Gina Sedman, Founder & CEO of GNA Universal Media, Tells Her Life's Story After 50 Years!

 Interview by: Gina Sedman

Gina Sedman is the C.E.O./President and Founder of GNA Universal Media, including all partnering companies, NDME TV, The Indie Post, Indie Soul Radio, Under The Radar Magazine, Gico Music, The CV Indie Film Awards, and All IndieFlix. With over 30 years of combined experience in various functions within the independent entertainment community, jack of all trades Gina Sedman is a modern-day multi-faceted superwoman.

Having experienced the shifting sands of the music industry firsthand, Gina decided to remove herself from the borrowing end of the equation to become a lender of time and support for independent artists. Supporting the unsupported requires ownership, as she quickly realized. Gina has not only self-funded all her artistic endeavors, including music, film, and award shows, but she has also helped launch the careers of several independent artists and actors. Many have referred to Gina as the "mother Terresa" of independent entertainment, and she has earned the title of Philanthropist due to her generosity of spirit. In this interview, she shares a condensed overview of her life, struggles, and victories in her personal and professional life.  

Hi Gina, where were you born and raised? I was born on October 17th in Chicago, IL, and raised all over LA.  I lived in almost every town in that region, from Inglewood to Central LA to Hawthorne.

Do you have any siblings? Yes. I am the middle child of four sisters. One older and two that are younger.  

Tell me about your upbringing. Life was normal until about the age of eight when my parents divorced. After that, things spiraled out of control, and life became bizarre and unpredictable. A rollercoaster would be the best way to describe it. During the ride up the tracks, it moves slowly, but once it reaches the peak, buckle up because it's going to be a frightening ride.

Could you please elaborate on what you mean by spinning out of control? My parent's divorce changed the environment in which we lived. It was as if we were thrust into an adult world while still children, a place where we weren't supposed to be at that age.  

What caused your parents' divorce? Since everyone has their reality in divorce, I do not know the truth. Only through my mother's influence did I feel pressured to choose her side. Although she told me that my dad was the story's villain, I had never witnessed him put his hands on my mother in violence, nor did I hear arguing between them. I'm sure there were disagreements, but it wasn't in our presence. 

 Even though my dad was a strict, old-school father, he provided some of my most memorable childhood moments. In addition to teaching us about Jesus, he also taught us about the great men and women in the Bible. We visited Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, ate at unique restaurants, made puppets, and went camping. 

 How did your life change after that event? Life changed drastically. One thing different from before was that we had to visit our father every other weekend. We had a house in Inglewood, CA, at the time of my parent's divorce. When he left, he took his clothes and vehicle. During that time, my dad had an old truck with a camper shell on top, so he would drive to a junkyard and park there when he picked us up. A friend of my dad's owned an auto mechanic shop and let my dad park in his yard. It was just the three of us at the time. My youngest sister had not been born at that time.   

Tell me about your dad. My dad was very creative and talented. He had a voice like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra wrapped in one package. Both my mom and dad played piano. My mom taught piano lessons when I was around five years old. My dad served in the army for years and left with many medals of honor. He was very protective of his children and loved God but was stern. Old school stern. My dad passed away about seven years ago from cancer, but we developed a strong bond over the years. My talent, ambition, and laughter came from my dad.

What things would you do with your father?  I remember my dad teaching us arts and crafts and how to make puppets. Also, when my dad used to pick us up, he would take us to the grocery store, and we would buy what they used to call back then T.V. dinners. He also would buy us ice milk. Ice milk was like ice cream. It was up to us to choose our dinner, so I decided on turkey and dressing or fried chicken. Swanson TV dinners come with an aluminum foil cover you pull back to reveal the dessert. We didn't have microwaves back then, so you had to cook everything on the stove or heat it in the oven. The desserts were always my favorite part of the T.V. dinners. I'm not sure what they're called today; frozen entrees, I think.   

After dinner, there used to be a table in the middle of the camper that my dad would lower down to turn into a bed. He will pull the mattress over that, and all three of us girls would sleep on that, and my dad was sleeping on the top bunk over that hungover the part of the truck where you drove.   

It was where we lived when we visited our father for a while until my dad got his apartment in a rough part of Los Angeles. It was very different from where I lived in Inglewood. I hated that we had loud neighbors, and the place was infested with roaches. My preference has always been for quiet, peaceful environments, and this was the exact opposite of our next-door neighbors. Back then, you didn't express your feelings about what you thought, you just went along with whatever your parents told you, or you'd get your head knocked off. The smell of my father spraying in the kitchen at night to kill the roaches while we were supposed to be asleep still haunts me.

The fumes stung my nostrils, and I hated it! I remember my dad telling me they now have pine-scented "Raid" and later unscented "Raid." Despite his best efforts, my dad couldn't get rid of those dang roaches, no matter what he did. They were there before he moved there, and they weren't going to let a raid-spraying preacher from Chicago kick them out of their habitat. (laughter) I think that's why I'm terrified of bugs to this day. But I was happy that my dad finally got his place, and we didn't have to sleep in the camper anymore.  

 Is that how you lived until you graduated high school? No, unfortunately, I stopped wanting to go.

 Why? Didn't you have fun with your dad? I loved my dad, but he was extremely stern, and sometimes, his anger frightened me.

Was he physically abusive to you? No, He was never physically or mentally abusive, but I was afraid of my father because he had a temper and was a black belt in Karate. You didn't mess with my dad. He wasn't afraid of anyone or anything. Even though he was a lot of fun and creative, you didn't want to get on his wrong side. He was old school and put a great deal of emphasis on obedience. I was afraid of my dad's temper. Sometimes I hid in the closet when he was scheduled to pick me up. I remember hearing him banging on the front door of my house, asking my mother to get me in the car, but I was determined to hide in the closet because I didn't want to go. My dad would eventually stop trying.  

