We recently connected with Kimberley Parrales and have shared our conversation below.

Kimberley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful projects I have worked on is my podcast “Chisme that Matters”.
Like a lot of people, I had a lot of free time during the pandemic in 2020 so I decided to start a podcast. I have always loved to meet people and hear their stories so I thought it would be fun to create a space where I can have these chats and share it with the world.

At that time, I had an online store called Vive tu Vida, where I was selling apparel. I thought that would be a cool name for the podcast since the message was about sharing other people’s stories to inspire others to follow their truth and live life however they wanted. I started with a solo episode and then guests. For some reason I decided to add a tagline to the podcast and on the intro I would say that these were “mindful-ish conversations aka Chisme that matters”. I know, it was a lot!
However, at some point people were referring to the podcast as Chisme that matters so at some point I thought: ” hmm, maybe I should change the name”.
I started to think about the purpose of this podcast and what I wanted it to represent to my community.

Chisme has always gotten a bad rep because people have used it in a negative way, but Chisme is a form of communication. Chisme is communication and story telling. Everything we know has been passed on through storytelling.. through chisme.
So I thought, why not redefine Chisme? Why not have conversations about topics that matter to our community? Why not tell historias?
and this is how Chisme that matters was re-born.
From there, I started to have episodes with different people from my off-line and online community. people from different paths of life and we would talk about personal finance, social justice, Entrepreneurship, self-development and much more.

To me is important that our stories as latinos are heard so even if my podcast is small, I think is a good space for people to know who we are.

Kimberley, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

It took me a a while to embrace my multi-dimensional self. I used to feel a little frustrated because I could not pick one area I was a good at or focus on a niche.
After some self reflection and therapy , I realize that there is beauty and connection in all of my interests. And that is the energy and message I would like to pass on to people-to accept themselves at where they are at and continue to be curious about their passions. You never know where they will lead you.

At this moment, I am at content creator, community connector and event organizer.

With that being said, I have always had an interest in communication. I actually went to college and got my bachelors in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. At some point I wanted to be like Olivia Pope from Scandal but then I realize I wouldn’t do good in politics so decided to not take that route.
I got an interest in Marketing , specifically in the branding side of it.
I started working at the current company that I am at as the Customer service manager (while still in college) and I learned so much about customer management, which has helped me in so many areas in life.
Eventually, I became the Marketing manager and here is where I started to learn many skills that has helped to where I am at now.

I started my journey creating content that resonated with my lived experiences—navigating wellness, culture, and self-development while keeping things real and relatable.

Through my work, I provide a mix of digital content, community-driven events, and products that celebrate culture and personal growth. Whether it’s organizing spaces like Un Perreito Bien Demure—a perreo day party centered on women—or launching apparel that empowers Latina creators, everything I do is rooted in authenticity and connection. I also help other people with their content so the world get to know the great work they do.

What sets me apart is my ability to blend humor, wellness, and storytelling in a way that makes people feel seen and inspired. I want my audience to know that they don’t have to have it all figured out to live fully. Through my content and platforms, I create space for joy, self-discovery, and real conversations that uplift our community.

One of the things I’m most proud of is the impact my work has on others—whether it’s someone feeling empowered to take up space, start their own creative journey, or simply feel less alone in their experiences. At the core of everything I do, my goal is to build a community where we can grow, laugh, and thrive together.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I believe that deep down we are all creatives. When people say “I am not creative” it makes me curious about who they are, what do they do during their free time or what calls them?
I think at some point, we all had to come up with a solution for something and for me, that take creativity. But to answer this question, I think that a lot of “non-creatives” think that creativity has a price. They think that if we are not making money out of it, we are not thriving or succeeding in life. The truth is that a lot of us creative we don’t do a lot of things for the money. That is not to say that we don’t deserve to get paid like everyone else because we do put in a lot of work into what we do.

We have this energy in us that wants to come out and that is how our creations are born. We feel that just by letting out and giving it a physical body, is enough for us. It feels satisfying to let it out.
I think that a lot of people feel frustrated because they have ideas that never make it out of their brain and they just live life holding onto so much energy that could become a beautiful creation.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

There are so many things we can do as society that goes beyond just appreciating people’s work.

-Recognize that art, storytelling, and creativity aren’t just “extra” but essential to culture, mental health, and social progress.
-Stop expecting creatives to work for “exposure”—pay them fairly for their time, talent, and effort.
-Support independent art galleries, theaters, bookstores, and events that uplift local artists.
-Create and participate in networking opportunities for creatives to collaborate and grow.
-Buy from independent artists, designers, and creators instead of mass-produced alternatives.
-Share and engage with their content, recommend them for opportunities, and leave positive reviews.
-Subscribe to their platforms (newsletters, YouTube, IG, etc) and show up to their events.
-Advocate for arts programs in schools and local communities.
-Encourage young people to pursue creative careers without stigma.
-Shift the mindset that success only looks like a traditional 9-to-5 job.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itskimflow/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberley-parrales-753a2b165/

Image Credits

Arlin Perez
Hassan Bhuiyan