represented communities?

Katina Parker: The advent of affordable technology and social media has been the perfect window of opportunity for people of color, Queer people, poor people, and women to create projects for us, by us. These days, it’s like we’re operating as telepathic, telekinetic points of light. I see so many conversations about identity happening on-line between people in totally different geographic regions, totally different age groups, different class structures. There’s a great deal of positive cross-pollination in our midst.

Having a DIY spirit is dope but it’s equally important to take classes to develop technical and artistic proficiency with cameras, lighting, audio, etc. – especially if you want to be taken seriously as a media maker. You can do so by going to school, by studying the primers they have on YouTube and throughout the web, or by creating your own curriculum. But it’s not enough to just pick up a camera and tell a story, if the camera is all over the place and the audio is sub-par – or, worse, your writing or acting need work. We still gotta stretch ourselves and embody the best so that we can offer one another the best.

Katina Parker is a filmmaker, photographer, writer, and communications specialist living in Durham, North Carolina. Her current projects include creating a touring exhibit and self-published book for her body of work One Million Strong: Photos from the Million Man, Million Women and Million Youth Marches and launching Truth. Be. Told., a documentary series about Queer Black Visionaries.

“On Her Hustle” is a monthly series of interviews with women of color artists, entrepreneurs, healers and activists who hustle hard for our communities. Colored Girls Hustle uses this series to amplify the work, talent, and passions of other women and girls of color. Click here to read more about our series and to nominate someone to be interviewed.

For women’s history month we are featuring Kathleen Adams, the co-founder of an amazing women-centered and empowering space: Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen. Read her full interview below to learn about how she uses hip-hop and reproductive justice to hustle hard for women and girls.

Colored Girls Hustle: Tell us about Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen: How and why did you co-create MHHK? And what does MHHK do the rest of the year?

Kathleen: Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen came about through my business partner’s (Lah Tere) as well as my own love of hip hop and women’s issues. I love going to concerts and shows and I felt like women were always singing the hook for songs or were background singers. I wanted to create a platform for women to perform and take center stage. I also wanted this environment to be a place where we could shine a light on HIV/AIDS and reproductive justice issues. This year with MHHK we are hoping to encourage the community to get involved to lower the achievement gaps in our schools and also to advocate for comprehensive sex education in all schools! Besides our annual event, MHHK participates in workshops within the community and also does college tours. This year, we are hoping to put on smaller events within the community!

Lah Tere and Kathleen at the MHHK 2013  

Colored Girls Hustle: Why the name “Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen”?

Kathleen: It’s called Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen because women congregate in the kitchen to talk about ideas, thoughts, etc… We create a metaphorical kitchen with our events so women can feel comfortable speaking their minds through their performances.

Colored Girls Hustle: Tell us a bit about this year’s event: why “Knowledge is Power” as the theme? How did it all turn out?

Kathleen: This year’s theme is “Knowledge is Power” because we want to honor Hostos Community College’s 45^th anniversary of excellence in higher education and cultural preservation. The theme is also “Knowledge is Power” because we are advocating for smaller class sizes, the closing of the achievement gap between the rich and the poor, and a more comprehensive sexual education curriculum.

MHHK 2013 performers

Colored Girls Hustle: Lets talk about the artists you featured this year and in the past: how have their individual art forms contributed to the MHHK mission and vision?

Kathleen: Over the past 6 years, we have featured hundreds of artists in our events. One artist in particular, NeNe Ali is a 15-year-old spoken-word poet who is the only artist who has been with us since Vol. 1. NeNe Ali’s spoken word poetry has contributed to the mission and vision of MHHK by inspiring other women, young and old to be fearless and showcase their art to the public. 

DJ Jasmine Solano is an inspiration to our audience. She has been able to gain the attention of mainstream media by going on tour with Wiz Khalifa and through her hit song “That’s Not It” featured on MTVU.

DJ Jasmine Solano at MHHK 2013

Colored Girls Hustle: How does MHHK view the current status of hip hop in general, its relationship to women and its impact (potential and actual) on issues concerning women?

Kathleen: To this day, Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen still views women, especially women of color in hip hop as in a state of emergency! Through our events we aim to educate, include, and empower women on issues surrounding their life. All of our events, not matter what the specific focus is of the year, incorporates a reproductive justice framework—the right to be a parent, the right not to be a parent, and the right to parenting your child. I know for a fact that we’ve had a major impact on the communities we work with because women have come up to us after our events and talked about how they have changed their lives in terms of eating habits (the year we spoke about healthy eating), and how some have left abusive relationships because they got the courage from attending our events!