Sometimes when my dad would come over to pick me up, my mother would call the police on him. After a while, my dad stopped getting us all together because he was tired of the drama. As a result of the divorce, they split the furniture and sold the family house. Life became super chaotic at that point.  

 For your children's sake, did your parents make an effort to get along? No, my mother did not like my father, and my father did not like my mother, so we were caught in the middle of their arguments and fights. Having to choose between the two was heartbreaking for me.

At that point, what happened? As a result, my mother gradually lost interest in life and became childlike in her behavior. That type of behavior resulted in difficult, bizarre, and unstable circumstances. 

Can you share a few memories? Yes, I remember my mother relying on me to do many things as the middle child. In my case, I was a child and young teen thrust into adulthood. When Michael Jackson wrote the song "Have you seen my childhood?" he wasn't the only one searching for it. (laughter) 

Having so much responsibility at such a young age was unfair. My obligation to her happiness and stability always weighed heavily on my shoulders. I was my mother's go-to person for everything. It was almost like I became the parent, and she was the child. 

 When I was a young child, my mother often asked me to find a place to live in the newspaper, take the bus, and put money on the electric bill to restore our electricity when it turned off. I was responsible for lifting her spirits when she was down. And that was quite often. My mother spent a lot of time in her bedroom with the door closed and shut off from the world and us. I remember missing many days of school so that I could try to cheer her up, but it seemed as though nothing worked. She was always sad and crying and pretty much tapped out of life. I remember the feeling of wondering where we were going to live. I always felt unsure. My upbringing was highly precarious and toxic.

 How did your upbringing affect your schooling? Because we moved around so much and because I would stay out of school for so many days to care for an unhappy mother, my grades were affected. I was out of school for numerous days due to life drama.

Life drama? Yes. Many of my formative years in school attendance were affected because my mother sometimes wanted me to stay home and lift her spirit. At that time, my mother's days were filled with sadness, tears, and depression. I even remember my mother having a stroke, but it didn't disfigure her body or mentality. It was a minor one, but we were always told that her stroke was our fault and that we had better treat her right or she would have another stroke that would kill her, and it would be our fault. Growing up was like trying to avoid stepping on a ticking timebomb. So yes, I took off many days from school, doing everything I could to make her happy. It never really worked, but at least that was my aim. Happy mother, happy life.

Because we moved around a lot, I was always the new girl in school. I went to 14 different schools, and we moved nine other times. On one occasion, we lived in a camper with my mom parked on the street, not too far from the Fox Hills Mall in Los Angeles, because we had nowhere to go. I remember my mom parking the camper anywhere she could, and we would sleep in there. One night, the police knocked on the camper door with a flashlight. I was so scared.  

She would drop us off at our school and pick us back up in the morning. On one occasion, the kids caught wind that we were living in a camper parked on the street, and they made fun of us. They would say, "Are you going to watch the Cosby Show? No, because you live in a camper." Then they laughed at me.  

 Did you stay with your grandmother for a minute? My grandmother on my mother's side moved to California from Chicago. She was the only one who could help us at the time. As a result of my mom and grandmother's volatile relationship, my grandmother put a lot of pressure on us whenever we came to the house for showers or cleaning. During their phone conversations, they would cuss each other out and scream at each other very loudly. Despite saying horrible things to each other, they couldn't stay apart. The relationship was very bizarre. Although she fed us, she didn't want us to stay.

 Moreover, my grandmother favored my oldest sister because she was of mixed race and fair-skinned. Although she used the expression "no good "n***ga" to refer to me, referencing my dark skin color, I felt she loved me in her own way because she would do things like give us money and bake us a cake on our birthday. I remember finding her statements amusing at the time, maybe because I could not believe my grandmother would look at me with such disdain simply because of my skin color. I Laughed it off to protect my heart. Now that I look back at some of the cruel things she said and her coldness towards me, I can see how inhumane and afflicted her soul was. I feel sad that she went through life that way. I took what I could get from the love she was willing to give, but she was super firey and had a funny sense of humor. I can honestly say that I've never met anyone like her before. She was indeed a unique soul.  

 There was just no stability at all in my upbringing. I never felt as though I could settle and make a home anywhere. Everything was always temporary. Our lives were constantly being tossed around from here to there. We lived all over L.A. On two occasions, I ran away from home because my home was so unstable. Even so, I returned home because I had nowhere else to go, and something horrible happened to me while away from home that I'm not going to mention. 

 Did you eventually settle down somewhere? Not really. I just felt like we were just existing. In other words, we were living to survive wherever that was, and however that came about, that's what life was for us.  

The constant moving and instability affect a girl's growth in what ways? The effect it had on me was both positive and negative. I had my sisters to play with, but as far as having my own friends and going to school, I was always the new girl. I became reclusive, but the good thing was that it allowed me to tap into my creative abilities without distractions. The bad part about all of it is that I grew up never feeling like I belonged. As a result, I could never make long-term friendships because every time I made a friend, that friend was ripped away. Growing up in such a situation is extremely difficult for a young girl. 

 Did you graduate high school? Barely, but yes. In one of my classes, I had a D in the class and an F on my finals, so my teacher told me that I could flip a coin, and that's the grade I would get. So, I called the right side of the coin and passed with a D. (laughs) 

 How do you feel about your parents today? I love and forgive my mother and father, but sadly I don't have a relationship with my mother. I spent my entire life trying to get my mother to love me, but for some reason, it never happened. I never felt loved by my mother; I didn't back then and still don't. I look so much like my father, so my theory is maybe that's the reason why my mother treated me the way she did, but the truth is, I'll never really know. It's something I will always have to live with.  

