Keshia hannam: a trailblazer for underreprsented voices in journalism, media, and eastern standard times
Written by: Milla Nguyen + Photography by: Julian Valgora
Keshia Hannam’s Biography:
Keshia Hannam is the Editor in Chief of Eastern Standard Times, a multi-media platform for AANHPI creatives and underrepresented voices. Growing up mixed-race and then living as an immigrant across Hong Kong, India, Australia, the UK, and now the US, Keshia was always drawn to how belonging and assimilation affect identity. Her work includes being an environmental advocate and building communities worldwide with women’s safety organization: Camel Assembly. She had also worked with innovation platform Mettā and has given talks on stage with the United Nations and Dear World. She has experience in the media industry for over a decade. She has culminated a passion in ensuring that stories are shared in an authentic way, predominantly by those who have lived the news.
Author’s Note:
It is an honor to highlight Keshia Hannam as one of our Vicarious Column headliners for the first issue. Keshia Hannam is not only a brilliant Editor-in-chief, film director, and artist, but she is also someone who believes in integrity. During this interview, Hannam spoke about her values and how one story can affect the lives and thoughts of many. Because she has lived segments of her life in multiple countries, this gives her a wide cultural perspective. However, she was quite honest about her struggles with identity, which many people of color have faced. Just like herself, trailblazers think outside of the box, and there is the notion that there’s no accurate formula to being unique. You just have to be yourself. You must exude authenticity. She now resides in New York City with a loving family and says that the spirit of NYC continues to inspire her. It is almost intimidating at times; New Yorkers are unabashedly themselves. People intersect on bustling city streets all at once, surrounded by an abundance of culture. When it comes to her career, she is already highly accomplished in the journalism and filmmaking industry, but no milestone stops her from spreading meaningful stories.
Keshia’s Ever-Changing Identity:
Keshia Hannam has lived in many cities: Hong Kong, India, Australia, the UK, and now the US. She spoke about this feeling of being in the “in-between” and not knowing where to find herself. Her career was just as fluid as her cultural identity. In Australia, she worked in journalism and media as a radio show host in Sunshine Coast. Then, she moved into print media. She didn’t want to take the traditional route and decided she wanted to be an advocate for issues she cared about: women’s rights, healthcare, and POC stories. Afterward, she was offered a position at Eastern Standard Times, a multi-media company focusing on Asian media and the Asian diaspora. Through this, she became a filmmaker and a documentarian. Her most recent project at the time, White Hat, Black Hat, which is a film that covers the story of Hieu Minh Ngo, one of the world’s most prolific and hunted criminals from 2007 to 2013, when he operated a massive international identity theft scheme from his home in Vietnam. Hieu was pursued relentlessly by the Secret Service until his eventual capture in Guam in 2013. During that time, he transformed in spirit and ethics, which led to his current role with the Vietnamese government of capturing criminals just like his former self.
She has worked on over fifteen short documentaries for EST Media. One other work she is proud of is a documentary covering the events of the Monterey Park shooting. On January 21, 2023, a mass shooting occurred in Monterey Park, California, United States. The gunman killed eleven people and injured nine others. After an all-day Lunar New Year Festival, the shooting happened at about 10:22 p.m. PST at Star Ballroom Dance Studio. She interviewed many people in this community, many of whom were Asian elders, children, and women who were traumatized by the shooting. Hannam was recently awarded for her work on this documentary. Eastern Standard Times was founded by Eric Tu (former executive at VICE Media, entrepreneur in the music, film, advertising, and entertainment industry) and Jaeson Ma (co-founder of 88-Rising, OPEN, East West Ventures, etc.). She said, “Both of them are powerhouses. EST has so many tendrils in cultural impact. I was so drawn to it because I lived in Asia myself; there weren’t local Asian media companies that were considered global. This was extremely imbalanced. We wanted to be on the ground and tell real stories about these small communities.” Many of EST’s teams live in various countries, translate local languages and immerse themselves in the local cultures. Recently, EST has had a diverse slate of projects. Their production, KPOPS!, directed by Anderson .Paak (widely known as a musician of Silk Sonic and collaborator alongside Bruno Mars) just recently had an explosive premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Her Values: Community Advocacy and Integrity:
Hannam described herself as insatiably curious. Her mother was a teacher, and her father was a pilot. She grew up looking out of plane windows, her eyes shimmering at the sights down below. When she was seven years old, she remembered being on a beach in India and another beach in Australia. She mentioned that the environments felt different, and the people looked different ethnically as well. On the streets of India, she saw children picking up trash. This image was imprinted on her mind. It begged the question: How can we further understand economic inequality? Gender inequality? What about the sociological patterns of humans in different countries? I asked her about her thoughts on social media. She mentioned that it is both a tool and a drug. Social media is an impactful mobilizer that allows GEN Z-ers to advocate for political issues. At the same time, it should be regulated; doomscrolling consumes so much of people’s lives and rids people of face-to-face communication. She said, “I don’t care for the shiny red-carpet stuff. The real work comes from being connected to real-world issues. It doesn’t mean that EST doesn’t cover fashion and editorial, but we want to be intentional. I try to go slow with the stories and approach them from many different angles.”
