This week, Condé Nast Mexico & Latin America Talent Coordinator Sofia Reyes shares what Trans Awareness Week means to her, the advice she would share with her younger self and what it would take to give up her smartphone.
“How about a month in Italy, living out of wine and pasta with Chris Evans?,” she says. “It would be a fair trade.”
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you find your way to Condé Nast?
I think manifesting is a thing. After working eight years in the tourism industry, I was working one day with Karla Martinez de Salas and Enrique Torres Meixero (former executive editor of Vogue Mexico) to do a feature article on a festival of my hometown borderland called “Neon Desert.”
It was this big, very heavy Latin-influenced festival celebrated in El Paso, Texas. That year J Balvin was performing, he was starting to become really famous at the time (2019), and I remember this Vogue photographer Aldo kept saying all day, “Where’s Josesito? I need to say hi.” Next thing I know, we got backstage and then J Balvin showed up and Aldo yelled “Josesito! How are you?” And there I was, looking for a Josesito that turned out to be J Balvin. That was my first Vogue insider moment. After that I just couldn’t be so thankful to Karla, Enrique and the whole Vogue team for keeping me in mind until I was an official team player at Condé Nast.
How do you describe your job to friends and family?
Okay this is a hard one. I keep on hearing my friends sometimes saying I am the editor of Vogue and I’m like “Woah…just please don’t, haha.” It’s always really hard to even explain my position to my coworkers sometimes. As a talent coordinator I am in charge of looking for prospects and booking talents for the video part of the editorial work. As we try more and more to do 360 content, I sometimes book the talent for editorials as well, which is always exciting. Salvador Abarca Arriaga, head of CNE Mexico and LATAM, always describes it as a “glamorous job” but I am not sure it is always like that.
This week is Trans Awareness week, what does this week mean to you? And how do we continue educating and spreading the message of awareness and support for the community?
This week is very important across the world as sometimes we forget that because of being trans, depending on where you live in the world, you can get killed or live in illegality, as if you were a criminal. There is still a lot to do to guarantee the quality of life and human rights for trans individuals.
It’s important to keep in mind that there are always little actions that can help put the conversation out there by featuring trans voices, asking about pronouns, respecting gender expressions and being open and not judgemental to what a trans person should look or sound like. It's also very relieving.
I also think this week is to celebrate and remember all of those who were trailblazers like women such as Marsha P. Johnson, Christine Jorgensen, Angie Xtravaganza and many more people that have shown us that we have to always speak our minds and follow our hearts. I think the fashion industry has always been welcoming of gender expression and diversity and we have to remember and celebrate that.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always had a thing with anti-hero figures like Catwoman and Chun-Li because it made me desire to be a powerful and strong girl. A girl that needed no protection because she can take care of herself. Then I met Britney Spears, and of course, I was forever changed and in love with pop culture.
If you could be guaranteed one thing in life (besides money), what would it be?
Through my years of transition I couldn’t stress enough on health and family. It would be hard to choose only one. But now I know I have such a big privilege to have a loving and supporting family, and also, that I wouldn’t do anything that could compromise my health.
What bucket list item do you most want to check off in the next six months?
Attending the Met Gala? I’d die.
What would it take to give up your smartphone for a month?
How about a month in Italy, living out of wine and pasta with Chris Evans? It would be a fair trade.
What piece of advice would you share with your younger self?
Trust yourself. I think as a child I had to be quiet about my thoughts and feelings. I grew up very lonely and that sometimes made me feel like I was alone and that my opinion didn’t matter. But a good friend told me a while ago, “nobody can see the world from your perspective. That’s power. That makes you unique. Share your story.”
What movie had the most significant impact on your life? Why?
Life? Woah.
I think “Billy Elliot” was the first time I ever saw a queer story on TV. I loved how they told the story so beautifully that it wasn’t even relevant if he was gay or not on the movie. The whole story is focused only on a dream, which seemed ridiculous to me at the time but I love how the dad, regardless of everything supports his son. The link Billy had with his grandma is so beautiful that even when he has to leave her, he is deeply touched. To me I think it opened my eyes on my queerness and that if I wanted something I really had to be strong-minded to get it—also a little lesson on ambition.
And, in the event of an emergency, what are the five things you would grab first?
Phone, bag, my laptop, important documents and of course sunglasses. If it is an emergency most likely my eyes would be in tears. So sunglasses are always a must.