 Regarding my dad, we connected when I was in my last year of high school, and I got a chance to know my dad and found out how much fun he was. In my adult years, I was very close to my dad until he died of cancer about seven years ago. I will say I was a daddy's girl. Although he was strict, he meant well. He just grew up in a different era, but I will say that I'm grateful for him because if it had not been for him, I would have never accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. That's the greatest gift that my dad could have left with me. 

What happened after you graduated high school? I got married at eighteen, and four months after I got married, I got pregnant with my son. Sadly, the marriage ended about three years into marriage, and I became a single-parent mom. I love my son with all my heart! He's the biggest blessing that came out of that union, and I felt God gave me someone who would truly love me unconditionally. I love him so much, and I'm so proud of him! We've been through so much together. Good and bad days but today, I'm so blessed that we have a beautiful relationship. We have breakfast dates whenever he's in town. I enjoy spending time with my son. He is funny, intelligent, and a blessing to me. 

 In retrospect, in what ways do you feel as though the divorce affected you? I didn't think it did, or at least didn't realize how much it affected me until later in life.

 What were the signs that you noticed of how it affected you? For one, the constant moving around and the lack of foundational home security always made me afraid of losing everything and becoming homeless. That fear caused me to work extra hard to ensure my living stability. I was apprehensive about trusting anyone for my financial or living stability. I felt like the only one I could trust in God and myself. After all, everyone I trusted for that stability let me down and made me feel unsafe and unsure. Therefore I was determined not ever to allow my life and the well-being of it to be placed solely into anyone's hands ever again. The other thing is that I was raised by a strict Father and a mother who could never be pleased or satisfied, not even by an apology. I became a people pleaser. I remember always saying I was constantly apologizing to everyone, even when I had nothing to be sorry about. I even remember my friends telling me to stop apologizing! If you apologize one time! It's funny now when I remember how sorry I always was all the time. (laugher) 

 I always thought people were mad at me because my mom raised us with silent treatment. So I always had to guess why she was not talking to me. That wasn't easy. That emotional abuse journeyed through my life and how I reacted to people and their interactions with me. It was always from an analytical approach. Never really trusting people and constantly feeling like they had another motive. It's like living in prison. Also, making everyone else happy and meeting their needs became my primary goal in life, even to the point of disregarding my feelings. The constant effort I put into pleasing everyone else wore down my body emotionally and physically. 

 I realized that completing and achieving so many things became my validation of my worth and value because I didn't get that love and confirmation from my mother. 

 Last, As a result of my journey to find love and validation led me on a journey of being involved in multiple marriages and relationships, only to learn that broken people like myself could never fulfill the need for love, stability, and validation, but through God's unshakable love for me regardless of my past is where I learned to find my validation. As a side note, you cannot expect others to give you what only God can. That's the mistake I made. I expected more from others than what they were able to give in their brokenness. They were just as broken as I was. How can a broken vessel fix another broken vessel? They can't, and neither could I. 

 That healing has to come from God alone. People can't fix you, and it is unwise to have unrealistic expectations from people. They will fail you every time. So, this is a lesson I had to learn. Yes, I've been a Christian all my life practically, but, in retrospect, it was only religion. Sundays were spent going to church and practicing religious works. Somewhere in me, I thought that doing that would make God love me and accept me more. That's something I had to come to grips with. I didn't want to see it that way, but it was true. I spent many years being religious, but a genuine relationship with Christ Jesus resulted from making mistakes and seeing God's love and forgiveness toward me.

 I also appreciate how God provided for me and always provided a way for me despite the many ways I messed up my life. He was always there to put the pieces together. Therefore, His love, patience, grace, and mercy toward me led me to ditch religion, find my genuine relationship with Christ Jesus, and make Him my Lord and Savior. It is no longer about religion or going through the motions but about walking with Christ Jesus daily. My life forever changed in 2020 when the light bulb came on—no more looking back.

 I only learned my value and how much God loved me through a genuine relationship with Christ Jesus. It is not my mother's lack of love, notice, or support that validated me; Christ Jesus alone validates me. Not a man's love, but only Christ Jesus' love can validate me. 

 Today, I am happy to say that after 48 years of chaos, I finally got it, and I am a changed woman. I am satisfied with who I am, what I look like, and where I am going. My geekiness and flaws are even OK with me. Will I continue to grow? Absolutely. My current position may not be where others think it should be, but I have learned from my mistakes and failures, so I am not the person I used to be. 

Someone special came into your life.  Yes, my son's grandmother is on my ex-husband's side of the family. Not only was she there for me, being a young single parent mom, but her family as well. She taught me how to cook meals and decorate my home; she ensured my son had school clothes when I was short of cash. She ensured that I had a car to drive my son around, and she always brought us food and filled our pantry. She even came to my house one day and laid carpet on the floor so we wouldn't be on a cold floor.  She was always willing to be a listening ear and supported me in all my dreams. She was there for me 100 percent, and I will always love her as if she were my biological mom.  She did everything a mother would do for her daughter. I met her when I was 15 years old. I was poor in those days, but I did my best to provide for my son. I'll always remember the kindness she showed me in some of the most challenging moments of my life as a single-parent mom.

So, let's talk about your musical talents. God gave you a gift. How did you develop that over the years? Well, I first began singing in grammar school at church with my dad. I was first discovered by a few children at school while singing a song called, Silly by Denise Williams. When they heard me sing, they gathered around and then ran and told the school's principal that I could sing. The principal asked me to sing for her, and I did. From there, I sang at school talent shows and events outside the school setting, like school board events and Christmas parties. I even got paid for it.  

How old were you? I was in the second grade. This went on throughout my teenage years. 

Did you sing during worship as well? Yes, when my dad used to pick us up, he would take us to our church, and he made me sing. I didn't want to sing, but he made me.  

Why didn't you want to sing? Because I felt uncomfortable. My sisters weren't singing; therefore, I felt singled out. I didn't want to feel like I was someone special. I wanted us all to be treated equally. In a way, I feared the consequences of being singled out and that my sisters and friends would not like me because they would think that I was trying to be better than they were, which is not the case. I didn't want them to feel like I was trying to shine above them.  