Colored Girls Hustle: What is MHHK’s definition of hip-hop feminism?

Kathleen: MHHK’s definition of hip-hop feminism is pretty broad and holistic. We believe that once women are in complete control of their bodies, then they will be able to healthy decisions for their families and their communities. To be a feminist in the world of hip hop, you must be in control of yourself and in control of your music.

Colored Girls Hustle: MHHK always has lots of community support. How do the tablers and vendors add to the overall MHHK experience?

Kathleen: The tablers and vendors add an extra dimension to our event! Our attendees are able to purchase goods from local vendors and also obtain free confidential HIV and STI testing from our tablers. The tablers and vendors are like our family. We always look forward to seeing familiar faces at our event, year after year from the tablers.

Colored Girls Hustle: How do you define “hustle” and how do you “hustle hard” for women and girls?

Kathleen: My definition of “hustle” is TCBing (Taking Care of Business). If you TCB, that means you are always on your grind and will be successful! I “hustle hard” for women and girls because I always make sure my actions positively influence my community.

Colored Girls Hustle: Describe yourself in three words.

Kathleen: Explore Creative, hard-working, ambitious

Colored Girls Hustle: You wear a lot of hats and are involved in a lot of different organizations. How do you prioritize self-care and effectively manage your time?

Kathleen: I feel like I don’t sleep! For me, staying busy helps me stay focused. I make sure that in whatever I am doing, that I am happy. As long as I am happy I don’t mind being busy! I make sure to take long vacations and explore the world—that is how I stay sane! I also am good a delegating tasks to others so that I am not in charge of projects completely on my own. This method allows me to be involved in multiple projects at once, but also allows me to share project responsibilities with others!

Kathleen Adams is the co-founder of Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen, a multifaceted hip hop event designed to showcase women artists, especially women of color. Kathleen’s passion in life is with organizing around reproductive justice and HIV/AIDS issues. To learn more about Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen you can visit their website, Facebook or twitter.

“On Her Hustle” is a monthly series of interviews with women of color artists, entrepreneurs, healers and activists who hustle hard for our communities. Colored Girls Hustle uses this series to amplify the work, talent, and passions of other women and girls of color. Click here to read more about our series and to nominate someone to be interviewed.

We’re heating things up this month in our February “On Her Hustle” interview with Arielle Loren: founder and Editor-in-Chief of CORSET, the “go-to magazine of all things sexuality” and an entrepreneurial freedom teacher at Portable Incomes. Read her full interview below to see how she hustles hard for sexual and economic freedom.

Colored Girls Hustle: How did you discover your passion for sex and sexuality?

Arielle: I always loved sex from the first time I did it, and had been curious about it long before then. However, I definitely didn’t think it’d be such a large part of my career as an empowering entrepreneur and writer. It kind of fell into my lap between falling in love with interesting men, living in New York City, and my coursework at NYU.

Colored Girls Hustle: Why start Corset Magazine? Why not continue to do free-lance writing about sex and sexuality?

Arielle: I am an expansive thinker, and starting a sexuality magazine was an extension of my brand as a freelance sexuality writer. I created a platform for more voices to be heard and I curate content that sexually empowers people from various walks of life. The majority of Corset’s content is community-sourced, meaning our readers are our writers and their stories are valued.

Colored Girls Hustle: Tell us a bit about your hustle philosophy: What does the word “hustle” mean to you and how does it apply to your lifestyle and professional practice?

Arielle: Hustling is a daily practice of ambition. For me, hustling is doing. So I work to really focus on a few of my business ideas, and gradually bring them to life. So far I have three functioning businesses (I define a functioning business as one that makes money). I hope to make that five by the end of this year.

Colored Girls Hustle: Use three verbs to describe yourself.

Arielle: Inspiring. Kind. Intuitive.

Colored Girls Hustle: You lead a “non-traditional” lifestyle in that you don’t work a 9-to-5 job. What does a typical day look like for you? And what do you enjoy most about the way you live and work?

Arielle: I wake up early. Meditate/pray. Check my email. Start working. Eat. Work some more. Go to the beach or out somewhere. Comeback and work some more. Meditate/pray. Hit the bed.

That’s my typical schedule, but I change it when I please. I love the freedom of being an entrepreneur. My freedom can’t be bought, which is why I don’t work in the 9-5 world.

Colored Girls Hustle: What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs who are interested in having a career and business that allows them to travel or is not location-specific?

