Who is Christina Benjamin? Well, before October 3rd 2009, when I attended the Ocean Style/KERRYManWomanHome fashion show at Half Moon Bay Resort, she really was nobody to me. I didn’t even know she existed! She was the last thing on my mind as I made my way through photographers, TV crews and Jamaican socialites with my list in hand of the-whos-whos that I was going to talk to and exchange contact info with: Constance White, Phillip Bloch, Lennox Lewis and Tanya Stephens for starters. Diddy’s first baby mama (Misa Hylton Brim) was in the house for crying out loud! But believe it or not the first person I approached was Ms. Christina Benjamin, and not because she was gorgeous with the long curly tresses and killer curves. Not that I was checking her out like that or what not. LOL. It was something more. Something about her just said “Hey, I’m cool. I could be in Mr. Vegas video doing Sassa step and still rock it with fashionable entrepreneurs like Kerry-Ann Clarke (the KERRY in KERRYManWomanHome).
And so, I approached her. “Hi what’s your name?”
(Big, welcoming smile) “Christina Benjamin. I’m host of College Lifestyle TV which launches in November.”
“OMG, I saw your magazine at the UWI bookstore with Assassin on the cover, God he is so hott (no really I think I said that, probably licked my lips and rolled my eyes too…..woosh)
Great call. She is a TV host! Cool! And she works with a magazine that I have fallen in love with—one that has taken advantage of a niche market that was totally being ignored by commercial interests. Damn why didn’t I think of that? O yeah, too busy blogging.
So, of course I made sure that on the night of the first episode I was glued in front a TV screen. It just so happened to be at Pure Lounge and along with mine, were several pairs of eyes taking in Christina and the scenes of Jamaicans surfing in St. Thomas, Protoje in the studio and Kim-Marie Spence in a freezer (get the magazine to find out why). Wow, she is good. She makes doing this look so easy. It’s not. You have to radiate ease, comfort, joy, confidence and Christina oozes it. Ok but enough about her looks and personality. Can she back the chat?
Most definitely; she had earned her stripes at Appleby College and University of Western Ontario from which she graduated with an Honors Degree in Media Information and Technoculture/Broadcast Journalism. At Fanshawe College Christina won the prestigious Current Affairs Producer of the Year Award for documentary production. She has continued her noteworthy documentaries since graduating, focusing on social justice and human rights issues. Christina has interviewed international personalities including two UN representatives during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire, Head of the U.N Peacekeeping Forces and Major Brent Beardsley, co-authors of the award-winning book ‘Shake Hands with the Devil’.
With her need to initiate social change even if it is on a small level (as in human itrospection-which when you think of it is actually pretty major) Christina started her own charity-One People and has held several fundraising events in Toronto, London, Ontario and now Jamaica where she has returned and calls home. Through the organization, Christina hopes to build a mentorship programe, matching inspiring/prominent Jamaican personalities with underprivileged youths, thus providing them with positive relationships with mentors they otherwise might not have. I am confident she will get the assistnace she needs as she has already interviewed some local industry heavyweights such as, Mykal Rose (Grammy award winning artist/ former lead singer of Black Uhuru/ "Shoot Out"), Beenie Man, (Baby) Cham, Elephant Man, and Mobile. Non-Jamaican interviewees include Collie Buddz, Brody Jenner (MTV’s The Hills), Akon and 112.
When Christina is not busy producing documentaries, hosting College Lifestyle TV, writing for the magazine and organizing her charity, she still finds time to write and perform original songs. To date, she has performed with the likes of Jamaica's award winning choir- the Nexus Performing Arts Company, and has had the opportunity to perform onstage with notable performers such as Lou Gramm, Elephant Man, The I Threes, Mavado, Karen Smith and Beres Hammond, among others. With the choir, she performed at the Homecoming Celebrations of the 2009 Olympians, as well as at the 2009 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival.
You know how people like to talk about how there aren’t any role models around especially on TV? I wish they could meet Christina or at least watch her on CVM every Monday night at 9PM. I think they would find a beautiful girl, full of charm and confidence, who is down to earth, and fiercely proud of her Jamaican heritage. I think her title of “Beauty with a Purpose” at Miss Jamaica World 2009 sums her up quite nicely. Don’t you?
Camera darling, caring leader, inspiring singer Christina Benjamin you are Lime Certified!
Q&A
1. What is always on your bedside table?
The book I'm reading at the time, lip balm, water, vitamins (they have to be right in front of my face or I forget them). Wow, I sound like such a grandma!
2. What are your main goals for 2010?
For 2010, I want to finish a documentary I've been working on since early 2009-- I'm very passionate about it. I want to push College Lifestyle to the limits of its potential and I would like to learn a bit more about television production and editing-- being with the College Lifestyle crew, around established directors like Mykal Cushnie has really taught me a lot already. I want to get my charity One People up and running in Jamaica as soon as possible, but if you want something done properly you have to have patience and put the time into it-- I'm doing the research/ ground work now.
