NYC has to import cool people from Albany

vashtie kolaInteresting profile of the "charming, smart and disarmingly low-key" designer/director -- and Albany native -- Vashtie Kola posted today by the New York Times. About growing up in Albany:

Her ability to hop from one world to another has a lot to do with her upbringing. Ms. Kola grew up in a poor section of downtown Albany, the daughter of Trinidadian immigrants.
"My parents didn't explain a lot of things to me about West Indian culture," she said. Her neighborhood was predominantly black, she said, adding: "I assumed I was black. But the black kids were like, 'You look Indian,' and the Indian kids were like, 'You look black.' "
She started hanging out in Albany's Washington Park. "You know how all the weirdo kids hang out in public parks? We all hung out in this one -- the suburban kids who would come down to skate and buy drugs, then there were the hippie kids, the thug kids." But she was a good student, and landed a scholarship to the all-girls Academy of the Holy Names.

Kola went on to study film, direct a bunch of music videos, launch a fashion line and become the first woman to design an Air Jordan. You know, and hang out with people like Jay-Z, Q-Tip and Kid Cudi.

As Matt commented last year: "Vashtie Kola is the coolest thing ever to come out of the 518 area code."

(Thanks, Naomi!)

photo via Vashtie Kola Facebook

Comments

I used to party with her back in the day and worked at DEMO for a bit. She was one of those people that possessed that notable quality gene that was just too big for Albany.

Good for you girl, good for you.

Vashtie was a year behind me at Holy Names, I didn't know her well but she seemed like a really fun girl. Pike sums it up perfectly you just knew she would be bigger than the 518, great to see her in the NYT!

Awesome! Vashtie was the bomb and looks like she still is!! Shine on girl!!

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