Arielle: I created an online business course called Portable Incomes for entrepreneurs, aspiring and veterans, to strengthen their businesses and create incomes that can fund their travels across the world. I’m really big on not being tied to an office or specific location, regardless of whether or not you’re in a 9-5 job or have a brick and mortar business. Entrepreneurship means freedom to me, so I’m giving business owners the tips and tricks to make them far more money and have steady streams of income flowing into their account regardless of location. I made a lot of mistakes setting up my three functioning businesses, so I’m fast-tracking my students by sharing all the secrets to my financial success.

Colored Girls Hustle: What are some of the major risks you have taken to pursue your passions? How did you overcome fear and doubt?

Arielle: Financial stability was a big risk, but again, I was clear that my freedom couldn’t be bought and meant more to me than financial stability. That’s a bold statement, but it’s how I feel and live. Being clear about that is what put fear and doubt behind me, and it’s why I get to live on the beach in a 2500 sq ft oceanfront condo, dance salsa, go to yoga, hit the spa, or call a masseuse to my patio whenever I want. You have to be clear. As Will Smith says, we make things complicated. Life is really simple. Set your principles and be willing to die for them. That level of determination is what manifests dreams into reality.

Colored Girls Hustle: How would you connect a good sex life and expression of sexuality with your hustle (or anyone’s hustle)?

Arielle: Good sex and intimacy make me more productive. But more than that, I’m very much in my sensuality as I work. I rarely have clothes on. I’m always meditating and listening to my body for guidance on my business decisions. And I recognize the mind-clearing power of orgasms. So my love life, sensuality, and sexuality all feed my businesses in really positive ways. I have no intention to ever do business without them.

Colored Girls Hustle: Many of us discover new projects and businesses as we’re working on other things. How has your vision and career path changed over time?

Arielle: I would say my career path is always evolving. My purpose has stayed pretty consistent, to live authentically as me and inspire. I’m an entrepreneurial artist, so sometimes my purpose manifests through writing, putting together a beautiful magazine, coaching women entrepreneurs, helping people travel, or whatever. At the end of the day, I’m still me, and that’s my business.

Colored Girls Hustle: Living abroad near the beach must be fun! How do you manage your time and find the balance between work and play?

Arielle: I just do what I feel. Some days I need to hibernate, stay in the house, and work a lot. Other days, I won’t even open my computer, and I’ll take a digital sabbatical. I’m pretty tapped into my intuition, so I know when I need to do more work or if I need more time to play. So I just call it like I see it!

Arielle Loren is a sexuality thought leader, writer, and filmmaker who is dedicating her career to empowering dialogue about sex. Her work has been featured and praised by The Huffington Post, NPR, Jezebel, NBC News (The Grio), BET, EBONY, The Root, and Clutch Magazine. She has directed and produced a media-acclaimed documentary, Bideology, about women dating bisexual men. A graduate of New York University, Arielle is the founder of CORSET Magazine and serves as the company’s CEO and magazine’s Editor-in-Chief. She leads CORSET’s international community of readers on their journeys to sexual empowerment. You can follow Arielle on Facebook and twitter. Follow CORSET Magazine on Facebook and twitter.

“On Her Hustle” is a monthly series of interviews with women of color artists, entrepreneurs, healers and activists who hustle hard for our communities. Colored Girls Hustle uses this series to amplify the work, talent, and passions of other women and girls of color. Click here to read more about our series and to nominate someone to be interviewed.

This year we’re kicking off the “On Her Hustle” series with a double bang! Our January interview features Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones, co-creators and stars of their self-made cooking show Food Heaven Made Easy. They use their web-based, monthly programming to help New Yorkers eat well on a budget. Read their full interview below to see what inspires their hustle and watch their latest show.

Colored Girls Hustle: What inspired you to start the Food Heaven Made Easy show?

Wendy & Jess: The rates of obesity and obesity related diseases, such as diabetes, are running rampant our communities. We’ve done lots of work surrounding nutrition and we noticed that folks don’t always feel empowered to make healthy eating choices.  A lot of reservations came from budget constraints and lack of knowledge regarding healthy cooking. We created Food Heaven as a platform to show folks from low-income households that healthy eating is attainable for everyone.

Colored Girls Hustle: Why are you two so passionate about healthy food and cooking? How does your passion “feed” your community?
Wendy & Jess: Food is a powerful tool that can be used to bring people together. Good food is also a major source of happiness for both of us. We use this happiness to get others motivated and excited about eating healthy.

Colored Girls Hustle: What is your vision for Food Heaven Made Easy? How do you see your show growing and evolving in 2013 and beyond?