 Did you sing in a choir? Not at that time; I just sang using a background cassette tape.  

 I sang in charitable events where underprivileged children received free Christmas toys as a child. After I sang, we waited in the same line to get our Christmas toys. Likewise, we were unprivileged.  

 How far did you get with signing to a record label? It has always been a cycle of almost signing with major labels, but nothing solid has ever come of it. No matter how close I came to signing a recording contract, something always derailed the plan. While I knew people who could have helped me reach my goal, it wasn't God's plan for me to achieve it.  

At some point, you did sign with a record company. Yes, in 1996, I signed a recording contract with Grapetree Records, an independent gospel Hip-Hop label. Grapetree Records was a gospel hip-hop label, but they started a new label for me, Brownstone Records. That label was for Christian R&B soul music. 

 How did you find out about Grapetree Records? Before I signed with Grapetree, I met two amazing men who became my big brothers from God's Original Gangstaz, Preach D.O.G. and Mr. Reg N.I.C.E. They mentored me and took me out on the road with them. They showed me how to be on stage and engage with the audience. I sang background on several of their albums until I went on to record my own on the label that they were on.  

 Where did you guys meet? We met at a church that all of us attended at that time in Pomona, CA.  

 How many albums did you record on that label? Only one because shortly after I signed and recorded my first album, In His Time," the label folded. 

 What a letdown you must have been highly disappointed. Yes, I was crushed for a while until I finally decided I was going to do something about it. Sometimes our biggest disappointment can turn into our greatest blessing; in my case, that was true. That was the moment that Gina, the entrepreneur, was born. 

 What good came out of the label folding? I started my label and publishing company, Gico Music.  

 Back then, did you produce your music? Not when I first started my label but shortly after. I remember going to a music store, taking the $2000 that I got back from my income tax, and asking the man to tell me everything I needed to record music. I bought all of it—a keyboard, Mixing speakers, a digital recorder, and a mixer. I was determined to learn everything I needed to know to produce my music because I was determined to get to a place where I would never depend on anyone or put my career in someone else's hands for them to drop it. That feeling was way too painful. I was determined never to feel that pain again.  

 So, what happened? Did you learn how to produce music? Yes, after calling the music store and bugging the living daylights out of the poor guy who worked there, asking him every question I could think of several times a day, I finally learned.  

 Did you release an album of songs you wrote and produced then? No. 

 Why? The songs were well written, but the production was horrible, so I never released anything off my digital recorder. It was a lot harder than I thought, but eventually, I figured it out some years later.  

So, you went on to write and produce your music. When did you first enter the U.K. market? The first time my music hit the U.K. market was in 1996. My debut album, "In His Time," was released under Grapretee Records, but in 2011, I released my first independent album, Melodic, which went #1 on the U.K. Soul Charts. I've recorded and released over 13 Albums, multiple single releases, and a total of 5 #1 charted hits. I released ten of the 13 albums under my record and publishing company, "Gico Music." 

You finally learned music production but in a different way. Yes, I scrapped the digital recorder and went on to learn how to produce music on the computer. I learned using Logic, and now I write, produce, mix, and master my music in ProTools.  

You were on a roll, sometimes even releasing two albums in one year. You took a break from music for a while. Why? I just decided to take a break and do something different. When I was young, one of my outlets was to write poetry, and poetry writing turned into playwriting. I loved creating stories, so I decided to take that love of writing to the stage in 2015 while attending a local church in my community.  

 Did you ever take any classes in writing or production? Yes and no. Because my grades were so bad in high school, I didn't test high enough to be placed in accredited classes, so I attended a community college where I took basic Math, basic English, dance, T.V. production, and drama. Before attending the English class, I felt like I had a learning disability. I thought I struggled to understand things more than my peers. I couldn't figure out why everyone else understood the teacher's teaching but not me. It felt like I was academically stupid. 

 As a result, I initially enrolled in community college mainly to do all the fun stuff, but I also had to take academic courses.   That turned out to be the biggest blessing of my life because after taking the English class, I got an A+, and they referred me to honors English. 

 Unfortunately, there was a bee in my math class when I took my finals, and I was so distracted by that dang on thing that I couldn't concentrate. Everyone who knows me knows that bugs will shut me down. I'm terrified of bugs! While I didn't score as high as I wanted, I passed all my classes and earned a high G.P.A. 

 Did you go further in college? No, the school was not my forte because I'm too impatient, plus I had to work to provide a roof over my son and my head, so I never re-enrolled. I only went for the fun stuff, but it was good to know that I wasn't dumb. I guess that was the takeaway from that.  

So, back to the plays, you started writing Christian plays in church? Yes. My theatrical debuts include three live theatrical productions of dramatic arts. I started a play ministry to contribute my skills within the church.  

In the play ministry, what was your first play? "The Spirit Killer." It was about people who doubt your ability to achieve your goals and how if you allow them to get into your head, they can kill your dreams. It was a powerful lesson. If you begin to believe their criticisms, eventually, you'll pick up where they left off and finish yourself off. 

 Did you get a second one at that church as well? I attempted to, but after practicing for an entire summer, the lead actor decided that she no longer wanted to be in the play, so that changed everything—another blessing in disguise.

 What do you do? Did you scrap it? No, you never give up because someone lets you down; you just keep pressing forward. I went home and prayed about it and decided to film it. (laughter) 

 But you've never filmed before. Correct, but this was the perfect opportunity for me to learn something new. So, I called an acquaintance and asked her if she would step in and take the lead and that I was going to film it. She agreed the cast agreed, and I filmed it.  

 Wow! Just that simple? It wasn't simple, but with anything you do, practice makes you better than you were when you first began. Practice only improves but never will it produce perfection. We're always learning. Your improvement today is tomorrow's improvement. 

