Tag: Regina Alston

Author/Actor Regina Alston

Regina Alston was born in Bronx, New York in the times before the crack era took the city by storm. She attended St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School on Daly Avenue in the Bronx. She migrated to Harlem at the age of twelve years old. Her home was located on 128thstreet between Lenox and Fifth avenues. It was there that this shy good girl learned the inner workings of the streets and how to survive in the life. “When I moved to Harlem it was a different world from the one that I was used to. I was no longer sheltered. My mother was a single parent and we didn’t have a whole lot!” By the age of fifteen years old Regina started slinging crack cocaine to support herself and mother. “My mother was really sick. She had fibroid tumors and would bleed for days at a time. She couldn’t work and public assistance was not giving us enough money to survive. I had to do something. I just couldn’t stay broke. My daughter was living with my grandmother and my son was with me. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place”. Regina was arrested in 1996 shortly after her seventeenth birthday. She was charged with assault in the first, second and third degree. “I wasn’t thinking at all. I just flipped out. That was the type of hood that I lived in. I couldn’t let anybody punk me. I guess the worst part about that whole situation was that my mother was charged as my codefendant and convicted for a crime that she didn’t commit.” As a result Regina was sentenced to five years on probation by the Manhattan Supreme Court. “The one thing about the system is that it’s a revolving door. It’s like once you get locked up you get locked up you keep getting locked up.” Regina went on to obtain her GED while attending classes at the YWCA in Harlem. “I had this really great teacher Ms. Giscombe. She actually cared about the students. She was the third teacher to tell me that I was great writer. I didn’t follow up. I had money to make. I took the GED to get my probation officer off of my back about the weed smoke. I never believed that I needed a diploma. Everyone that I knew was getting money on the stoop.” After countless arrests and a battle with drug addiction Regina decided that it was time for a change. “I just had my baby girl and I wanted to raise her by myself. I had to do something right.” Regina sought treatment for her addiction and returned to school. While Regina was attending classes at The College of New Rochelle she met her mentor Vera Edwards of Streetline. “I love Vee like a second mom. She guides me with her wisdom and keeps me encouraged. I know that I can call her about anything and I will always receive the best advice with no judgement”. With Vera’s help Regina was casted into Rodent the Urban Soap Opera and published her first articles on Streetline Video Online News Magazine.  During her last two years of college Regina lost her mother to Cancer and her father to a severe heart attack and respiratory infection. “I suffered with depression after my mother died. Alcohol was my escape but I was not going to give up. I knew that my mother would have never wanted that. I had to keep going. I had to push pass the pain. Regina has now fulfilled her course requirements to obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She is currently employed in a substance abuse treatment program. Regina has obtained her CASAC-T certification and is giving back in the substance abuse treatment field. “I am focused on my career but writing and acting is my passion in life.” Regina is in the process of writing a book about her life. “ I just want others to know that despite whatever you have been through there is always a rainbow after the rain”.

Rodent episode 2

If you had an opportunity to watch Rodent, Episode 1 than you would know that the show is packed with drama. Episode 2 is no different. In the absence of Hammer Thornton Vanessa Hollingsworth has been making some corporate decisions. She has been hiring anyone that came into White Lines Media. Felix and Niles are not feeling the decisions that Vanessa is making. Her excuse is that Hammer can’t be there because he is tied up at the moment! When she said he was tied up at the moment she did not just mean that figuratively. She meant it literally. She had the man tied up in her bedroom and was drugging him up. Thank God for his wife and two closest friends. They saved him from Vanessa but that was after Niles made a pass at Gladys. I wonder what will become of that! Felix has a problem of his own. Farrah came off of the elevator of White Lines Media and caught him lip locking with the new talent who is also  his new girlfriend. She gave oh boy back his ring and told him that she will see him in court after dismissing ole girl. At least Farrah was woman enough to know that it was not the girl’s fault.

I guess you want to know what is going on with Drew and his drama! His sister Khris called Pops over to the house. She had some really disturbing news. She is pregnant. Pop swore to kill Drew’s friend only thing is his friend denied ever having sex with Khris. I guess it’s time for a DNA test. That is not all that is going on with the Douglass family. Drew is over at his children’s mother’s apartment when Pops walk in with a key. Before Drew even has an opportunity to find out why his dad has the key to the apartment Pops goes off on Drew about him being irresponsible and not having a job. Wait that’s not the end. Drew is in the room about to be intimate with the mother of his children while Pops is behind the door with his shirt off.

In Episode 1 Ebony told Porsha to find her own hive. Porsha turns to her mother’s long- time boyfriend Greg for a place to stay. Greg watched Porsha grow up all of her life but that doesn’t make him resist when Porsha uses her black girl magic to entice her mother’s boyfriend into sleeping with her. While they are making it do what it do, in walks Ebony with a key that Greg gave her. Imagine his surprise when Ebony informs him that Porsha is her daughter.

Meanwhile Krystal decides to go out clubbing with her straight friends Farrah and Michelle. They are hungover and asleep when Krystal hears her girlfriend Dime walking out. She wakes her girls up and tries to get them out of the apartment before Dime can get an attitude. All hell broke loose when Dime finds Krystal’s bra laying on the sofa. This is when Dime decides to smack daylights out of Krystal!!!!

