INNER VIEWS WITH GINA BELAFONTE BY LOYAL NANA

Gina Belafonte is the daughter of Harry Belafonte, one of the most successful Jamaican-American pop stars in history but that is not why I chose to interview Gina for Loyal Nana. Gina is resilient, woke, and kind. She is a mom, producer, filmmaker and actor who grew up in New York City and California alike. On a beautiful Summer evening, I went to meet Gina at her father’s office in Time Square inside the SEIU 1199 Local Union building which has an especially proud history of civil rights activism--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called it "his favorite union" and he considered himself "a fellow 1199-er." King suggested to 1199 "that if all of labor would emulate what you have been doing over the years, our nation would be closer to victory in the fight to eliminate poverty and injustice." This is where Harry Belafonte, MLK Jr.s friend’s office lives. It is cozy, warm, carpeted everywhere, and lots of sunlight. Gina was on a call when I arrived, she casually smiled, ordered a hot chocolate from Starbucks and we got to talking… READ MORE HERE