Groundbreaking New Public Television Series Features Afro-Latino Cultures Through the Lens of Travel
Black Female Travel Host, Kim Haas, Takes Public Television Viewers On A Journey To Discover Afro-Latino Cultures With Two-Part Special on Costa Rica, Premiering During Hispanic Heritage Month
Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas premieres nationwide on PBS during Hispanic Heritage Month (September 12 – October 15, 2020)
In the New York City area, the series debuts on:
- WNET TV NY on September 12, 2020 at 6:30am
- WNYE TV NY on September, 13, 2020, at 12:00am
(Check your local PBS listings for additional locations, dates and times.)
Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas, a new travel series on public television, premieres with a two-part special featuring Afro-Costa Rican culture this September 2020 on Public Television Stations nationwide in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. This series celebrates and honors the historical and cultural contributions of Latin America’s African descendants, hosted by tri-lingual, Black female traveler and Executive Producer, Kim Haas.
“We are introducing public television viewers to Afro-Latinos and their profound legacy in the Americas through history, culture, cuisine, art, dance, music, environmental conservation, literature, sports, and festivals,” says Haas. “Afro-Latino Travels is about Black joy, pride and resilience despite centuries of oppression and under-representation. The series features Afro-Latinos who will inspire viewers with hope and optimism.”
No other travel TV series showcases solely the Afro-Latino communities throughout Latin America and their rich and diverse legacy of creating vibrant cultures in the Americas. African descendants have and continue to leave an indelible imprint on mainstream Latino culture from countries as diverse as Andean Peru to tropical Cuba, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
Beginning in the 1500s and throughout The Middle Passage, millions of enslaved Africans were brought to Latin America through the 18th century. Researchers estimate at least 1 in 3 Latin Americans have African ancestry, and Africans and their descendants were involved in every aspect of Latin American society: colonialism, the fight for independence, the building of transportation and infrastructure (forts, railroads, etc.), and more.
“I’ve wanted to produce a series featuring the impact that the five centuries of African presence in Latin America has had for so long, and this two-part special is just the start of that journey,” shares Haas. “This project has been in the works for years. With the lack of diversity in travel media and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement, more recently, celebrating this heritage is essential to recognizing and acknowledging African descendants and their legacy.”
Highlights from the two-part Afro-Latino Travels Costa Rica episodes include interviews with:
- Quince Duncan, celebrated author, whose 50 year career in literature is credited with introducing the Afro-Costa Rican in Costa Rican literature
- Tarik Soto, gymnast and 2020 Olympic hopeful.
- Doris & Sasha Campbell, dancer and singer, respectively (sisters of Ms. Epsy Campbell, Latin America’s first black vice president)
The Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas two-part special featuring Costa Rica will be available on public television stations across the United States starting September 12, 2020 – check local listings for broadcast dates and times. Underwriting for the program has been provided in part by the Ford Foundation and in-kind support provided by the Costa Rica Tourism Board.
ABOUT KIM HAAS
www.TRAVELSWITHKIMHAAS.com
Kim Haas, Executive Producer, Host & Creator of Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas, has been active in Afro-Latino issues for more than a decade and is founder of losafrolatinos.com, a blog celebrating Afro-Latino culture. Kim speaks fluent Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. She served as Director of Marketing for WWSI TV Telemundo, and she also served as an on-camera pledge host in English, Spanish and Italian for WYBE TV in Philadelphia. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Kim attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Spanish. She earned her graduate degree in Bilingual/Bicultural Studies (Spanish) from LaSalle University in Philadelphia. Kim is passionate about her work with “Afro-Latino Travels,” and she is extremely proud to be one of the upcoming few Black, female travel hosts on public television, leading the path for more to follow!
Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas
For more information about “Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas,” please call (862) 368-8462 or info@haas-media.com.
Los Afro-Latinos 