I am telling you episode 2 was definitely something to be watched. Between the fight scene with Vanessa and Gladys, Felix getting caught by his wife, Pop’s in Drew’s Baby momma’s apartment I was on the edge of my seat. Khris being pregnant and the sex scene between the father and daughter was over the top. I sure cannot wait for Episode 3. This is definitely All my Children In The Hood.

Written By: Regina Alston

Aubrey Williams Is No Ordinary Joe

 

Meet Aubrey Williams. This man possesses so many talents. He is an actor, director, videographer and a chef. I had the opportunity to sit with Aubrey Williams and talk to him. First let me begin by telling you that Aubrey Williams stars as the character Pretty Tone In the hit web series #848 created by author Antoine Inch Thomas. Pretty Tone is the second in command of the Clean Up Crew, a drug organization out of the South Bronx. His character in the show was diagnosed with cancer and successfully beat the horrible disease. Not only did Aubrey Williams bring cancer awareness to the viewers through the show he also supports cancer awareness in real life. I inquired about his passion to bring cancer awareness. Sadly he informed me that he loss his mother to cancer. Aubrey Williams is a huge supporter of cancer awareness. In fact he participates in the cancer walk every year where you can catch him wearing cyst designed #848 gear. Yes he does that too! In fact Aubrey Williams along with his #848 cast members put on the first annual #848 Fashion Show at Barcelona Bites. At the fashion show mode ls show cased new #848 gear that is available for purchase. The fashion show was hosted by the cast of the #848 web series. The show also included guess performances by Songlist and Medallion Drew. To add to the list of accomplishments Aubrey Williams brought home the award for Best Visual Effects at the first annual Urban Web Series awards. Williams’ role in the web series is not just the character Pretty Tone. He is also the director and videographer for the hit show. Williams explained that he has the freedom to be creative with the series. I asked him what professionals he would like to work with in the future. He listed a host of phenomenal people in the entertainment industry including Denzel Washington and Steven Spielberg. Just when you thought he is done he is only getting started. Aubrey Williams is also a chef. A professional caterer that is easy to Google Food By Chef Aubrey is his local catering business for all occasions. Williams informed me that he made his very first Thanksgiving speed at the age of twenty years old. With all of this to add to his list of great qualities is his great personality and humble spirit.

 

Written by Regina Alston

 

 

Project Heat Presents The First Annual Urban Web Series Awards

The first annual urban web series awards will be held this Friday, January 20th. I had an opportunity to meet with Mr. Tiffan Dunn better known as Pop from the hit web series Project Heat. We spoke about the first annual web series awards and what’s up next for Project Heat.
For those do not know Project Heat is a web series about life in the projects in Brooklyn. As the show opens up while the theme song is playing a news article appears showing the article of the man shot by a rookie officer in Brooklyn’s Pink Houses. Dunn described the murdered man as a very great individual. Although Project Heat was already coming to be Dunn decided to add that article so that the young man’s legacy would not be forgotten. This story was used to open up the first season and first episode of the web series. In fact that is what Project Heat is all about. Dunn confirmed that Project Heat is stories from his life as well as others that he knows that will never get to tell their story. Dunn mentioned that the theme song to Project Heat is performed by Mona better known as Ma Barker who happens to be Kool G. Rap’s baby mama.
Dunn went on to create Project Heat Atlanta in 2016 with the first episode dropping on Thanksgiving Day. The Atlanta version of Project Heat is a collaboration between Pop and the gentleman that plays his cousin Stuff who is very well known in ATL. The stories in Project Heat Atlanta actually collaborates with the stories from Project Heat New York. Dunn confirmed that he will be doing Project Heat Houston and Los Angeles in the near future. Dunn also spoke about another series he will be working on called Back Page. Back Page will be focused on the issues women face in day to day life. He will also be putting out a movie titled A Dangerous Love Affair.
Dunn described his character Pop in Project Heat as the quiet guy that moves into the projects that gets caught up in all kinds of things that was not happening before he got there. Pop gets caught up and ends up taking over the caveman side in the absence of his partner who had been recently imprisoned. As leader of the caveman side Pop ends up in beef with the Selwyn boys out of the Bronx. He also has beef with the Hollywood side which is right on the other side of the projects.
As far as the Urban web series awards goes Project Heat has laid the foundation for this triumphant event that will celebrate the men and women who have worked so hard to bring a new form of entertainment to the world. Due to the fact that Dunn is the founder of the web series awards Project Heat was not eligible for a nomination in the award show. Instead, they will be receiving an acheivment award tobrecognize the hard work and dedication that they have put forth. This action was taken to avoid biases that could have possibly come about. The urban web series awards will be hosted by comedian Ray Dayjon and the awards will be presented by the ladies of Project Heat. There will be performances by Phresher, M.O.P and Smith N Wesson. There will also be a performance from a surprise artist that has a hit single out right now.
Written by Regina Alston

(more…)

