Sunny Hostin Ethnicity & Parents: Family, Husband & Children

Sunny Hostin is a well-known lawyer, journalist, and television host who co-hosts the popular talk show The View on ABC. She is also a senior legal correspondent and analyst for ABC News and a former federal prosecutor. But what many people may not know is that Sunny has a rich and diverse ethnic and cultural background that shapes her identity and views.
A Puerto Rican Mother and an African American Father
Sunny was born as Asunción Cummings on October 20, 1968, in New York City. Her parents, Rosa Beza and William Cummings, were an interracial couple. Her father was African American, and her mother was Puerto Rican. Sunny was raised in the South Bronx, a predominantly Latino and Black neighborhood. She grew up speaking Spanish and English, and embracing both cultures.

Sunny has said that her parents taught her to be proud of her heritage and to respect diversity. She has also said that growing up in a multicultural environment gave her a unique perspective on life and society. She once told People magazine, “I think being bicultural, you have a different lens that you see the world through, and I think it’s a benefit.”
Name | Sunny Hostin |
---|---|
Full name | Asunción Cummings Hostin |
Date of birth | October 20, 1968 |
Place of birth | New York City, U.S. |
Parents | Rosa Beza and William Cummings |
Ethnicity | African American, Puerto Rican, Spanish, Sephardic Jewish |
Education | B.A. in English and Rhetoric from Binghamton University, J.D. from Notre Dame Law School |
Occupation | Lawyer, journalist, television host, author |
Spouse | Emmanuel Hostin (m. 1998) |
Children | Gabriel and Paloma |
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A Spanish Ancestry and a Slave-Owning Past
Sunny Hostin’s ethnic and cultural background is even more complex than it seems. In 2024, she appeared on the PBS program Finding Your Roots, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., where she learned more about her genealogy and history. She discovered that she had a significant amount of Spanish ancestry, and that she was descended from Spanish colonizers who settled in Puerto Rico.
She also learned that her fourth great-grandfather, José Enrique Beza de la Cruz, was a merchant in Spain who was likely involved in the slave trade, and who owned at least one enslaved person. Sunny was shocked and disappointed by this revelation, as she had always identified as a person of color and an advocate for social justice. She said, “I’m a little bit in shock. I just always thought of myself as Puerto Rican, half Puerto Rican, I didn’t think my family was originally from Spain and slaveholders.”
On the other hand, Sunny also found out that her third great-grandfather, Dean Harris, was born into slavery in Georgia in 1835, and that he registered to vote in 1867, after the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. He voted in nine elections, despite the intimidation and violence that Black voters faced at the time. Sunny was moved to tears by this discovery, and said, “That’s amazing. That’s resilience. That’s strength.”
Husband & Kids of Sunny Hostin
Hostin is married to Emmanuel Hostin, an orthopedic surgeon of Haitian and Spanish descent. They have two children, Gabriel and Paloma, who are also multiracial and bilingual. Sunny has said that she and her husband try to expose their children to their diverse cultures and traditions, and to teach them to be proud of who they are. She has also said that she hopes her children will grow up to be compassionate and tolerant of others.

Sunny Hostin is a star who shines not only for her professional achievements but also for her personal story. She is a woman who embraces her multicultural identity, and who uses her platform to speak up for the issues that matter to her. She is an inspiration for many people who share her background, and for anyone who values diversity and inclusion.
Successful Career
Sunny has achieved a remarkable career as a lawyer, journalist, and television host. She graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in English and Rhetoric, and from Notre Dame Law School with a Juris Doctor degree. She worked as a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., specializing in child sex crimes. She then became a legal analyst and commentator for various media outlets, including Court TV, CNN, Fox News, and ABC News. She joined The View as a co-host in 2016, and has since become a fan favorite for her sharp opinions and witty remarks.
Hostin is a role model for many people who identify with her multicultural background and her passion for justice and truth. She is a star who shines with her own light, and who inspires others to embrace their own diversity and uniqueness.
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