Wendy & Jess: We’re working towards expanding the show so that it includes visual media, personal community interaction, and organizing around food sustainability. One of the greatest things about our show is that we are able to be ourselves and do things that we want to do. When working for other people or organizations, you don’t really have that flexibility. We see our show as a step towards our personal and professional independence. 

Colored Girls Hustle: Tell us a bit about your hustle philosophy: What does the word “hustle” mean to you? How does that apply to your lives and to your show?

Wendy & Jess: To us, hustling means constantly working hard to get to where you want to be. Let’s just say our show is one huge hustle. We’re in school and working full-time, so we constantly have to figure out how we’re going to make time for the show. We have to figure out which one of our amazing friends is going to help us film and produce the show. It’s a lot of small things that go into making Food Heaven Made Easy, but we’re thankful for our community. They’re always looking out and helping us when we’re in need.

Colored Girls Hustle: Describe yourselves in 3 verbs.
Wendy:
1. Adventurous
2. Creative
3. Shameless
Jess:
1. Curious
2. Creative
3. Introvert with extrovert tendencies (I know, more than one word…)

Colored Girls Hustle: You two do more than the Food Heaven Made Easy show. What are your other hustles and how do you manage your time to ensure that you’re in the integrity of your passions?
Wendy: I’m in graduate school full-time pursuing a Masters in nutrition. I also work as a health educator in a suicide prevention program for Latina teenagers. All of these commitments make it incredibly challenging to find some down time, but the great thing is that everything I’m involved with goes back to nutrition, so there’s room for overlapping.
Jess: I work as a dietitian at a hospital. I try to set aside time each week to make sure that I am pursuing my personal projects and passions in addition to growing professionally in my career.

Colored Girls Hustle: People who hustle hard have difficulty finding the time (or interest) to eat well and cook healthy meals (like the whole wheat crust kale pizza pictured above). What advice can you give our readers about getting creative in the kitchen and fitting health/wellness into their hustle?

Wendy & Jess:
Our three top tips for people who want to improve their health are the following:

Eat a Plant-Based Diet

The majority of your diet should be plant based. This includes veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans and grains.

Balance it Out

Make sure to eat balanced meals that include lots of veggies, lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Portion Control

Portion sizes have increased significantly over the past few decades. Try eating on a smaller plate to ensure you are consuming less at each meal.

Colored Girls Hustle: What’s the most challenging part of producing Food Heaven Made Easy? How did you get through that challenge?

Wendy & Jess: The most challenging part is funding. This is a self-funded initiative, and so we often have to come out of our pockets to make the shows happen. We’re hoping that as the show expands, we’ll get funding to do more creative nutrition/media work. 

The lack of women of color in the field of nutrition has actually motivated us even more. We know there’s a need for this kind of education in our communities, and we’re fully committed to the work we do.  

Colored Girls Hustle: What advice would you give people who are interested in starting a web-series or TV show?

Wendy & Jess:
1. Never tailor your message/image to accommodate others.
2. Network with likeminded people that will help you expand your project.
3. Have fun! Don’t get too caught up in the internet craze.

Colored Girls Hustle: Colored Girls Hustle is all about women and girls of color who hustle hard and look good too. And the two of you always look fly on your shows! How does your sense of style impact your hustle?

Wendy & Jess: Thanks for the compliment! We’re all about fashion and style (on a budget) and so we love that our image inspires others to try new things- whether it be a new lipstick color or tofu.

Hustle

Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones are co-founders of Food Heaven Made Easy, a monthly cooking and nutrition web-series that demonstrates how to prepare culturally diverse, delicious, quick and cost conscious meals at home. Watch their shows on Youtube and check out their yummy recipes. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. 

Wendy Lopez is committed to serving as a force of love, justice, and growth within communities of African decent that have been negatively impacted by the inequities of our food system. Through her experiences providing nutrition education workshops for children, adolescents, and families, this Bronx native strives to bridge the gap between food, health, and community. Wendy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in nutrition from Hunter College and works with youth to explore the ways in which food and health have a direct impact on the mind and body.

Jessica Jones has a M.S. in Nutrition from the City University of New York: Brooklyn College and works as a Clinical Dietitian for the largest hospital in Brooklyn. As a Clinical Dietitian, Jessica uses Medical Nutrition Therapy to improve the nutritional status of her patients. In addition to her love of hands on nutrition education and counseling, Jessica has a passion for using media as a tool to promote healthy lifestyles and has penned hundreds of articles about food, health and culture for publications like the Village Voice, Time Out New York, am New York and