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It is a rare occurrence to see a Latina woman in a lead position in television media, but if you tune into E! News you will be astounded to see a young woman who is defying the odds and anchoring a major entertainment news show. Kristina Guerrero was raised by a single mother who struggled financially at times to support her family. She was inspired as a young woman, at the age of 18, to leave her small hometown in Washington for the big, intimidating city of Los Angeles. With a thousand dollars in her pocket and a heart full of dreams, Guerrero quickly found out that dreams cannot be reached if you don’t have an education as a fallback plan. So she enrolled at University of Southern California, and began her journey. After she started school, she interned at TV stations to learn the business.
Q: Tell me a little about yourself and how you came to be a journalist?
I’m from a small little farm town in Washington State. I’ve always had this love affair for entertainment and story-telling and talking to people. I always knew I wanted to be a broadcast journalist.
Q: How has culture influenced your identity as a person and as a reporter?
Yeah, absolutely. It definitely has influenced me. I’m so proud of who I am and where I come from. I tell stories differently than other people because my experiences are different. The way I grew up is different from other people. But at the same time I’m All-American, I’m third generation Mexican-American and love entertainment, love movie stars, love what I do. And I come from it at that angle. It is who I am, but I don’t need to announce it every single time.
Q: Have you noticed any barriers or stereotypes of Latinos in the
media? Whether it they are portrayed like that or behind-the-scenes have you noticed any obstacles a Latino would have to overcome?
I never saw it as a challenge. For me, I sometimes think people use it as a crutch, or that a Latina can never make it in that industry because you don’t see them in the media. But we are there and it’s just a matter of work and breaking in just like anybody else. Do I see any stereotypes happening? Absolutely. Have I gotten passed over because I didn’t have blonde hair and blue eyes? Probably. But at the same time, I found work and have been working in media for ten years. At TV stations for ten years, in front of the camera for six or seven
years. It’s possible and can be done. I’m as brown as they come, and as Mexicana as they come in the media.
Q: Any advice for young Latinas who want to have a career in
communication arts (mass communication)?
Education is number one. Getting an education is a great foundation and is absolutely, 100 percent, without a doubt the way it has to be done. And not just education in school, but educating yourself about how the business works through internships and finding a mentor in those fields and learning the business. It is a very fulfilling, worthwhile
and fun line of work; but it is also a lot of work and a big responsibility, but the payoff is phenomenal.
When she was working to reach her dream, Guerrero faced tough times,
which were reminiscent of her childhood growing up with little money. She juggled going to school full time with working a night job until she finished school and got her degree. That degree ultimately gave her the key to success. A degree to her dreams.
June 2010
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