In our "Good Housekeeping con" series, we speak with Latinx singers, actors and personalities about what their cultural identity means to them and how their backgrounds have shaped their experiences and successes along the way. Read the Spanish-language version of the interview here.
Tom Llamas is proud to be Cuban American and share his family’s story of resiliency. His mother, father and grandparents fled Cuba after the revolution and began a new life in Miami with little money and a language barrier. Now, Tom honors those trials and triumphs through his work as a national news broadcast journalist. After beginning his career at 15, Tom climbed the ladder for years and found himself at ABC for the better part of a decade. Just this past May, he moved to NBC, and in September, launched his own streaming newscast Top Story with Tom Llamas.
In particular, Tom hopes Top Story segments about Latin America will help connect viewers. "This is all about exposure because I think when people learn, then they understand," Tom tells Good Housekeeping. "And when they understand, they stop shouting and they start listening to each other. And once we listen to each other, we'll understand each other."
Read on for Tom's thoughts on his career, how being Cuban America affects the stories he tells and his advice for Hispanic and Latinx Americans trying to find their own versions of success.
What does your family think about your career?
They're very proud. When I told them I wanted to be a journalist they always, always supported me. I can't tell you how much they helped me out. They're also my number-one fans, so they watch everything and they give me all their opinions. As you can imagine, sometimes with parents, the opinions are great. They're usually very positive and, sometimes, they can annoy you. But they're always there.
You know that immigrant work ethic, right? That can never be taught. That's something that's deep in your core; you never take anything for granted.
I remember one time, I was doing an internship in Miami. During those times, you wouldn't get paid any money for these internships, just college credit. I remember one day I didn't feel like going to work. I woke up in the morning and I said, “I'm just gonna call in sick.” My mom looked at me and she said, “Are you sick?” I said, “No, I'm not sick.” And she goes, “Why don't you go to work?” I said, “I'm not getting paid, they'll be fine without me.” And she said, “In this house, everyone works, so if you're not sick, you're going to work.” And so I went to work. There were years in my career where I did not take a single sick day. Years. I did not take a single sick day, because I didn't forget what my mom had taught me.
How have your Cuban roots impacted the coverage you do?
Anytime there is a story that affects Hispanics, I can go cover that story and speak to them in Spanish. I've already cleared about 10 different barriers that other reporters can't if they can't communicate with the same people in their language.
I actually have a picture in my office ... it's a mother I met in Mexico on the border in McAllen [Texas]. She was with her son and she had been walking for days. She told me [in Spanish], “They killed his father and they said they were going to kill me next.” And that's why she crossed desert and crossed rivers to find a new opportunity. I'm not telling you I support immigration one way or the other. I'm an objective journalist, I'm not here to give you my opinion. I will just report the facts, and I will tell her story. I'll let you make a decision. But let me tell her story and I can do that because I speak Spanish.
What is your advice to Hispanic and Latinx American journalists who strive to climb the ladder?
My advice always is you gotta work hard. And sometimes you gotta work harder than other people. That's just the fact. You've gotta work hard. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got is always say "yes."
Another good rule is, if you don't ask, you don't get. If you do want something, ask for it. If you do want that promotion, you gotta ask for it. If you do want that assignment, you gotta ask for it. You might not be ready for it, but at least ask for it so people know that you're hungry. That you're willing to do it.
Maximize your strengths. Everyone has a strength. Everyone is given something that sets them apart ... Figure out, how can I make this into a career? How can I make this into a living? How do I use my gift? Once you figure that out, then everything else sort of falls into place.
It's also finding good mentors. I've been so lucky in my life, like [NBC News and MSNBC anchor] José Díaz-Balart. He's a friend, a mentor. I can call him whenever I need it and he's always given me good advice and I know he cares about me … Even people like Lester Holt. I've known Lester for years. He's always given me good advice. Those types of relationships are so important because when you come to a crossroads in your career, or even when you're having like a really bad day or a bad week, it's good to have those people in your life.
How do you stay connected with your roots?
I always say language is the key to culture. Without the language, there's no culture. Any chance I can speak Spanish, I'm speaking Spanish. If I'm talking to my family, if I'm talking to friends who are Hispanic, if I'm meeting people on the street, I'm trying to live in the language as much as I can. I wake up and I go to bed with Cuban music in my ears. I listen to that throughout the day. It fires me up ... it just connects me. I can't even put into words. I hear a certain song and it just takes me back to my family.
If I find good Cuban food somewhere, I'm definitely buying it. The type of coffee I drink is Cuban coffee … I'm looking out my window at 30 Rock and my view is of the ice-skating rink. It's probably one of the best views of Manhattan. It's a beautiful view of Midtown Manhattan, Rockefeller Center, and I have a Cuban flag in the corner. I have that flag to remind me. I'm a super patriot. I love America. But at the same time, you can't forget where your roots are and where you come from.