 Watching my first film on the big screen was like being on a small boat with hurricane-strength winds blowing at it, and you're in the boat. Great story, but everyone left the theater feeling seasick. It was so shaky and blurry. That's hilarious! I think my close friends were afraid to tell me what they believed to avoid hurting my feelings. (laughter) 

I rented a local theatre that seated 150 people and invited the community out to see it for free. The theatre was packed. There were lots of people that didn't get in. Many of them were upset. I laugh about it now because I saved them from getting seasick. (laughter) They should be thanking me.  

That's funny. But you improved. Yes, I used that first film as a blueprint to grow from, and I got better, but I'm still a student and will always be. I like to say I went to YouTube University.  

 You became a screenwriter, cinematographer, producer, director, and editor. How many independent films have you written and produced to date? Fifteen combined features and shorts. There's more to come.  

You didn't stop there. How did GNA Universal media and its partnering companies come about? Well, I launched my record and publishing company, Gico Music, in 1996, and my film company which began as Gina Carey Film and now, All Indie Flix, in 2015. So, because I had two separate companies, I wanted to build a house to put them in and get one big enough to house any other company I would create in the future, so that's how GNA Universal Media came about. 

 What does GNA Universal Media stand for, and are all the partnering companies you launched under that parent company? The initials GNA stands for God never abandons. The other partnering companies are Indie Soul Radio, NDME TV, The Indie Post, Under The Radar, The CV Music Awards, and Indie Music T.V. All companies sit in one house, GNA Universal Media.  

 Are you the founder of these companies? Yes, that is correct. I am the founder, C.E.O., and president of GNA Universal Media, including its partnering companies.  

You also work with your husband, is that correct? Yes, my husband, Andrew Sedman, is the success of Indie Soul radio. I may have founded the radio station and set the initial foundation, but he built it to where it is today. He's the mastermind behind its success and keeps the wheels turning. I couldn't have done it without him. After we married, I asked him to be co-owner with me, and I'm so happy he agreed. I couldn't have been blessed with a better husband and business partner. He's not only a phenomenal supportive husband, but he is also a super awesome business partner.  

 Is it hard to partner in a company with your spouse? Some couples get into arguments when they work with each other. No. We haven't argued once in four years of being together. It's not because one person bends to avoid an argument. It's just that we get each other. I believe it's because we're soulmates.  

 That's good to hear. Many people don't feel it's possible to not argue with their spouse, but you prove that arguing with the one you love can be avoided. Arguing is arguing, and having an adult conversation is having an adult conversation. There is a difference. You can see life differently without tearing one another down. The key to not arguing with your spouse is to remember when you speak to each other, that's the one you love. Words once said can never be retracted, so watch what and how you say things to the one you love. 

 I think for my husband and me, because of him primarily living in the U.K. and me living in the U.S. at present, it has been the best thing for us because it has taught us how to communicate with one another. Love, support, trust, and communication are the four must-haves to make any marriage successful. We have all of those things and more. 

I prayed and asked God to give me a man with this type of heart. I didn't care where he lived, I just knew I wanted someone with a beautiful and loving heart, and Andrew has all that and much more. Plus, he loves God as I do. That's a double blessing! This is the first time I've ever met a man who has been supportive and non-competitive. With us, it's never a competition. Our only goal is to support one another, love one another, and make every day beautiful. 

 It was critical to us at the beginning of our relationship to find someone we could grow old with. All we wanted to do was be happy and live the rest of our lives laughing, loving, and being there for one another. Having someone who shares the same mission and wants the same thing out of life, which is simplicity, is the recipe for a winning relationship.  

 We believe that God put us together not only to love and support one another but to fulfill a purpose together, and "we're here for it!" 

You got married last year in 2021, and your husband is British? Yes, I married my soul mate and king on February 12 & 13th, 2021. We had two weddings, one on February 12 at a small intimate Chapel with just the two of us and the other at a family friend's home on February 13, a day before Valentine's Day. So, we have two anniversaries, February 12 and 13th. Marrying my husband was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Andrew Sedman is one of the kindest, loving, giving, and supportive man that I've ever met in my entire life. Every day with him, he makes me feel loved and wanted. He stuck by my side and some of the roughest times of my life and vice versa. He's my best friend. Some people say, " Oh, they're my spouse, but this is my best friend over here, but I can honestly say that we are each other spouse and best friends. I consider myself a geek because I do geeky things and say geeky things, but it's OK because we're just alike. The two of us are corny geeky goofballs. He's silly, just like me, and I love it. He's fun and hilarious! he keeps me laughing all day long! 

 When we're together, we act like two big kids, but that's OK because life is so complex; you need to have fun and enjoy life, and what better way to enjoy it than with your best friend and soulmate? From the time I met him, I knew we were forever. We envisioned each other walking as older adults, hand in hand, side by side. We're going to grow all together. We always say that our love is pure and rare. 

 I never in my life met anyone that I had more in common besides my husband. We're perfect for each other. I'm just excited about the life ahead of us, and I'm sure it will be of love, joy, and happiness because it already is. I love my husband so much! 

 That's beautiful! It's lovely to have the kind of marriage that's filled with love. Now, you've had a long life with many struggles, but in your 50 years of living, you have learned a lot lived a lot, and achieved a lot; what is the ingredient to success? God. I've had many struggles, some of which I had no control over and others in which I made many mistakes. I've had an entire life filled with highs and lows, but one steady thing is God's love for me and his purpose in my life. 

Life is not about the mistakes you've made in the past but about how you were able to move forward after those mistakes. What did you learn from the mistakes that you've made, and how can you help someone else not make those same mistakes through your testimony? To move forward and be all God has created you to be, you must let go of your cherished and regrettable past. Sometimes even the things that happened that were good in our past can stifle our growth because we can continue to elevate those experiences and hang on to those for the rest of our lives and not grow. 

