Rags to Riches: Kristina Guerrero

Kristina Guerrero: From picking asparagus to TV’s bright lights

Kristina Guerrero is staring at one of the sexiest men alive: Hugh Jackman. Her latest fantasy, brought to you by ‘E! News’, is far from her past life where she picked asparagus for a living.

As the daughter of immigrant parents, Guerrero would wake up at 4AM and pick vegetables and cherries in American farmers’ fields. Her whole family earned a combined $20,000 a year, so they didn’t have enough for her to sleep in her own bed until she went to college.

Who would have thought that a Mexican girl- raised in the small town of Sunnyside in Washington state – and sister of four, would end up interviewing the world’s biggest stars.

“I took chances and big risks. I worked for free many years in television to learn the industry,” she said.
Guerrero always had her sights on Hollywood. At age of 18, Guerrero moved to Los Angeles. But the experience was tough. She dreamed with celebrities, red carpets and bright lights, but her reality was different: no money, no home, no place to go.

Until ‘Inside Edition’ came along.

“The show was great and it’s been on for 20 years. But I wanted to speak to my generation, and that’s why it didn’t quite speak to me,” she said of her big break job.

From ‘Inside Edition’ to ‘E! News’, it seemed like a century from her childhood dreams.

“My childhood was very difficult, and that helped. We didn’t have the best food or Christmas presents. What it taught me is that if you really wanted something you really had to work hard for it. To this day it amazes me how my life turned out,” she said.

Before she booked her ‘E! News’ job, the road was tough. She enrolled at the University of Southern California and landed an internship with L.A.’s Fox KTTV. After graduating with a B.A. in Journalism, she parlayed an opportunity as a correspondent for ‘Access Hollywood’ into a starring role as the co-host of ‘The Rub’, a talk show on SiTV Network.

This was followed by one of the most crucial moves in her career. In 2005 Kristina decided to leave Los Angeles and move to San Antonio, Texas, to host her own CBS morning show. Hard work and talent earned her a local Emmy nomination and her own radio show as well. In January 2008, she returned to L.A. as the entertainment correspondent for ‘Inside Edition.’

The show paved the way to her current ‘E! News’ job. She really enjoys creating portraits of people, whether they are celebrities or not. “I bring a lot of that fun, irreverent attitude to E!… There are so many people that would die to do what I am doing. It’s a big honor for me and a huge responsibility,” said Guerrero.

But if you think her high profile has changed her background you are mistaken. When speaking about her family, “they still live in the same house we grew up in and they very proud of me,” she says.

Her family members are not the only ones proud of her. So is she.

“I want to represent my people and to be the face of my community…I am so proud of that.”

One last headline from the entertainment goddess: “To all Latinas out there. With a lot of work, it can be done.”

source: AOL LATINO