Member Spotlight: Arturo Carmona and Nora Preciado of Tzunu
Meet Arturo Carmona and Nora Preciado of Tzunu Strategies, a minority-owned communications and government relations firm based at our Downtown LA location in Little Tokyo. Arturo serves as CEO and Nora as Chief Operating Officer. Since joining CENTRL in 2022, Arturo and Nora have built Tzunu into a firm known for helping organizations meaningfully connect with communities of color through culturally relevant public relations, community outreach, and government relations strategies. Arturo also serves as President of Latino Media Collaborative, the nation’s leading advocate for sustainable Latino journalism, working with over 25 networks and media outlets across more than 100 platforms to champion policies that uplift Latino voices.
For both Arturo and Nora, the work is deeply personal. Arturo’s career has been shaped by pivotal moments in American history that have tested the country’s commitment to its most vulnerable communities. Nora spent 15 years as a civil rights attorney before serving as Director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs for a former Mayor of Los Angeles, experiences that now inform everything she does at Tzunu. Together, they bring decades of experience and a shared conviction that the most meaningful work is rooted in the communities it serves.
What inspired each of you to get into this line of work?
Arturo: Our nation is full of moments that have turned its people against each other, against the marginalized, the oppressed, immigrants. We are living one of these moments now. We faced this moment in California in the late 90s and early 2000s. These moments have inspired me to fight for a future that brings our people together and uplifts those that are most in need.
Nora: The knowledge, skills, and relationships I gained over the years now inform everything I do, from developing corporate and organizational strategy to engaging in government relations advocacy and designing and implementing programs. The work I have chosen to do has always been deeply personal, and my role at Tzunu allows me to continue working on the issues and supporting the organizations doing the social impact work that has motivated me throughout my life.
What about CENTRL works for you?
CENTRL offers the flexibility and amenities of a larger office while giving us the community of a shared workspace. The conference rooms, private phone booths, and event space are incredibly useful for a small business, but it’s the people that really make a difference. We’ve met neighbors through CENTRL events who have become clients, collaborators, and friends, which has made the space feel like a true community.
Is there a book that has inspired your work?
Arturo: Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed inspired me to pursue a life mission of social impact entrepreneurship that uplifts communities that are economically and socially marginalized.
Nora: Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is a book I re-read at least every 3 years. Its simple yet powerful message to trust your intuition and enjoy the journey perfectly mirrors my own path. That journey has been deeply informed and inspired by my immigrant background and my family’s experiences in the US, shaping a commitment to social impact that now underpins all of my work.
Follow Arturo on LinkedIn
Follow Nora on LinkedIn and Instagram