INTRODUCING AUTHOR/DIRECTOR ANTOINE “INCH” THOMAS

Antoine “Inch” Thomas began writing in the summer of 2003. The soon to be best selling author quit rapping to pen his first novel No Regrets. No Regrets is a work of fiction loosely based on the his own life.
Antoine “Inch” Thomas has written four full length novels titled Flower’s Bed, Black Rose’s, No Regrets and Unwilling To Suffer. He has also contributed to two anthologies That Gangsta Shit volumes 1 and 2. Thomas has also cowritten several novels and a few screen plays. He noted that some of his favorite authors are John Grisham, James Patterson, Donald Goines, Sister Souljah and Guy Johnson.
Mr. Thomas informed me that “The inspiration for my stories come from the inner citytrials and tribulations of everyday life”. He went on to explain “If a young man is selling drugs in the neighborhood, there’s a reason within his childhood why he’s engaged in such behavior. If a female is very promiscuous, it stems from somewhere in the household.
Antoine “Inch” Thomas is also the creator and writer of the hit web series #848. Thomas portrays the character Benny Bricks the head of the Klean Up Krew, a notorious drug organization in the Bronx. Thomas reports that his inspiration for the popular web series was generated by a combination of factors. Among those inspirations were his admiration for the television show Power. He noted “the excitement and anticipation that it brings. Empire and the rawness and grittiness as well as the platform that the web series Money & Violence made so popular.
In 2017 Antoine “Inch” Thomas will be releasing Flower’s Bed the movie. The movie is an adaption of the best selling novel of the same title. His plan is to get as close to the actual story as possible, but in a visual format. After Flower’s Bed hits the big screen, he and the cast will immediately be going back to work on the third season of #848.

Written By Regina Alston

 

Being A Mom To A Child With Autism

Being a mom is a very challenging job. As a mom your days really never end. A mom is on call from the time she opens her eyes until they close at whatever ungodly time that life situations allows her to go to bed. All mothers have demands on their life, however the life of a mother to a child on the autism spectrum can be a gift and a curse at the same time.

Children with autism are very different from other children because they learn differently. A mom with a child on the autism spectrum have to find new ways to teach this child that has a developmental delay that hinders the learning process. The education process is different. If the child is diagnosed through early intervention there is a wealth of services available for them including speech therapy, occupational therapy and ABA skills. These are in home services until the child is school age after the third birthday. Although mothers of children on the spectrum are pleased with the fact that the child is learning it can also be overwhelming to have service providers in the home on a daily basis. It sometime can feel like an intrusion on life.

At three years old a child with autism begins attending school after getting an individualized educational plan also known as an IEP. The mother than has the pleasure of calling schools to check for class availability and then begin to book tours and interviews for schools. This is a lengthy process. At times it requires taking days off from work. Once the child is in school the mother now has to be an advocate to ensure that the child is getting serviced properly.

Children on the autism spectrum are more prone to getting sick. The immune system of a child with a developmental delay is often times not as strong as other children. This can cause a mother with a child on the spectrum to take more trips to the emergency room resulting in May sleepless nights.

Some children with autism have sensory issues. The sensory issues allow them to be very energetic. The children tend to run instead of walking. Children on the spectrum have a tendency to sleep less due to these sensory issues. Their little bodies do not embrace sleep. So now mom has a messy home to clean.

These are all things that I have experienced on my journey being a mother of a child on the autism spectrum. My son who is now three years old was diagnosed with high functioning autism a little after his second birthday. I contacted early intervention because I noticed a speech delay. He is two years old and had a vocabulary of less than ten words.

When the service providers began showing up in the home it felt like my life was under a microscope. I had strangers coming into my home telling me to do things differently. The change was uncomfortable. They wanted me to stop babying my baby and let him learn to be independent. I didn’t realize the severity of his speech delay because he never needed to talk. I was always at his neck and call. I was making it worst because he never had to ask for anything. I always took care of his needs. Now it was time for me to let him learn to do things like a big boy.

When it was time for my baby to go to school I was overwhelmed. My baby was getting on a bus with strangers and would be with strangers for eight hours of the day. I was in fear. My son is nonverbal. My head raced with thoughts. What if someone hits him or mistreats him? How will I ever know? The transition to school was a really big deal for me. I am happy to report that school is great and my baby is learning so much. I see the progress. He is growing up very beautifully and doing such amazing things.

Although my baby is sick from time to time with colds and stomach viruses he is doing well. I am grateful he doe go to the emergency room it is never an over night stay. At this point he doesn’t like taking any kind of medicine. I give him a diet high in iron. He eats lots of fruits and vegetables. This prevents trips to the doctor because he is getting the nutrients that he needs.

My baby is a big ball of energy. He usually wakes up at six o’clock in the morning and is able to stay awake without a nap until at least 10 o’clock at night. He gets into everything and anything. His favorite pastimes are playing in water, going into the refrigerator, and bothering his older sister. My days are busy and my nights long. I am on a journey through life with a tour guide that has autism. I love my tour guide with all of my heart. I wouldn’t trade my life as an autism life for anything in the world.

 

Written by Regina Alston

street line