Kevin Kreider: Taking Back the Power
Photography: Filbert Kung
Styling: Sky Naval
HMUA: Elmer Catungal
Article: Roxanne De Guzman
Kevin Kreider has felt powerless for most of his life. As an Asian-American man who grew up in predominantly white areas, he quickly noticed that he had a different set of rules that he needed to play by in order to achieve the same levels of success that he saw his peers earning. He was tasked with facing obstacles that the majority of the people around him had never even considered the existence of.
Despite the modern romanticization of countercultures and movements about embracing differences, standing out from the crowd comes with its own intricate set of issues. Overcoming insecurity is only one piece of the ever-complicated puzzle: society often continues to function in tune with its old patterns regardless of the personal peace that any individual can achieve with their own self-esteem. And soon enough, awkward differences and thoughtless taunts on the playground turn into rejections from employers and sinking feelings of powerlessness against the injustices caused by a culture created without inclusivity in mind.
“I always wanted to do something meaningful to help people with their confidence and self esteem because I know what it feels like to feel powerless,” writes Kevin. “I know what it feels like to be rejected based on race, and how it was okay for people to be blunt and say things to me like ‘I don’t date Asians, I don’t think they’re attractive.’ I’ve been passed on so many cool roles because of race. A lot of actors and models who aren’t of color are accepted everywhere and they don’t really understand the obstacles that people of color have to jump through.”
As Kevin makes strides in the entertainment industry, he is using his platform to open doors for future Asian-American men to find more modeling and acting roles. He considers his TedX Talk on Asian masculinity and his Huffington Post interview “You’re good looking… for an Asian Guy” as some of his most notable career highlights. He hopes to continue advocating for this movement as a paid speaker, while also working on more acting gigs that will provide representation for other Asian-American men, showing them that they are able to find success in this field.
The actor and entrepreneur is excited to take on more television and film projects in addition to his recurring role on Netflix’s Bling Empire. Currently, he is working on a romantic comedy movie called Asian Persuasion, and he will start filming for another independent movie The Doctrine of Discontent later this year. In addition, he is excited to work with his girlfriend, Devon, in telling their own Asian-led love stories.
“We share our stories all the time together on social media,” Kevin writes about Devon. “I guess I do it naturally because I have so many badass female leaders I hang around with that it’s easy to show my audience the powerful pathfinders who are women out there.”
In addition to his work redefining Asian masculinity and using his voice to uplift women, Kevin is also a huge advocate for the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), and he makes annual donations to the central office of AA every year. Kevin’s passion for sobriety has even led him to create his own company, Taejin Beverage Inc.
“I draw my inspiration from the fact that at a very young age, most likely at the age of 6-8, I had a fear of dying,” continues Kevin. “It might’ve been all the health scare ads back then about how high sodium was bad for you, fat is bad for you, and I started to get scared I’d die of a heart attack. Even at that young age, I wanted to do as much as I could with the time I had here as possible, and to have as many great and meaningful life experiences… I’m trying to do my best, but it’s really for the approval of myself. I’m already my own harshest critic.”
With a noteworthy catalog of incredible life experiences, Kevin is certainly making a lasting impression that would make his younger self proud. As one of the pioneering faces of the movement to redefine Asian masculinity, Kevin is taking back the power and inspiring confidence in the next generation of Asian-American men. From winning bodybuilding shows in 2007 to founding Taejin Beverage Inc. to starring in Netflix’s Bling Empire, Kevin Kreider’s legacy in the entertainment industry is only just beginning.