I mentioned that I noticed a cultural barrier within many film schools. Every year, film schools accept a vast number of international students, most of whom are Asian students at California universities. Many American (including Asian-American) students are reluctant to get to know international students who might not speak English well or understand American slang words and social media interests. Vice-versa, international students are more comfortable speaking their common language and are not ostracized within their shared community. I asked if she had advice for those moving to a new country. She experienced the biggest culture shock when she moved to the States. “We think we know the United States, but at the same time, it’s layered and isolating. It’s a global power among other countries, yet we understand so little about different cultures.” she said. One fact is that the United States does have its freedoms: the freedom of speech, expression, and market, etc. She said that learning about Black culture in New York City has been one of the most rewarding experiences. She advises students to be themselves, regardless of what others may think. As someone who was forced to assimilate into American society, she warns people not to let any system change their cultural identity.
Keshia Hannam is proud of the creation of Eastern Standard Times and how it has given many people a voice to tell stories. Beyond that, she does meaningful work in her local community and will continue to do so. She recalled a story about her mother-in-law, Deborah Koenigsberger, who helped thousands of women escape the neglected homeless shelter system. Her store is called Noir et Blanc / TTH Vintage, and the non-profit is called Hearts of Gold. She said, “I’m so inspired by her. She hosts events for holidays. She gives jobs and shelter to women in need. Earlier, we helped some women move from house to house, carrying mattresses across the street. These moments aren’t glamorous. It isn’t me standing on stage in front of five thousand people and accepting an award. It's a daily effort. Real change.” In the past, she has spent her Christmas season boxing up gifts for the homeless. Snow fell from the New York sky those days, the people were cheery on the streets, and a little warmth went a long way.
When she speaks on stage, she enjoys bringing people together. Before going up, her hands would shake, and she would feel extremely anxious. Hannam wondered what people thought of her and how she would be perceived. However, the moment the spotlight would shone down on her, she would take a deep breath and tell herself to speak from the heart. Hannam said, “When I use my voice, I try to be as honest as possible. I didn’t come from a big-name school. I didn’t have all the qualifications but I know how stories work. I do know how humans interact with each other. I’m going to try my best to get us there. If you know the meaning of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, you have to be uncompromising.”
She mentioned that EST has discussed the usage of clickbait. While many news companies and celebrity outlets use clickbait titles, EST steers away from this. They are committed to building taste and honesty with their audience. For the future, EST Media is focusing on their intellectual properties and getting these projects made. She is currently working on a project, As Above So Below, with two English women from London: the director, Almass Badat, and the subject, Nikita Chauhan. The documentary follows Nikita’s story as a Punjabi woman and a female CEO in a cutthroat industry. The film also covers elements of the Sikh community as well. I asked her about the concept that Asian women feel they need power to be respected or to get things done. She said, “I think that Asian women are forced to overcome stereotypes: tiger moms, sexy Asian women, submissive ill-fated women. However, I am inspired that young Asian women are fighting these images portrayed in the media.” In efforts to overcome these molds, she spoke about Culture Clash, a multi cultural festival of AAPI food, music, and entertainment sponsored by EST and Red Bull. She explained that being surrounded by so many different kinds of AANHPI people allowed everyone to see how vibrant and colorful the community was.
In her free time, she enjoys breathing in the life of New York City. She recalled being a young girl, moving to New York alone for the first time, barely able to get by. Still, she said that the city has brought her best friends, her life partner, and a career she is passionate about. She loves bike riding and spending time with her fiancé in their favorite NYC spots. Finally, she would like to thank those who supported her on this journey. This includes her mother, father, brother, and sister. Her parents instilled a holistic view of travel and the world outside her own. Her fiancé, Florian Koenigsberger, has allowed her to be herself. With both of them being of mixed race, they connected over each other’s experiences. She would also like to thank her mother-in-law and father-in-law for their support. Her best friends, Yelda and Stephanie, have shaped her life immensely. She also mentioned her boss, Eric Tu. She said, “Eric is genuinely an amazing guy. He has no ego. We need more male leaders willing to put aside their ego and make change.”
