Press
MIC.: The Beautiful Complexity of Being Asian Latino: “You have this whole other culture that’s a part of you. It’s an elite club where so few of us exist.”
Just as Asian people and Latino people are not monoliths, neither are Asian Latinos. To illustrate that — and celebrate our diversity and complexity — Ian Kumamoto reached out to other Asian Latinos who live at some intersection of these movements and asked what it was like growing up Asian Latino, how they feel about their identities now, and what they want other people to know. (These interviews have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.)
“There’s more of us than you think, and our experiences are very diverse. There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to be Asian Latino; there’s just a spectrum, because identity and history aren’t linear. There’s an incredible piece of art in Albuquerque called Mundos de Mestizage (meaning mixed worlds) that challenged my own belief of who I am and where I come from. The more I look into “who I am,” and “how I identify,” the more I realize my world is bigger than being Mexican, Chinese, Latino, or Asian.
If there’s advice I would give to a young Asian Latino person growing up now, it would be to listen to Bad Bunny [in his song, El Apagón] when he says “Todos quieren ser latino / Pero les falta sazón,” [meaning, “Everyone wants to be Latino / But they lack flavor”]. Now double down on that, because you have this whole other culture that’s a part of you. It’s an elite club where so few of us exist. Qué orgullo.
People made fun of my ethnicity and culture when I was a teen. I didn’t have the knowledge or words to express myself. I do now: Their ignorance is embarrassing. I can look back at the time and laugh, because I thought it was so incredible that I had such a unique ethnic/racial makeup. Because of that mindset, I never allowed someone’s limited worldview to affect me. I hope you don’t either. That belief, that self-love, has protected me from whatever animosity gets thrown my way. Never shrink yourself to be more digestible. Let ‘em choke.” -Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu
MEX talks returns to celebrate The Joy of Being Mexican: ABC7 is a media sponsor for Latinos Progresando's 10th annual MEX talks
Latinos Progresando, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization, will host its 10th annual MEX talks, a one-night showcase celebrating The Joy of Being Mexican. The event will be on Thursday, September 22, 2022 from 6-9p.m. at Venue SIX10.
MEX talks was created by Latinos Progresando to give Mexican and Mexican American leaders with diverse experiences the platform to reflect on a shared identity and tell stories to inspire positive change.
The speakers participating in MEX talks work in a variety of fields: media, performance art, politics, and more. Much of their perspective draws from the experience of being an immigrant, as well as traditional and contemporary Mexican and Mexican-American culture.
EVENT DETAILS
What: 10th Annual MEX talks, featuring:
Luis Valdez - Director and Playwright
Julissa Arce - Author
Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu - Writer
Univision Chicago: ¿Cómo será recordado este día en la historia política de EEUU? Así lo interpreta una analista Ximena Larkin, líder de la juventud demócrata en Illinois, señala que este ataque al Capitolio ha hecho que quede atrás el ejemplo de esta nación de aceptar un cambio de poder de manera civilizada. Incluso, dice que lo vivido este 6 de enero de 2021 quedará en los libros de historia como un fallido intento de golpe de Estado por parte de "terroristas" motivados por los discursos del presidente Trump. - Jan. 6, 2021
FOX32 Chicago: Joe Biden vaulted into presidency by strong turnout from Latino voters Ximena Larkin, deputy director of Latino Media for Biden 2020, talks about how the Latino vote factored into the election and the resounding victory by Joe Biden. - November 9, 2020.
Univision Chicago: Análisis: ¿Quién dejó una mejor imagen durante el primer cara a cara entre Trump y Biden? - Sept. 29, 2020
FOX32: Chicagoland's best holiday bars of 2019
Ximena Larkin joins Good Day Chicago to break down the best holiday-themed bars around Chicagoland in 2019.
Viral: #BarackingAround
In 2012, I wrote "The Gift of a Funny Name Like Obama," an op-ed published in the Chicago Sun-Times on the Sunday of Barack Obama's second inauguration. It's what led to me #BarackingAround and local, national and international press in English and Spanish markets.
Viral: Harry Potter Yoga
In an effort to increase attendance at Isabel Beltran's (my sister) yoga class in Austin, we created Harry Potter Yoga. The concept garnered worldwide attention (in China, India, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, France, Indonesia) including the actors from the movies and Warner Bros.
Hoy: El arte de combinar publicidad y redes sociales
Hoy, Chicago Tribune's Spanish language newspaper, profile on my company C1 Revolution.
Food52: An Update on All the Ways Our Company is Tackling Diversity
Last year I made a decision to write more and as a result, became a part of food52's initiative to increase POC voices for the site (I wrote about Dia de los Muertos and learned a lot about my culture along the way). Read all about their progress in 2017.
Sydsvenskan: Därför är "The fast and the furious" en succé
As a Fast and Furious fan, I've written about how the movies are one of the most important franchises of our time, thanks to its multi-racial cast. Sydsvenskan, Sweden's AP press reached out for my thoughts on the 2017 installment.
PR Daily: Patagonia, REI target administration’s rollback of land protections
Weighing in on brand's actions, in relation to the Trump administration cutting down the size of Utah's national monuments, for PR Daily.
ABC7 Chicago: Social media sabbaticals becoming more common
Discussing the use of social media for client and personal needs.
Levo League: How to Make Your Future Employer Love You on Social Media
Advice on how to make social media work for you in your job search.
NFIB: Lessons In Discipline
Sharing my favorite book with the National Federation of Independent Businesses (spoiler alert it's Rework).