Yuri Cunza
Encyclopedia
Yuri Cunza is a Hispanic-American writer, filmmaker, journalist, visual artist, community advocate and business leader. Cunza serves as President and CEO of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
, and is co-founder and editor in chief of the Spanish language newspaper La Noticia and owner of Y&K Entertainment a film production and media consulting company based in Nashville.
Cunza trained in acting at the International Theater Institute (ITI-UNESCO) and Peruvian Theater Center (CPT) in Lima, Peru. He later earned a scholarship to continue his studies under the guidance of Director Eduardo Navarro. He continued his involvement in theater, film and television in his native Peru and later as a Producer/Director in Argentina while attending medical school at the Universidad del Nordeste in Corrientes continuing his studies in the U.S.
After he graduated from Saint Norbert high-school a private Catholic school in Lima, Peru, he spent almost a year in Paraguay
while awaiting a student exchange program visa to attend medical school at Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (UNNE) in the city of Corrientes, Argentina from 1989 to 1992.
Cunza moved to Nashville to reside permanently in 1996. He continued his education at Watkins College of Art & Design earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and Film Directing. His professional experience includes films such as “Conflicto Emocional” (Emotional Conflict) and the series “Mujeres Sin Fronteras” (Women without Frontiers) for CVC- Argentina. In 2000 Cunza produced “Hispanos de Hoy”, a weekly bilingual television segment with him as primary host thanks to veteran television personality Teresa Hannah for the local NBC affiliate WSMV-Channel 4 Nashville.
Yuri Cunza’s perspective on diversity issues has been influenced by living in different Latin-American countries appearing reflected in his work: ‘rich in powerful messages of strong social content’. “Under the Skin” a documentary he wrote, directed and produced in 2001 takes a profound look into the dynamics of racial diversity in human relations -representing accurately America's multicultural dimension. The official selection of the Nashville Independent Film Festival in 2002 and the 2003 International Film Forum, [“Under the Skin”] was premiered on WSMV Ch-4 Nashville on July 8, 2001.
Yuri Cunza has been an active advocate of Hispanic business development and growth as well as of immigrant and civil rights causes in Middle Tennessee. He as become a powerful voice for Nashville’s growing Latino community. His comments and perspectives about some of the most controversial issues involving culture, diversity and immigrant populations have been featured in several English language publications and media outlets including TN Business, The Tennessean, The City Paper, The Nashville Business Journal, American Renaissance, the SCENE, The Associated Press, Reuters, Channels, 2, 4, 5 and 17, National Public Radio (NPR), WPLN and Radio Free Nashville. In 2006-07 Cunza began production of “Pulso Mundial” (Worlds’ Pulse) Nashville’s first bilingual hour long radio program which aired Friday morning on 98.9 FM.
Yuri Cunza has served on the advisory board for Scarritt-Bennett Center’s “Celebration of Cultures”, the National Academy of Television Arts & Science’s board of Governors and the board of directors for the Belcourt Theatre, The Nashville Film Festival, and the American Red Cross and more than a dozen more other organizations; ranging from business, health, non-profit, arts and culture. Cunza is a member of many national organization including the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and The National Council LA RAZA. Locally he is a new member of the Downtown Nashville Rotary Club among civic groups and served on the boards of the HIV/AIDS research based Comprehensive Care Center and Street Works, the Metro General Hospital’s “Friends in General Board”. Yuri served as Chairman of the Board of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2006.
As a visual artist, Cunza’s credits include exhibits at the Nashville Airport, Metropolitan Public Library, The Brownlee O. Currey, JR. Gallery, and the Madison Arts Center among others. In 2007 Yuri Cunza served as a guest curator for Cheekwood's Music City Picks. Later in 2007 Cunza was invited to serve on the board of the prestigious Tennessee Art League (TAL).
An accomplished writer and public speaker Cunza has appeared before thousands of corporate, institutional, educational and government audiences including, the U.S Attorney's Office, U.S Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Police Academy, FBI, Nashville Fire Department, Nashville Mayor's office and Nashville Metro Public Schools (NMPS), Meeting Planners International, Walmart/SAM's Club, McNeelly Piggot and Fox, Association of Public Accountants, Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church, The Urban League, IMF's MLK Annual Celebration, NAACP, University of Memphis, Boy Scouts Club, Tennessee State University (TSU), Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Vanderbilt University and more.
A Nashville resident for 12 years, [Yuri Cunza became a U.S Citizen on September 22, 2006. Cunza started his MBA studies in the Fall of 2008.
Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
The Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is achamber of commerce in Nashville, Tennessee, United States.In 2008, it opposed a local English-only measure....
, and is co-founder and editor in chief of the Spanish language newspaper La Noticia and owner of Y&K Entertainment a film production and media consulting company based in Nashville.