On the flip side, you can let the bad things that have happened in your life or the mistakes that you made stifle your growth and make you feel like you're not worthy enough to fulfill God's purpose in your life. 

 I could only move forward by believing that God has a purpose and plan for my life regardless of what happened prior. When God has a purpose in your life, you can't stop it from coming to pass. Nothing can stop God's purpose in your life. 

 You've now turned 50. In summary, what have you learned within your 50 years? Yes, I would like to say that without God, I'm nothing More than a dead woman walking. The Lord has always been with me through the good and the bad. Even when I didn't feel His presence, He was always there and still is today. I have been blessed with vision and multiple talents, but I take no credit for them because all glory, honor, and praise belong to God alone, not me. I am nothing more than a vessel put on this earth to love God, love people, and serve others.  

 Now that I'm 50, I'm learning to slow down, take time and smell the roses. I've been running fast all my life, and I'm now learning to set goals but make sure they're realistic. Everything doesn't have to be done in one day. You can get things done by being steady, but you can burn out by overwhelming yourself.  

It's good to be there for others, but you also must take time to get the proper rest for your overall health and mental well-being. Now that I'm learning this, I'm trying to manage my time more efficiently and not burn myself out trying to meet everyone's demands.  

 Your body will tell you when it's an overload. Listen to it because those are warning signs before destruction, and you don't want that. Also, I would tell people my age, older or maybe a couple of years younger, that it is never too late to activate your God-given gift. Some people go back to school, start a new business, or take up new trades or skills after their children are adults. It's OK to work a regular job but know that God has created you with a gift. No person is better than the other regardless of what pedestal they put specific individuals on; they're still human. If others can do it, you can. We all have gifts; they're just different. So, the next time you come home from work, get yourself a cup of tea, sit down and think about what God called you to do. 

 Think about what you enjoy doing and start doing it. You don't want to be that person that lives with regrets. People used to ask me, Gina, why are you doing all these things? I tell them, "I'm doing all these things because it's still within my heart to do them." If you've hit a wall, you've maximized your purpose, but if there's still Room in front of that wall, you have work to do. I never wanted to be that girl diagnosed with a terminal disease and then look back with regrets saying, "I should have, could have, or would have. While you have your strength, your health, and dignity, please do it now. Every day you live, you're living your bucket list, so make your days count. 

 Avoid spending too much time on social media, watching T.V., or talking on the phone. You will not be able to accomplish your goal that way. Don't let those things take over your life; instead, get before God and ask Him what your purpose is, then work towards it to avoid regrets. 

 I must be a person who wants to make a difference in this world. Many people say they don't care what happens when they die, But I think that's a very selfish statement because you should care what type of legacy you leave behind. Someone left a legacy behind them, and you benefited from it, so my question is, "What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind so someone else can benefit from you? 

 You don't have to be the brightest egg in the crate to leave something great on this earth. Remember, I was a D/ F student. If I had allowed my grades and what people said about me to stop me from moving forward, I would have never accomplished the things God has allowed me to achieve today. 

 Finally, I want to give all the praise, honor, and glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me to live 50 years on this earth and still be alive to share my testimony with the world today. 

Out of all the businesses you've founded and things you've done creatively, which would you say was the most challenging? All of them. With everything, there is always a learning curve, but you begin to figure it out with time. However, even when you do, you never reach perfection. Maybe that's where the bulk of the challenge is for me because I am a perfectionist or a better way to say it is that I take great pride in perfecting my work and ensuring my standards are my best.

Overall, the most challenging thing for me was staying focused on one particular thing because I love almost every facet of the creative industry. Of course, finances are always problematic because, without significant funding, you're just a person with content and a dream.

Nevertheless, I have learned to focus on servitude. That drives me in everything I do today—using my God-given gifts to help someone or make them smile. It's nothing like that feeling.

 So, what's on your schedule for the future? That's the most straightforward answer of all. To love God with all of my heart, mind, and body, and seek Him and God's word like never before, to love people and treat them as I would want to be treated, to love and support my amazing husband and king and to and to serve others as much as possible. 

Whether it be through music, film, writing, or whatever else God has in store for my beautiful amazing, wonderful husband and me. No matter what we do, we will do it unto the glory of the Lord and give God all the praise, glory, and honor, for, without Him, we can do nothing. Without Him, I wouldn't want to do anything anyway.

What are the final words you would like to say to everyone? I want to thank everyone who has loved me, supported me, cried with me, broken my heart, or hurt me, laughed with me, cared for me, gave me an opportunity, took a chance on me, helped me, challenged me, taught me, gifted to me, blessed me, and confronted me when I made a mistake. In my 50 years of life, through those experiences, I have learned to be strong and love my enemies.

 I have grown and learned from them; because of these experiences, I am not the woman I was yesterday. Today I am happy, I am optimistic, I am loved, I'm alive, I'm healthy, I'm blessed, I'm looking forward to learning new things, and I'm grateful! 

 My last words are of John 3:16-17 in the infallible Word of God, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. And Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 I have two quotes I came up with and now live by them. "Without boundaries, there are no limits." the other one is; If you hit the wall in front of you and you know you did your best, then you've done well, but if you never hit that wall, you have space in front of you, and you've decided not to maximize that space, then you haven't l reached your fullest potential. Keep going until you hit that wall. Never stop at well enough.

Thank you, honey; I'm so proud of you and all you have achieved. Continue to let your light shine. I love you very much!  Thank you, I love you too, husband, and I'm proud of you!

Gina Sedman's Entertainment Career Achievements and Accreditation  

Music Awards 

Gina has won a B.M.A. award for "best gospel artist, Rising Stars of the Desert Best Jazz Music Artist" (G.H.P. Music Awards), "Best Single, "and in 2015, 2016 & 2017, she won the CV Music Award for "Best Pop/ R&B & Contemporary Artist ."In 2016 she was chosen by CV Weekly as one of the Top 12 Interesting & Influential Women in the Coachella Valley. 

