Meet Natasha Trueblood | Activist, Educator, & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natasha Trueblood and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natasha, what do you attribute your success to?
As an activist, educator and entrepreneur, the most important factor behind my success and that of my brands is keeping in mind a quote my father (repeatedly) shared with me as a kid, “Failing to plan, is planning to fail.” Keeping this quote close to my heart and mind, has allowed me to keep a steady eye on my long-term goals, while also adjusting to new perspectives on achieving my dreams which arise from my selective risk taking.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My professional life grants me the unique opportunity to teach 11th & 12th Grade Social Justice in Harlem, NY! This role directly connects to my personal identity as an activist, and positions me to help my students be amongst the many working to identify, address, and determine the best plans of action towards eradicating social injustices in our communities and at large. In the words of Langston Hughes, my professional journey “ain’t been no crystal stair” but “..all the time I’se been a-climbin’ on, and reachin’ landin’s, and turnin’ corners..” By continuing to “NBTRUE,” I’ve overcome numerous obstacles and learned to allow my professional experiences to reveal more about who I am personally. Through it all, some key lesson I’ve learned are (1) I must first take care of myself, in order to best take care of others (2) From W.E. B. DuBois, “Children learn more from who you are than what you teach” (3) everyday is a good day to modeling kindness!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hypothetically speaking, let’s say it’s summer! If my bestie was coming to town we could start our days with morning workouts in Van Courtlandt Park, before hoping on the 1 train or in my car to explore the city! Depending on our mood, we might head to Manhattan to check out the world renown Central Park, newly unveiled Oracle statue in front of the Rockefeller Center, or one of my favorite Bronx venues, Zona De Cuba! If those places didn’t present the culture we needed, we’d make our way to Brooklyn and try scoring a reservation at Footprints to try to “Rasta Pasta” I’ve heard so much about or head to Harlem to try anything off Slyvia’s famous menu! Before heading out, I’d make sure my friend experienced all my ultimate favorite foods from Accra Restaurant (Okro Soup & Fufu) and Claw Daddy’s (Seafood boil)!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The name of my nonprofit, NBTRUE Inc., is not only a mesh-up of my name (Natasha Trueblood) but its also a vibe, mantra, and verb intended to sound like “And Be True” when pronounced. To “NBTRUE” means to honor and acknowledge those who came before you and paved away for your dreams to become possibilities. So, in acknowledging my story as the generational sacrifices it took for me to have this moment, I thank God, my parents, my siblings, my closest friends mentors and all of my students who have in some way inspired me.

Instagram: NBTRUEInc

Other: Those interested in getting involved with NBTRUE Inc. should send all questions, comments, or concerns to nbtrueinc@gmail.com.