Meet Carlos Guzman | CEO & Creative director of Brown N Proud

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carlos Guzman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlos, let’s talk legacy – what do you want yours to be?
I feel like I’m just a vessel of what Brown N Proud is, it’s more than a brand and a company, this is a movement for our people, a movement that will endure for ages to come. So as far as MY legacy, I’m not too worried about how I’m personally remembered, but more concerned about how our culture is lifted for lifetimes to come through Brown N Proud.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always loved creating, my first love was music, writing rhymes and creating rhythms, that’s honestly what opened up my creative eye and ear to even more possibilities to express my creativity. This all started back in 2001 when I was in middle school. Throughout the years I began trying new things like graffiti art and painting and although I was never too savvy in that area, my mind was exploding with ideas and I did my best to jot them down on paper. Time went by and I learned that my creativity can be transferred onto shirts so then I started a small brand in high school, then another and another. None of them were successful but I never gave up. Going back to middle school and high school I remember writing Brown N Proud on school walls and street walls, it was click my older cousin was part of and I was representing on my neck of the woods. That term sat with me for a very long time, as a kid it really had no meaning to me, it was more of a “street thing” but as I got older, I looked back at the term BROWN N PROUD and it started to resonate with me as I became more aware of my background, ethnicity and culture, years later I created the brand BROWN N PROUD as a way for people to represent their culture through clothing and this is honestly the best and most beautiful idea I’ve ever had.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love Mexican food and I’m not only saying that because I’m Mexican but because I TRULY LOVE IT, specifically TACOS. I was actually born in Mexico City and I’ve been back to Mexico many times so my pallet is very well aware of what Mexican food/Tacos should taste like, with that being said, I’’m really picky. There are honestly a handful of places I’d take a friend to for tacos, one of them is Primas Tacos in Sun Valley, located in the San Fernando Valley and a few other street taco spots, other than those places I’d probably take them to Tijuana, even though it’s not my hometown but TJ or Baja is honestly the place I have the most fun at, you get the food, the drinks, the culture and the views. I love LA but Baja is my go to for good times.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a special shout out to GOD for the inspiration and a shout out to ALL of my brown people from, South America, Central America, North America and Latinos anywhere else around the world! Brown N Proud is truly a product of its environment, la gente.

Website: brownnproudla.com

Instagram: @brownnproudla

Twitter: @brownnproudla

Other: Tik tok: @brownnproudla

Image Credits
Jose Santillán: @juniortheoutsider Segoviano: @_segoviano Carlos G: @organicvato