Film & Making black History within the Coachella Valley 

Awarded in 2019 as the first African American / black female filmmaker in Palm Springs, Gina made History by becoming the first African American / black filmmaker to be recognized within the Coachella Valley. K.M.I.R., Channel 13's local news program in Palm Springs, reported her accomplishment at the CV Indie Film Awards. Beginning as a signed recording artist in 1996, she evolved into a self-taught self-funded filmmaker. She became not only C.E.O./founder and president of GNA Universal Media, an independent powerhouse corporation, managing multiple independent companies under one umbrella.  

After establishing Gina Carey Films as her first film company, she changed the name to All Indie FLix in 2019. Furthermore, in 2019 she launched her television/web series network, NDME TV.   

To date, Gina has written, produced, filmed, directed, and edited 3 Christian based stage plays, two talk web series, Tell My Story and Curiosity, and seven full feature films, Aspire to Inspire", "The Unexpected, "The Assumptions," "The One Year Pact," "Acts of Kindness," "Rose England" and "The Star Connection" and multiple web series," Billy Jones," "Same Difference," The Diary, Stuck, Maylene, Barbara Ann Ginger" and Friends of Stanger's.  

Music Videos 

Gina has also produced many music videos, including her own, Eternity, Fallen, Prodigal, and I Love. In 2018 she served as 2nd A.D. for Sony Music's Country Music Star, Kane Brown (Lose it) Music Video. She also produced, edited, directed, and filmed Grammy-nominated Recording Artist Cornell CC Carter's music videos, Ghosted, Earn it, and The Moment. Likewise, she created and edited music Videos for soul recording artist Joe Leavy's" Arms Around The World" 2020, Joe Leavy's "Hurt People"- 2020, and Joe Leavy's "Inside You" and Love Me To My Soul. She also filmed, directed, produced, and edited 2X Dove Award Winning Gospel Rap Artist, Wake Up World & Brighter Day. 

Gina Sedman Launched The First Ever Independent Film Awards In The Coachella Valley, The CV Indie Film Awards  

Having established the first annual CV Indie Film Awards in 2017, she recognized and awarded filmmakers across the country making micro to low-budget films.

GNA Universal Media  

 While Gina's companies were active at varying levels dating back to 1996, she incorporated them under the parent company name, GNA Universal Media. She opened her first office in Palm Springs, CA, in 2019.  

GNA Universal Media is a Multi-Media company that houses several independent arts partnering companies, including The Indie Post Magazine, Under The Radar Magazine, Indie Soul Radio, Gina Carey Films, Gico Music, NDME TV, Indie Music T.V., The CV Indie Film Awards, and ALL INDIE FLIX. The former, Gina Carey Films, has been rebranded and is now, All IndieFlix. All Indie Flix is a Music Production Company that produces only independent Feature films. NDME TV is a television channel that produces only independent talk shows, shorts, web series, and T.V. shows.

In 2020 launched her first T.V. Network, "NDME TV, and wrote, directed, and produced Her first T.V. shows, Curiosity" and "Tell My Story ."Her first Web Drama Series, Behind Closed Doors, is a faith-based series centered around the lives of various everyday people and what goes on in their homes behind closed doors. The episodes include Billy Jones, Same Difference, Equally Blind, Barbara Ann Ginger, The Diary, and Maylene's 2020 Year and Friends of Strangers. Her movies are available on Youtube and NDME TV NDMETV.COM.

Gina also launched a 24/7 independent music video channel that highlights the musical talents of independent recording artists globally. Indie Music T.V.

 Gina Sedman is the C.E.O./Founder, Head Editor & Publisher of her own independent entertainment magazine, The Indie Post, where he has written multiple articles and has interviewed both up-and-coming independent artists and Grammy, N.A.A.C.P., MTV & B.E.T. Award-winning celebrities and a host of notable entertainment industry artist in film, music and other independent businesses. As a biopic journalist, she is known for her detailed writing. In contrast, she sets out to write articles highlighting their careers and give her readers a chance to gain a more in-depth look at them in their daily lives and humanity. She is also known for writing positive and uplifting articles steering away from negativity.

Her interview credits include Grammy award-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer, Malo, Stephanie Spruill, Ronnee Martin (America's Got Talent), Melissa Morgan, Charles D. Clark (Actor, Harriet, Empire), Lenny Williams (Tower of Power) , Shirley Murdock, Latoya London, Anthony Hamilton, Smooth Jazz Artist, Jackiem Joyner, Margo Thunder (9.9) Jonathan Butler & Gerald Albright, Glynis Albright ( The Waffle Queen) Yancyy, Robert Kool Bell, Larry D Dodson, Frank McComb, Allen, Parr, Award-winning Film & Tv Actor/ Choreographer, Darrin DeWitt Henson ( The Family Business, Stomp The Yard, Howard Hewett, Yancyy, Soul Food, MTV Award Winning Choreographer) Howard Hewitt, Saxophonist, Erisa Nobel, Keith Washington, Beth Griffith Manley (The Voice/ Kem, and Najee & former background singer for Anita Baker) Linda Travani ( Peaches and Herb) Eric Nolan (The Ojays) Torri "Shonuff "Nelson ( Female 13X World Boxing Champion/ Inducted into the female world champion hall of fame), Jewell Blackson ( Hadestown Broadway Star) Malo, Walter Lee Williams, (Ojays), Margo Thunder, Miriam Graham, Steven Russell Hart (Troop), Hi-Five, Michael Lee (The Voice) Wendy Moten, Oletta Adams, Felton Pilate (Con Funk Shun), Miki Howard, LisaRaye McCoy, Vickie Winans, Jennifer Holliday, Omar Wilson, Terri Green, Randy Hall and a plethora of celebrities and independent artists, filmmakers, and business owners.  Special thank you to Miriam Graham, Joe Mason, Desire Clarke, and Jay Ross.