Cunza trained in acting at the International Theater Institute (ITI-UNESCO) and Peruvian Theater Center (CPT) in Lima, Peru. He later earned a scholarship to continue his studies under the guidance of Director Eduardo Navarro. He continued his involvement in theater, film and television in his native Peru and later as a Producer/Director in Argentina while attending medical school at the Universidad del Nordeste in Corrientes continuing his studies in the U.S.
After he graduated from Saint Norbert high-school a private Catholic school in Lima, Peru, he spent almost a year in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
while awaiting a student exchange program visa to attend medical school at Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (UNNE) in the city of Corrientes, Argentina from 1989 to 1992.
Cunza moved to Nashville to reside permanently in 1996. He continued his education at Watkins College of Art & Design earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and Film Directing. His professional experience includes films such as “Conflicto Emocional” (Emotional Conflict) and the series “Mujeres Sin Fronteras” (Women without Frontiers) for CVC- Argentina. In 2000 Cunza produced “Hispanos de Hoy”, a weekly bilingual television segment with him as primary host thanks to veteran television personality Teresa Hannah for the local NBC affiliate WSMV-Channel 4 Nashville.
Yuri Cunza’s perspective on diversity issues has been influenced by living in different Latin-American countries appearing reflected in his work: ‘rich in powerful messages of strong social content’. “Under the Skin” a documentary he wrote, directed and produced in 2001 takes a profound look into the dynamics of racial diversity in human relations -representing accurately America's multicultural dimension. The official selection of the Nashville Independent Film Festival in 2002 and the 2003 International Film Forum, [“Under the Skin”] was premiered on WSMV Ch-4 Nashville on July 8, 2001.
Yuri Cunza has been an active advocate of Hispanic business development and growth as well as of immigrant and civil rights causes in Middle Tennessee. He as become a powerful voice for Nashville’s growing Latino community. His comments and perspectives about some of the most controversial issues involving culture, diversity and immigrant populations have been featured in several English language publications and media outlets including TN Business, The Tennessean, The City Paper, The Nashville Business Journal, American Renaissance, the SCENE, The Associated Press, Reuters, Channels, 2, 4, 5 and 17, National Public Radio (NPR), WPLN and Radio Free Nashville. In 2006-07 Cunza began production of “Pulso Mundial” (Worlds’ Pulse) Nashville’s first bilingual hour long radio program which aired Friday morning on 98.9 FM.
Yuri Cunza has served on the advisory board for Scarritt-Bennett Center’s “Celebration of Cultures”, the National Academy of Television Arts & Science’s board of Governors and the board of directors for the Belcourt Theatre, The Nashville Film Festival, and the American Red Cross and more than a dozen more other organizations; ranging from business, health, non-profit, arts and culture. Cunza is a member of many national organization including the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and The National Council LA RAZA. Locally he is a new member of the Downtown Nashville Rotary Club among civic groups and served on the boards of the HIV/AIDS research based Comprehensive Care Center and Street Works, the Metro General Hospital’s “Friends in General Board”. Yuri served as Chairman of the Board of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2006.
As a visual artist, Cunza’s credits include exhibits at the Nashville Airport, Metropolitan Public Library, The Brownlee O. Currey, JR. Gallery, and the Madison Arts Center among others. In 2007 Yuri Cunza served as a guest curator for Cheekwood's Music City Picks. Later in 2007 Cunza was invited to serve on the board of the prestigious Tennessee Art League (TAL).
An accomplished writer and public speaker Cunza has appeared before thousands of corporate, institutional, educational and government audiences including, the U.S Attorney's Office, U.S Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Police Academy, FBI, Nashville Fire Department, Nashville Mayor's office and Nashville Metro Public Schools (NMPS), Meeting Planners International, Walmart/SAM's Club, McNeelly Piggot and Fox, Association of Public Accountants, Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church, The Urban League, IMF's MLK Annual Celebration, NAACP, University of Memphis, Boy Scouts Club, Tennessee State University (TSU), Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Vanderbilt University and more.
A Nashville resident for 12 years, [Yuri Cunza became a U.S Citizen on September 22, 2006. Cunza started his MBA studies in the Fall of 2008.
In March 2010, Cunza was named in Nashville Post's 2010 "In Charge" list of business and community leaders who are writing Music City's (Nashville) success story. Cunza is currently attending the Mendoza School of Business at University of Notre Dame's Non Profit Executive Program through a partnership between the University and the USHCC Foundation.
"Our (Hispanic) community is often portrayed as a community in need,...It is in need of many things, but it is not in need of your pity. It is in need of respect. It is in need of appreciation — cultural appreciation, political appreciation."