Interviews

Published on July 15th, 2019 | by Jameelah "Just Jay" Wilkerson

Kristina Abreu: The Latin Diva … For Real

In 2016, Kristina Abreu was flipping through casting calls on Backstage on her iPhone, when she came across a casting call for The Latin Goddesses. Something caught her attention about it, not knowing if she’d get a response or not. There were over 1,200 responses. As it turns out, she DID get a response.

Kristina was 24 years old at that time, beautiful (almost beguilingly so), and a triple threat talent having danced since age 2 1/2 and singing/acting since the age of 12.

It’s the stuff dreams are made of. You wait for that call. It comes. You get it. Score! Pop the bottles … But wait.

That’s not quite where this is going.

John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans”.

Kristina Abreu got the role and was cast as the lead mentor (The J-Lo type role) on The Latin Goddesses. The show had a $20 million account receivable from a U.N.-backed Earth Bank, but Hollywood knows all too well what can happen between “then and now” … LIFE!

Turns out the Earth Bank tanked, the U.N. shrugged and The Latin Goddesses’ funding was back to square one.

“Life is what happens to you
while you are busy making other plans “

The creator/producer for The Latin Goddesses (TLG) said he’d locate a more reliable funder, and so Kristina waited … and waited … and waited. This was not the normal thing for Kristina as she was a highly in-demand theater and musical actress in Miami with quite a stirring and a pretty good rep and resume. She did not have to wait. But she did.

TLG was written to be a good girl’s version of The Kardashians – a “wholesome” Latin version of The Kardashians, if you will. … Like the girls next door.

In 2016, everyone in Hollywood was buying The Bad Girl’s Club, Jersey Shore, etc. Hollywood wanted Latin content, but not boring, wholesome, GOOD girls. Nobody wanted THAT “good girl crap”. Hollywood wanted bad girls on a pole who’d call each other bitch and hoe while cat-fighting and pulling hair for each other’s man.

TLG was the OPPOSITE of that, so NOBODY was buying. Kristina, seeing the TLG vision, hung in like a trooper – enduring the delays, set-backs and verbal criticism.

Then NBC’s “This Is Us” came out and proved ALL Hollywood wrong. After all, people DID want positive, good and wholesome.

TLG began organizing military support events to support female vets in the military, hosted by The Latin Goddesses. The producer was literally driving/crisscrossing across America presenting TLG to ABC, NBC, FOX, MTV, BET, HBO and anyone who’d listen, as show-runners do.

Time passed and challenges persisted, … and Kristina continually supported the precept and work.

Somewhere in there, the TLG producer got the attention of a representative for women empowerment, as the industry saw TLG as a backdrop of women empowerment. TLG was a sort of a show about women empowerment, since the script’s characters were strong, feisty, independent, WHOLESOME females.

The script is about an unknown group of wholesome “girls next door” who overcome the entertainment industry and rise to the top without compromising their bodies, values or their empowerment. A Hollywood fantasy at one time; but now the market tide was changing to where #MeToo and Women Empowerment became buzz words.

Lowell Beasley, the aforementioned creator/writer/producer of TLG, had been pitching women empowerment throughout the industry the last few years when he was pitching TLG. Women empowerment advocates paid attention and Beasley began getting contacted by women empowerment advocates, so the #WE movement was born. #WE was formed, with the “we” standing for “women empowerment”.

Being the lead on TLG, Kristina Abreu by default became the Diva of the first Women Empowerment TV series. The show still had not filmed, and still has not, but now Kristina Abreu was appointed as the #WE spokesperson and spokesmodel.

That is how the empowerment actress became the movement spokesperson.

(God works in mysterious ways.)

Then, in yet another twist of fate, Kristina’s mom befriended Beasley at the #WE organizational meeting in Atlanta and Beasley appointed Vicki Abreu, Kristina’s mom, as the #WE Executive Director. So now, not only was Kristina Abreu the #WE spokesperson, her mom was now its global director.

Sometimes when delays hit, when storms hit,
we assume the storms are destroying our dreams when often
the storms are just clearing the path for destiny.

Sometimes when delays hit, when storms hit, we assume the storms are destroying our dreams when often the storms are just clearing the path for destiny.

Kristina Abreu, The Latin Diva, is now the global spokesperson for the #WE movement representing the nation’s largest women empowerment campaign. No one could have devised the plan or strategized the plan that effectuated that, but no one who knows Kristina Abreu is denying her right to that role as Kristina Abreu may be the purest, most gracious woman you will ever meet.

They say life makes you better or bitter. In too many cases and stories like these, life made the person bitter.

Life made Kristina Abreu better.

Kristina Abreu is trademarked “The Latin Diva”. “Diva” can give a popular, but the incorrect impression of Kristina Abreu. There are good divas and bad divas.

When one refers to a “diva”, it usually refers to a person who is uppity, narcissistic, hard to work with, etc.; … but nothing could be further from the truth for Kristina Abreu. She is the definition of gracious and sweet. She is grace and sugar personified. Unlike other well-known “Divas” of 2019, The Latin Diva carries herself with class and decorum at all times.

No one around her has heard her ever say anything bad about anyone else in the years they have known her. She does not demand, nor complain, nor even vents. She does not put others down. And that combination in itself is an unworldly oddity that makes her stand out. She just illuminates a glowing warm smile of warmth and acceptance. You know that you are in the presence of class, royalty and grace when in her presence.

