Meet Trailblazer Kalina Ross

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kalina Ross.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kalina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started before I even knew I had. When I was young, I often threw small, unique gatherings at my home to aid in community, communication and love. I often found friends in people who were alone but not to say lonely. So, my heart and how my love works, gathering all the people I love and giving a type of love I’m finding most have never received became a passion that led to my events.

In the meantime, I had a passion for children and the likes of their minds because I found such joy and pure, unconditional love in them. Raising my two daughters alongside my growth into adulthood and taking care of babies, children and teens poured into my event work naturally and by 30 years old, I was a full-blown “event gal”! I teamed up with a friend and huge supporter Phaedra High and together we took the city head-on. Providing unique events that the city hadn’t experienced along with placing a love I still find hard to find in events – connection. I’ve recently been able to describe my Poppins magic as a sort of  a “social architect”. Event life is already magic and so much behind the scenes goes on that usually the attendees have no idea how structured their experience is and instead are just left with a pounding beat of love and wonder. In the high of my event game, I became sick which eventually led to me having to force myself into hibernation and find a way to heal. Modern medicine was not helping and eventually, by the grace of God, I found answers and healed myself in one week of an illness I had been suffering for three years with, it was amazing. Once that happened, I struggled to admit that if I could heal myself, how could I not change my course of action and heal others?

I started with something at the time I called “Hygge”(hoo-gah), years ago, which was to focus on mental health, nutritious food and gathering around a table, ie. creating magic again around dinner and how it can truly heal us all. It was truly beautiful, we’d focus on a mental health topic, our woes and fears and together discuss ways to heal. After that, I began my journey by way of interest in health coaching. My first focus became healing black men over 40 because my father died of an illness caused by his diet and as many of us know, too many black men are dying way before they should and a lot of it is their diet. In the past few years, I have helped many men and now women and children change their way of eating along with my latest joy – cooking at Woodbine Ecology Center this year which is a beautiful space that drives community action and support. I host classes in home, host dinners and am toying with the idea of reopening my backyard cafe “Love Buzz Patio Cafe” as many folks keeping asking me to resurrect its joyful presence. I still freelance nanny as babies are truly freedom to my heart and keep me in love and creatively charged!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! It has been a journey let’s say. The biggest struggle is learning to truly listen to yourself  and keep true to your passions. Follow your gut. I don’t have it all figured out and business-wise I am still learning from others and figuring out where my next move is but knowing to trust the process, keep motivated – truthful people around me and always doing what I want is key. Also, learning to not shy away from vulnerability is probably what’s advanced me most! Each time I have pushed myself to be vulnerable (which if you know me personally, you know that I can’t even help it actually) has opened doors I never dreamed of opening! Not sure if its popular advice but I’d say my thoughts, not advice, as that can be a loaded gun is… don’t rush into college if you have no idea what you wanna do. Figure out what you do most or with such happiness and see then if you can make a living out of it and GO! Don’t worry about the rest, keep the flow and seriously, it will unfold, only when you doubt, let’s others decide and don’t follow your gut will you fall harder because that too, you’re gonna fall! That’s just life but don’t stay stuck in those moments. Just keep swimming.

Please tell us about Kalina Poppins – what should we know?
What sets me apart from others is my magic little crying heart. No, seriously, I’m known for crying. In happy moments, in vulnerability, in love, in magic, all of it. And once I accepted it, after the world pushed me down for it all my life, I am now seeing the power in it. It has helped me to truly feel a situation and learn to guide with love. I specialize in the beginning journey of changing your way of eating and empower folks to continue their journey on their own as that’s key to all change. I am a chef, nanny, event planner/worker, side hustle master woman and so proud to be a mother of two teenagers. I am so proud to know that when people think of Kalina Poppins, I am told, they feel LOVE. Love is so lost in our world and I strive to bring people back to love as it’s what I’ve had to heal from and we are told that what you’ve been hurt in – you may heal others in.

We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
First, let’s not give in to barriers ladies. Let’s break them down and start believing that we are all leaders. To be a leader, all you have to do is step up and lean in! Always know you’re unique in your own way and that there is business for all of us. Honestly, I don’t like to speak in terms of not and unable as everything I’ve done, as a leader, has been because I said so and then tried. Not because I ever asked! And the biggest obstacle you’ll ever face is yourself, everything else can be naivagated through and overcome if you just truly learn the art of loving yourself and moving forward in that.

Contact Info:

• Email: kalinaross@gmail.com
• Instagram: Kalinapoppins
• Facebook: Kalina Poppins

Image Credit:
Self and Tya Anthony

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