3. If you could eat one food in excess without gaining a pound what would it be?
This is a difficult question. I love food: chocolate, cheesecake, Thai food, Wendy's chicken sandwiches. Answering this is just making me hungry…next question! :-P
4. What are your worst/best habits?
I'm a perfectionist, so I'm very critical of my work; I'm also a procrastinator-- which may actually be a good thing because I work best under pressure. As you can imagine, together these things make an interesting mix.
5. What tree best describes you?
Coconut tree— Native to the islands, you can come with as many hurricanes as you’d like, but I won’t break that easily and I can seem a bit nutty but I’m also pretty sweet :-D.
6. Can you describe your fashion sense and what inspires it?
My fashion sense is quite dynamic-- I'm always willing to try something new, but I definitely gravitate towards exotic designs and unique pieces. I'm inspired by anything and everything-- from the pages of Vogue and In Style to those of National Geographic (lol).
7. If you could change anything about the world or the people in it what would it be and why?
I would like to see more altruism between human beings worldwide, but especially here in Jamaica. The divide between poor and rich is growing. Crime and violence continue to plague our island, but what we don’t seem to understand is that every criminal, every murderer was once a child—a child that was taught to believe from a very young age that this is the easiest and, in some cases, the only means of escape from a life of poverty. We cannot blame criminals without blaming ourselves as a society at some point. We adults are the role models that the Jamaicans of tomorrow will learn from—if we show them only war lyrics, war movies, and intolerance then that is all we will get from them in return. So I’d like to see more altruism and less discrimination—we (especially the media) need to stop putting our stamp of approval on violence by glamorizing it --- no school child should ever think it’s ‘cool’ to wear a ‘Gully’ or ‘Gaza’ t-shirt with ‘War’ in mind. If we continue to judge a person’s worth based on their musical preferences, class, race, political, sexual or religious orientations we will just perpetuate a cycle where each hates the next and where all continue to suffer.
8. What three things must you have in your purse ?
My Blackberry, chewing gum (I’m addicted!) and whatever book I’m reading at the time (I’m always reading!).
9. What song best describes your life right now?
Lee Ann Womack – “I Hope You Dance”. I’m not really a fan of country music, but this song perfectly describes my way of thinking right now.
10. What are your favorite:
Hotel: I don’t really have a favourite hotel—I like Frenchman’s Cove though.
Piece of clothing: I don’t really have one favourite piece. However, I can tell you the story behind one of my favourite pieces: I have a top that was my great-grandmother’s (she’s 95 years old), it was passed down to my mom and then I salvaged it from her closet— I get complements every time I wear it out.
Alcoholic beverage: I don’t drink very often, but when I do drink it’s either a glass of wine (or more likely half a glass) or (on the other side of the spectrum) a glass of Coconut rum and Coke.
Thing to do on a boring day: Life is too short for any day to be considered boring— when I’m not working I like to read, paint, write, sing, dance…jump out of planes (joking!).
Cartoon Character:I love Disney's Mulan, she's a strong female cartoon character. I love her bravery and audacity-- to dress up as a man in order to fight for her country and save her ailing father from having to go to war-- her character pushes the boundaries and shows girls that they don't have to be a demure princess to have the Disney fairytale
Go With Your Gut
11. Knowledge or wisdom?
Wisdom
(Love this quote: “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people are so full of doubts” (Bertrand Russell))
12. Assassin’s lips or Tyson Beckford’s eyes?
Assassin’s lips (Jah know star......sigh...)
13. Custard or jello?
NEITHER! Strawberry Cheesecake! :-D
14. Lace or leather
Both
15. Sexy or cheesy (male strippers)?
The stripper-SEXY--- but a man in a thong is just CHEESY:-P
Finish It
16. I am inspired by anyone who has made a selfless contribution to his/her community/environment.
17. Condoms are necessary-- please buy, buy, buy them and make sure to use them too!
18. I love my family and friends – they have taken me through incredibly difficult times and I’m blessed to have them.
19. If I had superhuman powers I would collect Bob Marley from the past so I could witness him receiving his long overdue Grammy. I would then give an incredible performance (because I have superpowers ;-) ), singing with him onstage. After that, I would fly to the White House to interview Barack Obama, and then have a Red Stripe with him and Oprah at my underwater lair. Later, I would don my pirate costume and fly around the world with Barrack dressed as Batman and Oprah as Super Woman fighting crime and saving the poor from the indecently rich 2% of the world’s population.
20. Christina Benjamin is a person who loves the limelight but appreciates solitude. She enjoys singing, dancing, writing songs or poems, and painting -- anything to express creativity. She is an activist-- she hates injustice. She is a survivor. She has witnessed some of the worst things life can bring, yet still believes that the best is around the corner. Christina is a child at heart, but she's also an intellectual. She is very passionate and feels that every person has the ability to positively influence someone else's life. Christina is ambitious, she's a journalist, a feminist, and a huge nerd and proud of it ;-).
Check out Christina in action!
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