Meet Gina Barboza | Screenwriter, Producer, Filmmaker & Yogi

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

Hi Gina, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m originally from Fall River, a small town in Massachusetts where the motto is “We’ll try” and I can’t remember a day where I haven’t. My mother was one of fifteen kids, a big Cape Verdean (black/Portuguese) family known for their tough exterior but big, giving hearts. I had nine aunts who I call a “pack of wolves” – cut from a cloth they just don’t make anymore.

I truly feel this has a lot to do with me being on my own since I was sixteen, with my own apartment, and working hard to achieve a better life than what I started out with. We had nothing growing up. Dirt poor, single mom on welfare living in the projects, but in a good, clean neighborhood and home (my mother Caroline was the “C” in OCD – lol).

Because I know how to survive in any situation, I’ve learned how to adapt to the highs and the lows of trying to achieve my dream. As many times as I’ve been told no, I wake up thinking of another chess move.

While most of my aunts are no longer with us, my mom included (fk cancer), the strength they instilled in me keeps me “trying” and my faith in God allows me to keep believing that the best is yet to come.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Because I wasn’t afraid to try, I left my hometown of Fall River, Massachusetts, and headed out west to Los Angeles. Meeting a singer on the flight there, I landed an internship at her family-owned record label. While attending a music conference on their behalf, I met the co-owner of Death Row Records, Suge Knight who was looking for writers to help start up a hip hop magazine. I didn’t hesitate to step up to Suge and ask for a paying job. While I started back in 1993 at Death Row Records as a writer, I grew into the co-publisher role. Unfortunately, the magazine never came out and I left the record label to go work for Actor, Director, Producer Bill Duke as his assistant. Working for Mr. Duke, I caught the film production bug and the rest, as they say, was history.

I had only been in L.A. for three years, but in those three years, I was blessed with opportunities that I never thought possible growing up. After leaving L.A., I moved to Atlanta and at one point, I lost everything. Things weren’t moving as fast for me but I kept the faith.

After trying for two years, I got a temp job at Turner Broadcasting in 1996. I worked my way up from a temp to an executive being the Director of Production and Music Licensing. Both hats I achieved living in L.A. came full circle. Sadly, in 2014 I was laid off with thousands of others but the one thing I didn’t lose was my ability to survive the storms.

I started my independent company, Balancing Acts Entertainment LLC, to tell stories that change lives. I had to take baby steps and even put a lot of my own money into growing and building. I freelance as a Producer, Production Manager, Story Producer, and Production Supervise for production companies and networks: BET, Discovery Channel, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, Tyler Perry Studios, and many others to pay the bills but my ‘main hustle’ is developing screenplays, and content to put stories out that can hopefully change lives.

The subject matter that’s most important to me surrounds mental illness and mental health issues and advocating against the stigma that surrounds it. Over the past three years, I’ve been filming a documentary on my journey for answers for my father who suffered from the disease before he passed away, and then for my brother who suffered psychosis after abusing drugs. It’s really important to me that we get at the front end of the disease and not wait until it’s too late. I’m hoping to have the documentary completed before the end of this year.

There have been many challenges and many “no’s” but even on days where I get discouraged, I remember why I started in the first place – to show kids who grew up like me, that it doesn’t matter where you came from or what you lack growing up, you can never – ever – ever – give up on yourself. You have to try!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve been in Atlanta for over 24 years, and while I miss “Old Atlanta,” it’s been great to see Atlanta flourish and grow and thrive as it has. Because I’m a writer, I love being in the spots where there’s less noise but still amazing food but for friends coming into town I’d make an exception. For drinks, I enjoy coffee and tea over alcohol and if I’m not waiting in line at the drive-through at Starbucks, I love coffee spots like REV in Smyrna on Spring Street. Some of my favorite spots to eat are: Doc Chey’s in the Highlands, JIA in the Ponce City Market, Surin in the Highlands, Mirko on Roswell Road for Italian, Gios Chicken Amalfitano, Mezza Luna Pasta and Seafood, Antico Italian pizza, Big Daddy’s on MLK for Soul Food, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and Benihana’s on Peachtree. I’m not a vegan, but Slutty Vegan burgers are so delicious! I also love a good, healthy smoothie from Clean Juice on Marietta Blvd.

I spend hours in Barnes & Noble writing, researching, or studying. I love cruising through Krog Street Market, Atlantic Station, Edgewood Ave, Little 5 Points, and The Met, which has really grown since the days I had a studio office there. There’s also the Trap Museum and the High Museum. I love discovering new murals on buildings and looking up the artists on Instagram. There’s a lot of talent in the A. One of my faves is the mural of Andre 3000 and Big Boi in Little Five Points.

When Covid hit us, I practiced yoga in Piedmont Park but there are a lot of great studios here.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My teenage daughters Sasha and Mariah aka “My Angel Wings” – two beautiful, intelligent young women who I am beyond proud of. I feel truly blessed to be their mom.

Also to my mother(s) from other daughters: Ms. Evelyn Coleman and Ms. Rita Martin whose love and support have carried me for years.

Finally to: Actor, director, producer Bill Duke and writer, director, producer Ali LeRoi for mentoring me in this game of life in the television and film business.

Website: https://www.balancingactsent.com

Instagram: @ginabarboza

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginabarboza/

Twitter: @ginabarboza1

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BalancingACTSentTV/featured

Image Credits
@ThaFlicksta Bri That Photo Chic