We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Pernia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I grew up in Bogotá, Colombia, and whenever I would go to the theater I would see the diverse world that I lived in represented on stage. I wasn’t fully aware of the lack of Latino visibility in the arts, and I think it was maybe due to the fact that I didn’t live with the weight of it on a daily basis. That being said, I noticed content produced in other countries is homogeneous and lacks the proper representation. Specifically, with respect to Latinos, we are consistently portrayed in ways that highlight negative historical elements and don’t fully capture the spirit of our culture. When I moved to NYC to study musical theater, I noticed that the word “type” would show up a lot. When it came to some ethnicities and communities the word “type” was reduced to very damaging stereotypes. I would also hear that if you had an accent, or looked a certain way, that maybe those dream roles were not going to be available to you. I would look at casting breakdowns, and notice that the number of available roles for LatinX performers was very low and they were mostly limited to perpetuating these negative stereotypes. When I would try to find Latinos that were succeeding in the artistic industry they were really hard to find. In 2018 I was cast in the bilingual Latino Theater, Teatro SEA, and I found a huge network of Latinos that were creating amazing work. From there, I started to hear more about different Latino theater companies, organizations, performers, and artistic creatives that not many people knew about. The common misconception is that the problem is that Latinos are not creating impactful work. The problem is actually that we are not given enough opportunities to show our work and tell our stories. At that moment I just knew that I had to do something. The Bold Type is a podcast that I launched last year in the middle of the pandemic to help create more visibility of the inspiring Latinos that are making an impact in the arts. Every week I interview a different guest from different backgrounds in the arts. I aim to talk about their journey, struggles, successes, and what it means for them to be a Latino in the arts. My hope is for more Latinos to see themselves represented and succeeding in the arts. I want more people from our community to feel empowered and turn that dream of a career in the arts into a possibility.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Being an artist has been a challenging path, but it has also been filled with tons of personal and artistic growth. As an immigrant artist, I am grateful for the number of artistic opportunities that I have been able to take advantage of here in the U.S. However, being away from my family and the application for the work visa is always a long, expensive, and emotionally hard process. There are more freedoms as an artist that I would love to have, but I am still very grateful to be here doing what I love. The constraints I have found along the way have thought me how to become more resilient and resourceful. As for the podcast, there were internal and external challenges along the way. Some technical challenges I encountered were what microphone to use and where to find one (They were completely sold out at the beginning of the pandemic!), distribution, and reaching out to potential guests. Some internal challenges were how to let go of my fears and self-criticism. But I learned that fear is absolutely normal when trying something new. I decided to embrace it, hold its hand, and tell it that it’s going to be alright. All my focus and energy should go to what matters the most, the purpose of the podcast.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite part of NYC is Lincoln Center. When I was younger, I wanted to be an opera singer, and I remember going to the movie theaters in Colombia and watching every single show of the season that was transmitted by the Met. During the pre-show, they would show the exterior and interior of the theater, and I would dream of being at the Met one day. Now that I live in this beautiful city, I take random walks and regularly visit Lincoln Center to admire how beautiful it is and what it represents. For a chill visit, first, stop by Breads on 1890 Broadway and get a rugelach (or two!) with a latte and walk to Lincoln Center on 66th. Sit closer to the main stairs and watch the fountain and people. Hopefully, once everything starts to reopen, you can see people performing in Damrosch Park.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would really love to give a shoutout to all the wonderful LatinX artists and creatives who have generously shared their time and stories with me. The podcast would not be the same without them. It means the world to me to count with their support in growing this podcast and community. Their stories have been so inspiring, and it’s been a joy to share their experiences with more Latinos that don’t see themselves represented enough in the arts.

Website: www.jenniferpernia.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer.pernia/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenni9092

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferkpernia

Other: The Bold Type Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fAQgRaqPAdJ1OlrqotvYK?si=pq39SnqhRlazOodaf_9DhQ&nd=1 Website www.theboldtype.nyc Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theboldtype.podcast/

Image Credits
Emily Lambert Photography

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