The following story is part of RoyalTee’s series, Too Black to be Latin, Too Latin to be Black
Growing up, Ghislaine León admired Black women like Nina Simone and Afro-Latina women such as La Lupe and Celia Cruz. “Her unapologetic pride in both her Blackness and Cuban heritage resonated with me on a personal level,” she says about Cruz.
Like Cruz, the Syracuse University graduate is passionate about uplifting multicultural narratives in the entertainment industry. Where the late Cuban singer achieved breaking barriers through her music, entrepreneurs and storytellers like León are accomplishing this through the various media platforms she leads. As the director of Creative Strategy at Revolt Media and TV, she documents the BIPOC experience through entertainment marketing campaigns, digital content creation, and immersive brand experiences.
“I am deeply committed to creating opportunities for other Afro-Latinx creatives to share their stories through media, whether it’s producing culturally relevant content, spotlighting Black and Latinx creators, or collaborating with brands to push forward conversations on representation,” she says.
León, who identifies as Afro-Latina with Puerto Rican and Dominican Republic roots, is also the founder of Fearless León, a creative agency that focuses on uplifting multicultural narratives through media, specifically BIPOC creators in the entertainment, fashion, and music spaces.
“My work is all about weaving stories that resonate with millennials and Gen Z audiences while championing diversity in the media landscape,” she tells RoyalTee. Her ability to encourage people to embrace their individuality is no less a testimony inspired by the interesting experiences in her own life.
“There have been moments where I’ve felt caught between two worlds—where I’ve been misunderstood or overwhelmed by the feeling of, ‘Do I belong here?’” she reflects.
She added, “What I’ve learned from these moments is that I don’t need to choose one side of my identity over the other. Instead, I embrace the fullness of who I am because my Blackness and
Latinidad are not mutually exclusive—they coexist beautifully within me.”
Through her media projects such as the Latin Quarter, León profiles Latinx and Afro-Latinx voices in the entertainment industry including producers and executives, in hopes of amplifying an empowering message of inclusivity and disrupting the stigma of fitting into one box, to not only be a part of the story but taking control of the narrative being told.
“You are a mosaic of your experiences, cultures, and histories,” says León. “Being Afro-Latinx means that you are the embodiment of rich, diverse heritages—don’t let anyone diminish that or stop you from exploring that. Embrace all parts of yourself because your voice and story are needed in spaces that often overlook people like us. Own your identity unapologetically and remember that you define who you are—not anyone else.”
