Olandria Carthen On Her Love Story, Her HBCU Education, & How She’s Handling Fame
On the first day of her first job out of college, Olandria Carthen, aka Bama Barbie, walked in and was struck with one thought: I’m the only one who looks like me. Not only were there no women, but there weren’t any Black folks.
“In that moment in time, I had to remember: Tuskegee literally prepares you for moments like this,” says the beloved reality star, model, and aspiring entrepreneur, on the latest episode of Go Off, Sis, in partnership with Target, about how her Historically Black College and University (HBCU) experience prepared her to face the realities of working in the elevator industry — one that’s very white and very male. “I fell into a mini post-college depression. Imagine going from an all-Black classroom to being the only Black person in the office. But I feel like Tuskegee showed me how to adapt to those types of environments and how to network. I had to remind myself: Never shrink yourself in the presence of others to make them feel more empowered.”
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Carthen never expected to find herself in sales at an elevator company (she graduated with a degree in supply chain management), but her disarming charm — plus her Tuskegee education — set her up for success. In just a short time, she was outperforming her peers, knocking out one goal after another. It’s that same charm that not only won over her significant other — Nicolas Vansteenberghe — on arguably the most-watched reality TV show program of the summer, but also fans all over the nation.
“When I was on that show, I knew I was representing more than just myself — I'm representing Black women as a whole. So, going on there and knowing my self-worth, my value, and self-acceptance truly helped me navigate this space,” she says. “Knowing I have so much support from my community, or just from all women, means the world to me.”
Listen to the full podcast episode during which Carthen chats with Kathleen Newman-Bremang, senior content director of entertainment at Refinery29; Sandy Pierre, brand partnerships lead at Unbothered; and Claire Ateku, social producer at Unbothered about Homecoming season, how she’s handling fame, Nicolandria, and more.
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