PHOTOGRAPHY

 Gina is also a casual freelance photographer. Her photography credits include Award-winning Film & Tv Actor/ Choreographer, Darrin DeWitt Henson (The Family Business, Stomp The Yard, Soul Food, MTV Award Winning Choreographer), and live footage of Jackiem Joyner. Photos are on the form covers of both magazines.  

 FILMS / FEATURES & SHORTS 

"The Unexpected"– Feature Film -Feb 2016 

"Aspire to Inspire"– Feature Documentary-Feb 2016 

"The Assumptions"– Feature Film-Feb 2017 

"The One Year Pact"– Feature Film-Feb 2018 

"Rose England"– Feature Film- Feb. 2019 

"Acts of Kindness"– Feature Film –March- 2019 

"The Star Connection" - Feature Film - March -2020 

"Billy Jones - Short Mini-Series - September 2020 

"Same Difference"-Short Mini-Series - November 2020 

"The Diary"-Short Mini-Series - Jan. 2020 

"Equally Blind"-Short Mini-Series - May 2021 

"Stuck"-Short Mini-Series - July 2021 

"Barabara Ann Ginger"-Short Mini-Series - Sept. 2021 

"Maylene's 2020 Year"-Short Mini-Series - November 2021 

"Friends Of Strangers"-Short Mini-Series - Jan. 2022 

MUSIC VIDEOS 

Kane Brown "Lose it" -2018 (Sony Records)  Served as 2nd AD on set only.

Cornell CC Carter "Earn It" - 2019 

Cornell CC Carter "Ghosted" - 2019 

Gina Sedman "Fallen" - 2021 

Gina Sedman "Eternity" - 2021 

Gina Sedman "Prodigal" - 2021 

Gina Sedman " I Love" 2022

Joe Leavy" Arms Around The World" 2020 

Joe Leavy "Hurt People"- 2020 

Joe Leavy "Inside You" - 2020 

Preach Dogg "Wake Up World" - 2022 

Preach Dogg "Brighter Day" - 2022 

TALK SHOWS 

"Curiosity" January 2020 

"Tell My Story" - July 2020 

THEATRE 

"The Ripple Effect"– Live Stage Play –2003 

"The What Would You Do"– Live Stage Play –2009 

"The Spirit Killer"– Live Stage Play –2015 

A W A R D S & A C K N O W L E D G E M E NT S F I L M 

CINEMAFEST 

The One Year Pact 

October 2, 2017 

Award Winner 

Nevada International Film Festival 

The Unexpected 

November 15, 2016 

Award Winner 

Miami Epic Trailer Festival 

The Assumptions 

April 21, 2017 

Finalist 

IndustryBOOST Competition 

The Assumptions 

November 24, 2016 

Finalist 

Los Angeles CineFest 

The One Year Pact 

September 7, 2017 

Semi-Finalist 

Los Angeles CineFest 

Assumptions 

December 10, 2016 

Semi-Finalist 

Hollywood Screenings Film Festival 

The Assumptions 

December 1, 2016 

Semi-Finalist 

Los Angeles CineFest 

The Assumptions 

December 10, 2016 

In Consideration 

Semi-Finalist 

Los Angeles CineFest 

Aspire to Inspire 

July 10, 2016 

Semi-Finalist 

Los Angeles Cinefest 

The Star Connection 

2019 

Finalist 

MUSIC A W A R D S &  

A C K N O W L E D G E M E NT S   

In His Time, (1996) Changes, (2003) Tell Um, (2006) "My Journey," (2008) Melodic"(2011) " Love Letters," (2012) " Love Letters 2", (2012) Live, Love & laugh, (2012) "Gina Carey, The Songbird" (2013), "Funk Rhythm & Soul" (2014), "Gina Carey the Soul Singer" (2015) & "Can You Dig It" (August 2015) & her current Single "Hold Me" (February 2016) and "Tears" (the theme song for "Aspire to Inspire") (June 2016), Funky Cold Brotha & All up in This Place (2017) "Fight" and Kissed by The Sun," 2020 "My Destiny," Fallen, Eternity & Prodigal and I Love. All recordings after 2006 were written & produced by Gina Sedman and released under her label Gico Music. In 2022 Gina Sedman collaborated (sang lead vocals and backing vocals & writing contributions) with U.K. Producer Dave Lee on the song "Love Walked In The Room."

AWARDS  

2006 (B.M.A.) best gospel artist, 2012, Rising Stars of the Desert "Best Jazz Music Artist, 2015 "Best Single "Beautiful Music" by the (G.H.P. Virtual Music Awards), 2015, 2016& 2017, CV Music Award for "Best Contemporary Artist." Three additional C.V.M.A. nominations for "Best Unsigned Album" (Can You Dig it), Best Contemporary Artist / Band & Best Female Vocalist, and so on. January 30, 2021, " Gina Carey" won the " Bright Star Award" for her #1 hit Single, My Destiny," a song that she wrote and produced in 2020. SLY DJ  "Colourful Radio and Bright Star Awards"

August 31, 2016, Most Influential and Interesting Women in the Coachella Valley. 13 Albums recorded, and five #1 singles on the U.K. Music Charts since 1996. She is the author & publisher of her book and audiobook "The Unexpected," published in (2014) and received no less than 800 downloads within the first month of its release.  

2019 made black History in the Coachella Valley for becoming the first African American Female Filmmaker of The Coachella Valley.  

Congratulations, Gina, and Happy 50th Birthday to you! 

Gina Sedman IMDb

GNA Universal Media

Buy Magazine on Amazon

END OF INTERVIEW