She is extremely sexy, and has a Kardashian body that guys fantasize about, and a natural beauty that women respect and are in awe of. Yet, she is chaste. She dresses conservatively and is sexy, but classy. She refuses to do revealing photo shoots and/or twerk.

Leaders do not follow, they lead by example.

Kristina Abreu does not follow what the other cultural divas do like well-known famous Divas, nor will you hear her throw any shade at them. Leaders just forge their own path, a new path. So Kristina Abreu is redefining “Diva” as a classy lady who leads by example, not by “likes”; who sets new trails, not following the formulaic hedonistic trails.

It’s not a popular walk … yet! But women empowerment leaders LOVE her and REVERE her because she “walks the talk” 24/7. She doesn’t talk women empowerment on Thursday and swing from a pole on Friday.

Kristina Abreu is no stranger to struggle. She was raised in a divorced home, by a struggling single mother and grandmother. Her mom worked 2 jobs to make sure Kristina had everything she needed, yet she never missed any of Kristina’s dance/singing/acting classes, rehearsals or performances.

Last year, Kristina was diagnosed with an illness which caused her lots of pain, weight gain, and depression. Kristina had to reach deep inside herself and find that place where you, and only you, have to pick yourself up and overcome. No one else can do it. You have to do it yourself. You are in a deep dark place and somehow you have to find that light within yourself to overcome. … And Kristina did.

Kristina had to reach deep inside herself and find
that place where you, and only you,
have to pick yourself up and overcome. No one else can do it.

She had two extremely strong role models beside her in her mom and her grandmother, but she had to bring herself back up, rise up above all the resistance and bad breaks life had given her, and instill that sense of empowerment in herself that she so exemplifies; and is indeed representing as a spokesperson.

She currently is a teacher’s assistant to pre-school 4-5 year olds in a prestigious academy. This job keeps her purity, ingenuity, and heart in tune, as children of that age can see right through you, transparently, so only the pure in heart need apply.

Kristina’s kids adore her.

(God works in mysterious ways.)

Kristina will not just be portraying The Latin Diva of women empowerment, life has driven her to live it in real life, by overcoming those same crushing blows that defeat so many of the same ladies who will be looking up to Kristina as a role model.

Life imitates art, and sometimes, art imitates life. Kristina Abreu has now lived the TLG script she is waiting to portray. The role of the determined goddess; determined to overcome all the common temptations and still be a Goddess.

In the case of Kristina Abreu, The Latin Goddess, is type casting!

ABC-TV called The Latin Goddesses “the most hyped show that never was”. I know you have waited a long time and invested a few years in it. Explain your struggle, your evolution of thinking, and your reasons and thinking for hanging in for so long when so many others have not?

I auditioned for this role, as I believe it’s a great script. I’ve hung in there for so long because as the saying goes “good things come to those who wait.” I feel my time to shine will come soon and when it does, I am ready.

What attracted you to the Latin Goddesses project?

I auditioned for a Latina girl role, which I am. … lol … I am Cuban/Colombian, but after I was cast and read the script, I could relate to a few of the characters.

What is a Latin Goddess?

In my opinion, a goddess is any independent, intelligent woman who looks, feels and acts sexy and who happens to be a Latina.

You are a dancer, actress, singer … where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself as an established actress/singer/dancer – I love it all and if I could be successful whether I’m acting, singing or dancing, then my goals will be accomplished.

If you haven’t reached your goals in the last 5 years, what do you think will change in the next 5 years?

I’m older and have more experience. I’ve had time to grow and know that this is what I want to do as my career. I have also taken this time to learn more. I am also getting my BA in early childhood education, which is my second passion after the arts.

You have done a considerable amount of musicals/stage plays. Tell us about your resume and what your career past has been.

Well, I started dancing when I was 2 1/2 yrs old. In my early teens, all my spare time was spent in the studio – dancing, singing, and acting. I’ve been in numerous community theater stage productions and the roles that made me feel the most accomplished were “Kate” in The Wild Party, “Anita” in West Side Story, and “Lola” in Damn Yankees. I really connected with those characters and learned a lot.

Besides musicals, I was in my high school dance team and won a national ADA dance champion title in hip hop (American Dance Association), and I’ve been in many dance competitions. I had the privilege to study at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in NYC and was also part of a touring entertainment company that provided entertainment for children at various Baby Fairs throughout the United States.

You are the current and original spokesmodel for #WE and Women Empowerment Movement. How does that affect you and what does that mean to you, as a role?

I am honored to be the #WE spokesmodel and I truly believe in women equality and in being an empowered woman. I also support other causes like the #MeToo movement, Anti-Bullying, Suicide Prevention and the fight against domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual harassment.

What is women empowerment to you?

I feel that women empowerment has to do with being an independent, intelligent woman and being treated as an equal vs. men in all aspects of life.

How have you faced all the disappointments and setbacks?

I have dealt with many disappointments in life itself. Last year, I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) which is very painful, causes weight gain and depression. It was a tough road, but with the help of those closest to me, I have overcome the side affects and I am concentrating on my career and to be the best person I can be.

You are the lead mentor in The Latin Goddesses? Is that a good pairing for you? In real life, are you a good mentor to mold young ladies into Latin Goddesses?

Yes, I would like to consider myself as being a leader. I have cousins and younger friends that often ask me for advice. I really do not consider myself as molding young ladies into Latin Goddesses, I believe every young lady has a little bit of a goddess in them.