Today we’d like to introduce you to Zeena Koda.
Hi Zeena, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My career began in the music industry as a musician in NYC and New Jersey. I was a singer of multiple rock bands and parlayed that part of myself into a career within the music industry. I began in music marketing / PR and was at the same time, working as a music journalist and became a national morning DJ / host on SiriusXM’s Liquid Metal channel. This convergence of all the things I loved helped me to develop a voice for helping developing artists and allowed me to cut my teeth in hosting, which eventually led to more TV and internet hosting gigs. This was a turnkey time for media where the norm went from being cast on TV as an expert to fans and advocates creating their own content on YouTube and other social media avenues. Post my time on SirusXM, I started to podcast in 2014 and took the plunge to move to LA in 2015 and continue my work in music marketing.
Over the course of 2015-present, I held marketing leadership roles at a variety of brand and entertainment companies but became very civically engaged and motivated to create more awareness and community for API’s in creative spaces. Much of my personal motivation over the past five years has been to create a better world for kids and bring awareness to the myriad of ways people can become civically engaged in their communities to determine better futures. In 2020 after working in music for years, I joined forces with two other API women in music to create Asian American Collective, a digital and IRL community of creative asians focused on monitorship, community building, and activism. During the pandemic, we advocated around the Stop Asian Hate movement to build mainstream awareness and continue to run a successful mentorship program in NYC and LA. I also serve on the board for FACE, which is centered around advancing Filipino creatives in the US, and host and produce a podcast, “Everything’s Political” where I explore how all things are political. Building equity through representation and engagement is a core driver for what I do and has been some of the most important work I’ve done in my life, second to becoming a mom.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has never been a smooth road, but that is the beauty of it. The journey can be painful in the moment at times, but I revel in the opportunity to grow. I have changed industries as a marketing professional in my 30s a few times and juggled multiple jobs to make it work in NYC during my 20s. My career wasn’t built from family connections; I paid my own way through college and worked full-time at a retail manager while playing in a band for years. An easy life isn’t a life truly lived!
As I get older, I have to prioritize my creativity and community work more. I think as life continues on, you build a family, and you enter different stages of life, it’s paramount that you learn to let go, prioritize, and be honest with yourself. Putting your values first helps to find the decisions you make, avoid making mistakes more than once (or twice), and allow you to be intentional with your time allocation. No one HAS time, we all make time for the things we value the most.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am uniquely human, compassionate, and honest. Maybe it is growing up in New Jersey, maybe it is being a true Scorpio, but I have an innate need to find and expose the truth. I also enjoy a good story and have spent my whole career unearthing narratives, whether stories from artists or storylines that reflect brand principles. I have spent years as a writer and video journalist, helping surface stories from voiceless communities. What sets me apart is my love for community and dedication to people and my word. I’m a storyteller and creative at heart, which is what drew me into being a singer and journalist.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Nothing is permanent. A legacy is created brick by brick and by showing up consistently every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: zeenakoda.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeenakoda
https://www.instagram.com/asianamericancollective - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeenakoda/
Image Credits
Kay McCoy
