Paper Magazine

PAPER’S MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ISSUE

If only the teenage Abiola Abrams could see herself now. The multimedia diva once dreamed of becoming an actress but as soon as that dream came true, Abrams realized that the quality of interesting roles for women of color was sorely lacking.

“It was too passive a space for me,” the New York City-born-and-bred, Guyanese-rooted beauty explains of being on the big screen. Instead, Abrams decided to broadcast her very active ideas as a filmmaker, writer and TV personality.

And whether she’s chatting away on television as the host of BET’s The Best Shorts, directing award-winning short films like Knives in My Throat, or conquering the virtual world with her daily online show Planet Abiola and her blog The Goddess Factory, or novel Dare, Abrams is spreading her gospel of “empowering people culturally, emotionally, sexually and politically,” across every possible media platform. “I use pop culture to remind people to love themselves already, damn it,” laughs Abrams.

So how does the unabashed feminist, activist and self-love guru define herself? “I am the daughter of Madonna and Oprah Winfrey, Cosmo and Ms., Candida Royalle and Eve Ensler. I was born to talk to people.”
-Kate Bernstein

:::Appeared in Print Magazine and Online Edition.

Abiola wears a dress by Rock & Republic, shoes by Bruno Frisoni and necklace, earrings and bracelet by Abiola for Gemstone King. Fragrance: Baby Phat Goddess.

NEW YORK CITY, NY – APRIL 3: Abiola Abrams attends Paper Magazine’s Beautiful People Party Presented by H&M at Hiro Ballroom on April 3, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by NICK HUNT /Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NY – APRIL 3: Abiola Abrams attends Paper Magazine’s Beautiful People Party Presented by H&M at Hiro Ballroom on April 3, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by NICK HUNT /Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NY – APRIL 3: Abiola Abrams attends Paper Magazine’s Beautiful People Party Presented by H&M at Hiro Ballroom on April 3, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by NICK HUNT /Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

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Abiola Abrams attends Paper Magazine’s Beautiful People Party Presented by HM at Hiro Ballroom on April 3rd.

Photos, Getty Images.