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Fronteras: A Look At The Women Behind 'Bean & Chisme'

Two San Antonio women are using their deep ties to the media industry to embrace a subculture that is very much alive in the Alamo City. Their live webcasts are tapping into a whole new audience through hints of nostalgia mixed with modern day — and often unspoken — themes.

Nina Duran and Samantha Najera join us to talk about Bean & Chisme.

Credit Norma Martinez / Texas Public Radio
Samantha Najera, former publisher and co-owner of La Prensa, and Nina Duran, CEO of HeartFire Media, are co-creators of the webcast show Bean & Chisme.

Bean & Chisme were created by Duran, the former publisher of the first bilingual publication in Texas La Prensa, which closed in 2018 following the death her father Florentino Duran, who founded the publication, and Najera, the CEO of the creative marketing firm HeartFire Media.

On their live web show, the two embrace the topics that aren’t usually welcome in a professional work setting that honor their Latino culture.

The Bean & Chisme webcast has caught fire on social media, particularly with skits starring Duran’s and Najera’s alter egos: Frijolita and Lil’ Chismosa. From their spin on San Antonio’s annual Fiesta to the breakdown of “hoodrat” snacks like Hot Cheetos with cheese, Bean & Chisme the duo insist they’re intentionally unfiltered and satirical. Their next webcast is Jan. 30 on the Bean & Chisme’s Facebook page.  

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Norma Martinez can be reached at norma@tpr.org and on Twitter @NormDog1 and Lauren Terrazas can be reached at lauren@tpr.org and on Twitter @terrazas_lauren

Norma Martinez can be reached at norma@tpr.org and on Twitter at @NormDog1
Lauren Terrazas can be reached at lauren@tpr.org and on Twitter at @terrazas_lauren