Brenda Bastian
Chief Content Officer, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Brenda Bastian is a journalist and digital strategist currently serving as Chief Content Officer at the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in Washington, DC. In this role, she leads the organization’s national editorial strategy, overseeing all original content across LULAC’s social media platforms. Her work focuses on modernizing civil rights advocacy through accessible, bilingual media that informs and mobilizes Latino communities across the country.
At LULAC, she is building the organization’s first mass media program aimed at training and mentoring Latino youth in media production. Her goal is to create a pipeline of Latino storytellers who can shape public narratives with accuracy, depth, and cultural relevance—ensuring Latino voices are not only heard but centered in national conversations on equity and justice.
Before joining LULAC, she worked as a showrunner and producer in global food journalism, highlighting the labor, culture, and histories behind everyday foods. Her work brought attention to underrepresented communities around the world through multilingual storytelling. She also spent nearly a decade in France, working in digital media and content strategy for international tech companies, including BRUT, a widely viewed and sourced digital news outlet with audiences across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
In addition to her media experience, she has taught critical thinking and writing at Mt. San Antonio College in California, working closely with students from immigrant and working-class backgrounds. She is also an award-winning fiction writer and news reporter.
She holds a degree from UCLA, where she studied media through the lens of literature. Her work consistently centers Latino, working-class, and queer communities, and she is committed to building a more inclusive media landscape rooted in justice, accuracy, and cultural self-determination.
Panel Information
MEDIA - Reclaiming Our Narrative: Reflecting Latino Realities in Traditional and Social Media
3:00 PM
This session will focus on how we can realign the narrative surrounding Latinos in news, television, and film to reflect the real issues and challenges our communities face. For far too long, the portrayal of Latinos has been dominated by stereotypes that misrepresent the complexity of our lives, especially on issues like immigration, healthcare, education, and social justice. Panelists will discuss concrete steps and strategies for improving Latino representation, offering specific suggestions on how the media can tell more authentic stories. This conversation will provide actionable insights on how we can move beyond harmful portrayals and ensure that our voices are accurately and powerfully represented for future generations.