Career Trajectory: From Fashion Reporting to Cultural Storytelling
Mekita Rivas has cultivated a distinctive voice at the intersection of cultural analysis and lifestyle journalism over her 12-year career. Beginning as a fashion writer at Bustle in 2015, she quickly expanded her scope to examine how personal style intersects with identity politics. Her 2017 move to Refinery29 marked a pivotal shift toward intentional storytelling about Latine experiences, particularly through their Somos Latine vertical.
Key Career Milestones
- 2019: Became Contributing Editor at Cosmopolitan, analyzing reproductive rights through economic lenses
- 2021: Launched cultural criticism column at Remezcla exploring decolonial beauty standards
- 2023: Named Lead Culture Writer at Refinery29's Somos Latine division
Signature Works: Three Defining Articles
- How to organize your home without making this one mistake This 2024 lifestyle piece subverts typical decluttering narratives by examining how organizational systems often erase cultural heritage. Rivas critiques Marie Kondo's minimalism through interviews with multigenerational Latine households, revealing how sentimental objects function as intergenerational memory devices. The article's impact led to Refinery29 revising their home editorial guidelines to include cultural sensitivity training for writers.
- Breaking Down the Financial Cost of Getting an Abortion in 2024 Rivas' investigative report combines personal narratives with hard data, tracking how abortion bans disproportionately affect low-income women of color. She developed a novel cost analysis framework incorporating lost wages, childcare expenses, and cross-state travel logistics. The methodology has been cited in three amicus briefs for reproductive rights cases.
- Cultural narratives through the lens of gender and race This 2023 essay collection deconstructs mainstream media's portrayal of Latine identity, arguing for more nuanced representations that move beyond trauma narratives. Rivas introduces the concept of "joy as resistance journalism," demonstrated through case studies of queer Caribbean artists redefining cultural preservation.
Strategic Pitch Recommendations
1. Center Intersectional Economic Analyses
Rivas consistently elevates stories that reveal how policy decisions impact cultural practices. Successful pitches should connect financial systems to cultural preservation, like her Cosmopolitan piece tracking how abortion costs force difficult choices about heritage item preservation. Example: A story about microfinance initiatives helping indigenous artisans maintain traditional crafts while navigating inflation.
2. Propose Solutions-Focused Fashion Journalism
While she critiques fast fashion, Rivas prioritizes stories about sustainable material innovation with cultural relevance. Her Refinery29 work on upcycled quinceañera dresses demonstrates interest in circular design that honors tradition. Pitch wearable technologies developed by Black/Latine material scientists that address cultural needs beyond Western aesthetics.
3. Highlight Underdocumented Cultural Practices
Rivas seeks stories that challenge monolithic representations of identity groups. Her Remezcla series on Afro-Latine spiritual gardening practices shows preference for narratives that document specific regional traditions. Ideal pitches might explore how Puerto Rican coffee rituals adapt to climate change or Navajo textile preservation techniques.
Awards and Industry Recognition
- 2024 ASME Award Finalist Nominated for her Cosmopolitan abortion cost analysis in the Public Interest category, competing against legacy publications like The Atlantic. The judges noted her "innovative blending of service journalism with systemic critique."
- 2023 National Association of Hispanic Journalists Digital Media Award Won for Refinery29's Somos Latine series, particularly her investigation into census undercounting of triracial communities. The NAHJ praised her "rigorous yet accessible demystification of bureaucratic systems."
