Destinos
Kim Haas joins in during taping of her public television travel show.
A veteran broadcaster scores with a hit new travel program on public television showcasing overlooked Afro Latino communities in the Americas
Travel shows are ubiquitous on public television. But there is nothing like the one hosted by Philadelphia native Kim Haas.
“Afro Latino Travels with Kim Haas” doesn’t just focus on the food, flora and fauna of far-flung exotic places. It shines a particular light on a specific population -- African descendants in the Caribbean and Latin America -- historically overlooked by the media.
Haas is a veteran journalist whose 20 years in broadcasting includes time at a Telemundo affiliate. After decades of extensive travel, study and work in Latin America, she’s become painfully aware of under-representation in public affairs broadcasting, even in Spanish-language media. Haas is quick to point out the millions of Afro Latinos living in every country in the Americas. Just in the United States, around 25% of Latinos claim Afro Latino heritage, according to the Pew Research Center.
“I majored in Spanish in undergrad and graduate school and I’ve traveled quite a bit throughout Latin America. I’m seeing a lot of people who look like me, a dark-skinned African American,” Haas said, “and (then) I tune into Spanish-language television or Spanish-language print, I don’t see anyone who looks like me. Afro Latinos simply aren’t represented and I’m meeting all these incredible people and talking about the 500 years of African influence in Latin America, and the contributions of people of African descent is missing.”
Kim Haas samples Afro Latino food and drink in Limon, Costa Rica.
The missing history
A decade ago, Haas decided to fill the void.
“I came up with this idea (for a show) that I want to see and what a lot of people want to see, which is totally missing from textbooks and the media,” Haas said. “As an African American, having parents who taught me a lot about the contributions of African Americans and having family members who were so dedicated and fought for civil rights, I wanted to dig deeper in my travels and my studies.”
Haas wants to change all that. “I want to do all I can to be part of the movement to bring those stories and history and help change things,” she said. “When I traveled in Cuba, people thought I was Cuban. I feel a tremendous connection with Afro Latinos; we’re part of the same family.”
The show’s first episodes premiered on public television stations and featured the Afro Latino presence in Costa Rica -- in the capital, San José, and in Limón, which has a dynamic Afro Latino community. Blacks in Costa Rica, Haas said, are 10% of the population, yet few people know of their contributions to Costa Rica’s civic and cultural life; Jamaican immigrants, for example, were critical to the completion of the Costa Rican railway system in the late 1800s.
Haas’ enthusiasm for the communities she’s showcasing almost spills off the screen. In the Costa Rica episodes, she doesn’t shy away from an invitation to join a group of congeros for an entertaining descarga session. Later, she jumps at the chance to join-in with a dance troupe. Even a quiet dinner with the sisters of Epsy Campbell, the first Afro Latina to become Costa Rica’s vice president, becomes an engaging conversation.
“People don’t know that there are black people in Uruguay. I met with the first black Uruguayan member of Parliament.” -- Kim Haas
The story of Afro Latinos goes beyond Brazil and Cuba. It’s “about shining a positive light and letting people know these people exist. People don’t know that there are black people in Uruguay. I met with the first black Uruguayan member of Parliament. Despite the hardships, they continue to thrive.”
A decade ago, Uruguay added questions about race to its national census. The count officially found Afro Latinos account for at least 8% of the population. Around half of that population is said to live under the poverty line.
More challenges ahead
As Haas basks in the light of great reviews for her first shows, and works on production plans for new shows, she paused to speak with palabra. about “Afro Latino Travels,” the challenges she’s overcome, and what’s next.
A scene from the first episode of “Afro Latino Travels with Kim Haas.”
palabra. -- People know very little about these communities, their history and contributions. How do you find the stories you want to feature on the show?
Kim Haas -- First, having an interest and a curiosity; if you have an interest and a curiosity, you’ll find them. And the stories will find you. And between my friends, my Latino friends, my Afro Latino friends, they’ll tell you, they’ll reach out to you. Plus the Internet is a tremendous resource (for research) … . I’m always looking. I’m always searching. I love doing the research and I love finding out about people. It’s a joy for me to get online and then see as one thing leads to another.
palabra. -- How difficult was it to get funding for this project? The funding, unless you’re independently wealthy, that’s hard to come by, isn’t it?
Haas -- It’s been extremely difficult. It’s been a monster of a challenge. I had the idea (for the show) about ten years ago. When I first started telling people about it, there wasn’t a lot of interest. But I’ve seen how that has evolved over the last 10 years with the increasing awareness. I’ve received support from the Costa Rica Tourism Board for the first episodes and that was a lifesaver. I used my own money because I believe in this so much, and that isn’t so uncommon among independent producers … . I am hopeful for the future … . Some potential funders who passed on us before are now interested.
palabra. -- What is the significance of airing a unique show about the history and contributions of a community that has been largely marginalized or outright ignored?
Haas -- Sometimes you see a program where there’s a segment about someone who is Black, but this is an entire show. An entire show dedicated to and celebrating these communities. And I am so proud to be a part of this, because you don’t see people who look like me in these travel shows and it’s time to fix that.
A pandemic pause
palabra. -- How difficult was it to edit the first episodes? You only get so much time on television, so you had to take out some of the things you wanted to include because of time constraints.
Haas -- It’s incredibly challenging, because there are so many wonderful people with great stories and you want to include everybody. We’re looking at ways to include these people who were edited out of the first episodes. We could include them in online episodes.
Kim Haas and Costa Rican artist Adrian Gomez.
palabra. -- What kind of reaction have you gotten from the episodes that have aired?
Haas -- Oh my gosh; I recently got an email from a Spanish teacher in New Jersey who wants to use the show in the curriculum. I’ve had other teachers reach out to use the episodes. I’m just over the moon. And there are people who write and say I never knew there were Blacks in Costa Rica. They tell me that when they can they’re going to go and visit. And that’s fabulous. It gives me great hope that people are responding so positively to the show.
palabra. -- But of course, yours is a travel show. Obviously you can’t really go anywhere in the coronavirus pandemic. So, what do you do in the meantime, when you can’t even plan or predict when you’ll be able to travel and film again?
Haas -- We’re working on grants as we speak and hoping that everything will be better for everyone next year so that we can go out and shoot next year. We’re also hosting virtual events on our website (travelswithkimhaas.com) where we have segments of the show and open it to questions from the audience. Costa Rica was the only country the show could visit before the coronavirus shut everything down, but I hope that by April or May we’ll be back on the road.
We’ve been working with Salvador and Río (two cities in Brazil) and the tourism board in Cali, Colombia. And Puerto Rico is a definite possibility. And on our list is Honduras. I want to go to Uruguay. Our goal is ultimately to film throughout all of Latin America. We need to shine a light on these people and give them a chance to express their humanity and hear their incredible stories.
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Patricia Guadalupe is based in Washington, D.C., and writes for NBC Latino and Latino Magazine. She’s the president of the D.C. chapter of NAHJ and is also an adjunct professor in the School of Communication at American University.