Finalist: Alex Chester-Iwata

Finalist: Alex Chester-Iwata

Editor-in-Chief
Mixed Asian Media

About Alex’s Entrepreneurial Journey 
 
“I started Mixed Asian Media (MAM) because I wanted a community where I could be seen and heard. As a person of mixed Asian heritage, I have often felt I was not enough of my heritages to belong, and I was so tired of not seeing mixed Asian folx in mainstream media. Representation is so important; that is why MAM was created.
 
We are a collaborative media platform created by multiracial Asian/Pacific Islanders. MAM is the leading digital outlet focused on the mixed Asian Pacific Islander experience. We seek to build community through conversations about what it means to be of mixed API descent and help establish our ever-evolving place in society. We engage our audience through original editorial pieces, photoshoots, and exclusive celebrity interviews, by highlighting achievements from the community and showcasing businesses, entrepreneurs, and leaders
 
Through Mixed Asian Media, we have been able to create and provide a community for mixed APIs where there wasn’t one before. People of mixed Asian heritage are an untapped demographic, often overlooked in Asian American media, communities, and consumership. MAM is the only mainstream media platform for the mixed API community.”
About Alex’s Pitch
“I am honored to be chosen for the Minority Women Lead live pitch competition. It’s thrilling to see my company grow and everyone’s hard work pay off. I literally started screaming out of joy when I received the email that I had been picked!
 
The unique quality my business and I bring to this event is a sense of community and belonging. Everyone desires to be seen, heard, and understood. For those of us with mixed heritage, it’s often difficult to find the acceptance we seek or spaces where we can truly be ourselves. Mixed Asian Media has created such a community, serving as a media platform for the mixed API community where there was none before.
 
Everyone is welcome to be part of the MAM Fam (as we like to call ourselves). Being mixed is a superpower, capable of bridging cultures and creeds. The intersectionality and experiences MAM investigates are the very attributes that allow the mixed community to communicate and connect in unprecedented ways and contribute to building a brighter world.”