The Digital Renaissance Queen herself was featured on Forbes.com today for her endless work with The Live Civil Playground, however, EGL was Seen On The Scene when Karen Civil was honored by Students at Mott Hall Bridges Academy in Brooklyn. The students specifically chose to raise money for Karen’s initiative in Haiti. After the check was presented by the school’s principle, Nadia Lopez, Karen sat down with EGL to dish on the experience. She also opened up about rejecting opportunities for reality television, the unfortunate passing of Chinx Drugs, remaining humble, how to build a digital platform and much more!
Check it out below:
How Does it feel to come back home to students who chose YOUR organization to donate to?
“It lets me know that people see the change you are trying to make in the world and people are coming together to do their part. I’m like, a big cry baby more than anything and today has made me very happy, because these are kids. You know, we recently heard their stories and the things that they are going through. Even though they may be going through situations, THEY have decided to reach back and to help someone else because they’ve been helped. That’s what it’s about. As long as we continue to reach back and help the next person, we will be in a great space.”
Photo retrieved from Karen Civil’s Instgram : @KarenCivil on October 27, 2015
rom one Caribbean girl to another, what you are doing certainly means a lot to people of Caribbean Descent. How do feel about the reception that you have been getting from back home (Haiti)?
“It has definitely been good, because people are just happy. They’re like “This is a Haitian girl doing it man”. They get excited about that. Its great when you see one of your own and they feel so connected with you, but of course there are going to be times when people have negative connotations about just you and “Oh you’re doing it for self” and you are like, ok. But I just look at the glass half full, honestly it’s inspiring. It’s really inspiring. I’m doing it for the love of the earth.”
Photo retrieved from Karen Civil’s Instgram : @KarenCivil on October 27, 2015
Do you plan to expand the Live Civil Playground to other countries?
“Yea! I want to build like three in Haiti, one in Jersey (her hometown), and one in Chicago. So, it’s really just starting out with the ones in Haiti First.”
Everyone knows about the advice that you give to your supporters, but what’s something that you would tell yourself when you first started out?
“This too shall pass. Because I turned minor things into major moments that didn’t matter; people situations, negative experiences dictated how people’s words affected me. I look back at it now, like damn I really cried over that. I remember, I loved school, but I missed 7 days of school from 4th to 8th grade. I’ll never forget that. I didn’t go to school for a week because I kept getting picked on and somebody wanted to fight me. Till this day, my mom is like, “Karen why do you keep talking about that?” I’m like, I missed five days of school! That was the dumbest thing ever. I was supposed to get an award for perfect attendance and I messed that up because of someone that didn’t matter.”
What is the future of KarenCivil.com? Because we know it focuses on Music, Hip Hop and Entertainment….
“It’s continuing, just branding the platform in different ways. I’m kind of being like a Ryan Secrest in my mind and in my own right. He has all these different business, and companies he developed and I want to do the same thing. I want to do stuff in media, do stuff in marketing and digital, and at the same time, do a lot of philanthropy work that just helps with the community. Because I think people just need a chance. Life gave me a chance and certain people gave me a chance, kids in general just need a chance to be kids more than anything. So I just want to be able to give them that opportunity.”
Photo retrieved from Karen Civil’s Instgram : @KarenCivil on October 27, 2015
Maybe something on TV with the Live Civil Playground?
“I’m working on something right now with my experience going back to Haiti, it’s unfortunate, a lot of the opportunities that people have been hitting me with, haven’t been the best opportunities for me. It’s just been showboating life, and things like that. I’m a very humble person. Things like ‘Rich Kids of’ …. I wouldn’t do that. First, I’m not a kid, and second I’m not rich because of money, I’m rich because of experiences and the people around me. Our definition of rich is two totally different things. I would never want to be seen because of a Chanel bag I have on. So eventually when the time is right, because again, I want to build my platform and I know that is something that can definitely help, but I’m just taking my time with it. When the time is right.”
So when something devastating happens in the Hip Hop community, like the death of Chinx…. Did you know him?
“I met Chinx last year, I knew Stack Bundles, I got an opportunity to work with Stack Bundles when I was with Dip Set, but I met Chinx last year. Good guy, I know. We met at Summer Jam, and then I saw him a few times in L.A. at a few events. It’s always unfortunate when someone doesn’t get to live out their full potential and that’s really all I can say, because it’s always unfortunate when you lose someone to gun violence.”
…and you don’t even really have to know them to feel …
“… The loss. Yea”.
The reason for that question is, you are someone who is extremely humble and you are always traveling back to your hometown. Do you feel like you have to take extra precautions when you are home?
“Jealousy comes with everything. I did this interview with Fetty Wap and he was like “I don’t really go back to the neighborhood and my friends don’t because they are not playing fair”. Jealousy comes in all forms and ways, but you know, I take precaution, I’m not going to be around certain things. People, I call them treasure hunters, because they go hunting for your treasures, for your goods, and I just feel like that was an unfortunate situation in particular, but when you talk about certain things, you do certain things, you start to build jealousy and envy, and they now want what you have, they want to destroy what you have, they want to do certain things to you. When I go to Haiti, I’m very grateful. Yes I know that there are people who might want to harm me , but again, I move and have a spirit that is just : at the end of the day, whatever happens, happens. But I make sure I don’t put myself in certain situations that would allow someone to harm me.”
So, the last question is: People view Social Media as being fun when it’s for personal use, but when it’s a job, it can be completely different. You being a Digital Guru, what advice would you offer to people as far as building their brand and followers?
“Everything is organic. It’s weird, when I tell people, they’re like “You take an Instagram class?” I’m like yea, I read their blogs, and they offer you web courses. I do these things to figure out what I should be posting, when I should be posting. There’s programs that tell you how you should engage your followers. Think about when you use to go to the library to find out information. I go to the internet to find out information. I invest in those things, I invest in growing my platform. People invest in buying followers. I’m not going to do that, I’m going to invest my money into an App like “Crowd Booster”, that tells me what people of influence follow me, what time I should be posting, what kind of content I should be posting, who retweeted me. I want to invest in that. I’m not going to waste my time in buying followers. Why do that?!”
Indeed! Karen dropped some serious jewels that day and her current success is so well deserved! The EGL family is estatic about her recent Forbes feature! Be sure to check it out here!
Read full Q&A here
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