We were lucky to catch up with Brooke Christina recently and have shared our conversation below.

Brooke, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Wanting to pursue a creative path was not always something I accepted. I most definitely repressed the feeling of wanting to be an actress professionally mainly because I made myself believe it was a “pipe dream”. The minute I started doing short films and student films, that’s when I realized I wanted to do this for a living. If you can do something for long hours and for free then you must enjoy it. I was on set for 10+ hours for 3 days straight, I was exhausted but I loved being in front of the camera. It never felt like work for me. I am such an ambivert but once I’m in the environment of being on set with other fellow actors, the introvert leaves my body because I’m truly happy and in tune with where I’m at. I get to strip away from reality and play make believe which in my opinion, is the best job a girl could ask for. I just feel empowered after I film or walk a runway show.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into the industry that I’m in by going to classes, simply just pushing myself out of my comfort zone because I was quite shy and I ended up being a theater kid, performing in plays throughout my school career. I hope to inspire other young black girls and boys, to believe in themselves no matter how insurmountable something may seem at the moment. I am most proud of my ability to be consistent in my craft while going to school full time, working part time, doing internships and prioritizing self care and God. I have experienced so many moments of burning out but I never felt like I wanted to remove my career priorities until after I graduate just because “I have enough time”. I’m proud of myself for acknowledging the areas that I may not excel in and putting in the work to excel in them. A highlight of this year was walking for several NYFW designers and getting signed to 2 more agencies. The more opportunities, the better. I am proud and blessed.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The goal that is driving me is strictly not wanting to settle for anything less than what I want. I have experienced the office jobs, I have heard the stories about working in corporate and honestly, I never gravitated towards that. There’s nothing wrong with anyone who desires that but for me personally, I want so much for myself and not just being an actress but I want to have several businesses like a production company that highlights creatives that are poc and their work. I also want to have a fashion brand, I want to be a creative director. I also want to teach at a college. I want to be kind of like Issa Rae. Just knowing that I want to use my platform for the good is what is driving me, the desire to inspire others.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I believe non creatives would struggle to understand that we don’t always have something lined up. That is the goal but we are constantly auditioning but booking projects do not consistently happen. You can book something every 4 months especially with the strike that is hopefully coming to an end, unfortunately, that will happen too and you have to depend on other streams of income. This past year has been quite arduous, not being able to audition for many projects. Just like any career, we encounter roadblocks and that is okay but it is a bit stressful when you have so much on the line and you’re constantly living in the unknown.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brookexchristina.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/brookexchristina
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/brookexchristina

Image Credits
Demar Watson