All-Star basketball player. Philanthropist. Film director.
Tina Charles of the New York Liberty has really become a Jill of all trades.
In addition to being the face of women’s basketball in New York City and her work with Hopey’s Heart Foundation, Charles will be adding film director to her impressive resume when she debuts a new documentary at the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival.
I am so excited to premiere my new documentary CHARLIE’S RECORDS at #Tribeca2019 this spring! Tickets are available now. I’ll see you at @Tribeca: https://t.co/BCykA9b2k2
— Tina Charles (@tinacharles31) April 11, 2019
Rawlston Charles has made it his life’s work to share Calypso and Soca music with the world. First-time director @TinaCharles31 pays tribute to her father, an unsung New York hero, in the inspiring documentary CHARLIE’S RECORDS, debuting at #Tribeca2019: https://t.co/C9YbeDxKrf pic.twitter.com/vS8Vn00w51
— Tribeca (@Tribeca) April 10, 2019
Former #UConn star @tinacharles31 set to make directorial debut at @Tribeca Film Festival. @hartfordcourant, thank you for shining a light on Charles’ hard work and dedication. #MoreThanAnAthlete https://t.co/E4skfhNiuT
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) April 24, 2019
Early next month, “Charlie’s Records” will debut on May 3. It centers on Rawlston Charles, Tina’s father, and Charlie’s Records is the name of his label. The musical genre it specializes on is soca and calypso which is extremely popular in Trinidad and Tobago – and New York City.
In an interview with the Hartford Courant, Charles mentioned how her father arrived in New York in the 1960s and started the label in the 1970s. The record store in Brooklyn – Charlie’s Calypso City – opened in 1972.
Just in the times and climate we’re in today it was very imperative for me to tell my father’s story just because of how much he means to me, what he means to our family and what he’s done for the culture of Trinidad and Tobago.
–Tina Charles (per Hartford Courant)
My dad is the type of guy where ever since I was young he would say to me, ‘when God gives you an idea, history proves that he marries you to that idea and greatness comes out of it.’
–Tina Charles (per Hartford Courant)
Charles also spoke a bit with Geoff Magliocchetti of Elite Sports New York, where she mentioned that her best friend from UConn and her visited her father’s store in Brooklyn where she encouraged Charles to make a documentary on her father and the store.
Now, she has her own production company – 31 Enterprises.
I’m able to see my counterparts doing things such as this. LeBron James has his media company. Blake Griffin has a media company. Kevin Durant has a media company. Then, I see African-American women doing what I’m doing, like Ava DuVernay. The list goes on and on of reasons that motivated me to want ot take a stake in this space and start 31 Enterprises.
–Tina Charles per Elite Sports NY
She was also asked about the proximity of the record store to Barclays Center, where, if all goes according to what everyone hopes for, will be the future home floor for Liberty basketball.
Nothing against Westchester at all, but we know where a majority of our season ticket holders live and we know they want to support us. For them to have access to us in the city, I think it also gives the city a taste of what it could be like long-term, consistently.
–Tina Charles per Elite Sports NY
