How Bianca Kea’s “Year of Yes” Empowered the Afro-Latina Community

As Twitter’s very own God-is Rivera states, Bianca Kea has carved out a name for herself for a few reasons. Before she became the Senior Social Media Manager for VH1 where she leads and manages social media campaigns for the brand and their shows, she was building up her skillset by taking on opportunities that she saw as an investment in her career. Her “Year of Yes” mentality, inspired by the one and only Shonda Rhimes, has not only landed her career success, but it powered an entire community through Yo Soy AfroLatina, a lifestyle brand created by Bianca that celebrates the beauty, experiences, and culture of the AfroLatinx community. God-is states, “As a former social strategist myself, I love to see women utilize these skills to power their own creative ideas as Bianca has with Yo Soy Afro Latina. Bianca represents her identity proudly, and through her brand and how she engages within social conversations, she’s ensuring that her often overlooked community will no longer be pushed to the margins.” Read on to find out more about Bianca’s empowering lifestyle brand, how she navigated through the difficulties of working in social media during the year of the pandemic and the spotlight on racial injustice, and what she learned about leadership that she strives to implement today. How did you get to where you are today? Prior to working in social media, I worked at advertising agencies in NYC and LA on accounts like Dannon Yogurt, Diageo and Toyota. I began to realize advertising wasn't aligning with my passions, so I began planning my career shift. After working in advertising for 3 years, I took the leap of faith and quit. I later landed my first professional social media role at HelloBeautiful where I wore many hats and gained experience into the true responsibilities of a social media manager. I was with HB for about a year and a half and decided to apply for a role at VH1. I was very hesitant on applying, but I worked up the courage and the rest is history. What’s one way you’ve invested in yourself that’s had the most impact over the course of your career? What about within the past year? Over the past few years, I've sort of adopted this Shonda Rhimes “Year of Yes” mentality where I would accept any opportunities that I felt aligned with my passion for social media and push me forward in the direction I envisioned for myself. Most of those opportunities weren't paid but I was able to walk away with knowledge and experiences that I would later need to take me to the next level in my career. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yo Soy AfroLatina (@yosoyafrolatina) Within the past year, I've learned the importance of taking time for myself especially after 2020. It was a very difficult time to work in social media while also looking to social media as a "mini escape" from reality during the midst of racial injustice and a pandemic. I began prioritizing my mental health and taking time off to truly recharge. Who has helped you in your journey and how did they help shape your career? My director at Interactive One had a significant impact on my career trajectory. She was the first Black woman in a leadership role that I had direct access to. I was able to observe how she moved, how she spoke, and she also put me on “game” on how to be successful in a tough industry like entertainment and media. She led our team with compassion and that’s something I’ll always take with me. While she was my director, I also saw her as my mentor. She led our team with compassion and that’s something that I’ll always remember and take with me now that I’m in a leadership position myself. What’s the single best piece of advice you’ve ever received? A piece of advice that stuck out to me was a story that Myliek Teele shared on her podcast a couple of years back. She learned early in her career that she had to produce work that pleased the person she was doing it for (i.e., manager/director/boss). She said something along the lines that 'her way’ wasn't exactly wrong; it simply wasn't what her boss requested. I feel like we can get in our way sometimes by being stubborn or not open to change and I've come to learn that when my manager feels properly supported, it allows them to shine and when they shine, I shine and so does my team. It's basically a win for everyone if executed correctly. What does success mean for you? For me, success means I've accomplished something with excellence and ideally have made an impact. Anytime I feel proud after accomplishing something, that's when I know it was a success. Be sure to check out the other features in our special week-long edition of Women Trailblazers as we highlight powerful women of color who God-is sees, admires, and wants to amplify as they leave their own mark on the world. How Twitter’s God-is Rivera Spotlights Voices Beyond Her Day Job

Women Trailblazers

How Bianca Kea’s “Year of Yes” Empowered the Afro-Latina Community

Founder of Yo Soy AfroLatina demonstrates the impact of aligning your career with your passions

Luz Corona

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