A born and raised South Carolinian, Kristian Arnell Hardy recently graduated from Harvard College with an degree in Theater, Dance, and Media and African American Studies and a secondary in Women, Gender, & Sexuality studies. Kristian is a multi-hyphenate artist whose work spans directing, performance, writing, arts administration, and multimedia creation.

Kristian is passionate about illuminating the multiplicities of Black womanhood/girlhood through her work, particularly through comedy or works of speculative fiction. She spent her junior fall in Accra, Ghana studying West African arts & culture. For her honors senior thesis, Arnell conceived an original one-woman show A Sweet Tea Communion, which explores the intersectionality of Black womanhood, queerness, and Southern spirituality.

Post-graduation, Kristian has been selected for the Soho House x Creative Futures Collective mentorship program, GLAAD’s 2025 Black Queer Creative Summit, and Theatre Producers of Color 2026 Cohort.

Whether it be directing on stage/screen, building her Youtube channel, or cultivating affinity spaces, exercising her creativity and connecting with others is where Kristian thrives.