5 Surprising Facts About Sunny Hostin's Identity: Is The View Co-Host Black, Latina, Or Both?

The question of "Is Sunny Hostin Black?" is a deeply personal one that the prominent co-host of ABC’s *The View* has addressed publicly and extensively throughout her career. As of December 12, 2025, the definitive answer is that Sunny Hostin is proudly biracial, embracing her heritage as both a Black (African American) and Latina (Puerto Rican) woman. Her mixed-race background is not just a footnote, but a central theme in her life, her writing, and her powerful commentary on race, justice, and identity in America, making her one of the most compelling and nuanced voices in cable news and daytime television today. Hostin's journey highlights the complexities of multiracial identity in a world that often demands simple categorization.

Born Asunción Cummings Hostin, the Emmy-winning journalist has used her platform to discuss the challenges of being half Black and half Puerto Rican, particularly the pressure to choose one identity over the other. This struggle for acceptance and understanding is a recurring subject in her work, providing a fresh and unique perspective that resonates with millions of viewers who share a similar experience. Her willingness to be vulnerable about her background offers a powerful and necessary counter-narrative to traditional discussions of race.

Asunción "Sunny" Cummings Hostin: A Comprehensive Biography

• Full Name: Asunción Cummings Hostin
• Known As: Sunny Hostin
• Date of Birth: October 20, 1968
• Age: 57 (as of late 2025)
• Place of Birth: New York City, New York (Raised in The Bronx, specifically in the housing projects)
• Parents: William Cummings (Father, African American) and Rosa Beza (Mother, Puerto Rican)
• Ethnicity/Identity: Biracial (Half African American, Half Puerto Rican); Identifies as Black and Latina
• Spouse: Emmanuel Hostin (Married 1998)
• Children: Two (Gabriel and Paloma)
• Education:
  • Binghamton University (B.A. in English and Rhetoric)
  • Notre Dame Law School (J.D.)
• Career Highlights:
  • Law Clerk for Chief Judge Robert M. Bell (Maryland Court of Appeals)
  • Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division
  • Federal Prosecutor
  • ABC News Legal Analyst
  • Co-host of *The View* (Since 2016)
  • Author (*I Am These Truths: A Memoir of Identity, Justice, and Living Between Worlds*, and the "Summer" novel series)
• Awards: Three-time Emmy Award winner

The Nuance of Identity: Why Hostin is Both Black and Latina

The confusion surrounding Sunny Hostin’s racial identity stems from a societal tendency to place individuals into rigid, singular categories. For Hostin, her identity is a powerful duality inherited from her parents. Her father, William Cummings, is African American, and her mother, Rosa Beza, is Puerto Rican. This background makes Hostin a biracial woman with a rich, multiracial heritage.

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Hostin has repeatedly emphasized that she claims both parts of her background. She is not just "half" of one thing; she is the full product of two distinct and vibrant cultures. This perspective is crucial, especially in the context of her work as an attorney and her role as a political and social commentator on *The View*. Her lived experience as a Black and Latina woman informs her commentary on topics like racial justice, immigration, and systemic inequality.

In a 2020 interview, Hostin spoke about the difficulty of navigating her identity, particularly the pressure she felt to conform. She was born Asunción, a Spanish name, but was given the nickname "Sunny" by a nun who felt her birth name was too difficult to pronounce. This early experience foreshadowed a lifetime of feeling like she had to choose which part of herself to present to the world. However, as an adult, she has firmly rejected this notion, asserting her right to be seen as a whole person—Black, Latina, and American.

From Federal Prosecutor to The View: A Career Shaped by Identity

Sunny Hostin’s professional trajectory is a testament to her intelligence and drive, and it is inextricably linked to her identity. Her early career as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice and later as a federal prosecutor gave her a front-row seat to the American justice system. These experiences, particularly those dealing with social and racial disparities, fueled her desire to transition into journalism and commentary.

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Her work as a legal analyst for various news outlets, before becoming a permanent co-host on *The View* in 2016, established her as a sharp, articulate voice. She frequently draws on her background to provide context on issues of race and law, often using her personal story to illustrate broader societal points. Entities like the U.S. Department of Justice and the Maryland Court of Appeals are key parts of her biography, showing a deep commitment to the legal profession before her pivot to television.

The concept of identity is so central to Hostin that it became the title of her 2020 memoir, *I Am These Truths: A Memoir of Identity, Justice, and Living Between Worlds*. The book delves into her childhood in The Bronx housing projects, her academic journey from Binghamton University to Notre Dame Law School, and the constant negotiation of her multiracial heritage.

The Power of Storytelling: Her Novels and *Finding Your Roots*

Beyond her television career, Hostin has found a powerful niche as an author of fiction. She writes a series of "Black beach romance novels," a genre she created to tell stories about women in historically Black beach towns. This choice of setting and subject matter is a direct extension of her commitment to representing her heritage. She has spoken about how book executives initially doubted the marketability of novels centered on Black communities, but her success has proven them wrong, further solidifying her impact as a cultural voice.

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A recent, highly public moment that brought clarity to her heritage was her appearance on the PBS show *Finding Your Roots*. Hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., the show uses DNA evidence to trace the ancestry of celebrities. Hostin, who knew she was of African American and Puerto Rican descent, was reportedly "a little bit in shock" by some of the deeper revelations about her family's history, which provided even more context to her multiracial identity. This public exploration of her roots further cemented her status as a figure who embraces the complexity of her heritage, answering the question of "is Sunny Hostin Black" with an emphatic "yes, and so much more."

Sunny Hostin’s continued presence on *The View* ensures that the conversation about biracial identity, African American heritage, and Latina culture remains at the forefront of national discourse. Her journey from the Bronx to the federal prosecutor’s office to an Emmy-winning journalist is an inspiring narrative of resilience and the power of embracing one's whole truth.