WISC-TV3’s Maria Guerrero and her American Dream
Sheer Gratitude
Sheer Gratitude
But when Guerrero visited a TV station during a sixth grade field trip, she caught the bug for broadcast journalism, almost guaranteeing that she would never live
in obscurity as an adult.
“We sat and watched the five o’clock newscast and I was in heaven,” Guerrero recalled. “I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,
to be able to reach so many people and let them know what was going on and hopefully change some things that are wrong in society. I knew that’s what I
wanted to be. All through school, I was in the newspaper classrooms and especially the broadcasts. We had a newscast and I was the anchor on it. I was just a
regular girl from good old Texas.”
During her high school years at Hudson High School, Guerrero just wanted to be a regular girl from good old Texas. She just wanted to fit in, especially since
there weren’t many Latinos living in Lufkin. “It was a struggle for me because I wanted to be just like everyone else,” Guerrero said. “I didn’t understand the
importance and how I understand my culture right now and appreciate everything I’ve been through; I just wanted to be like everyone else. I wanted to be
accepted just like any other child does. I do understand the difference now. It’s helping me along the way obviously to understand my culture and my language.
But I just had the typical, if you can say that, Mexican American childhood. I was a cheerleader. I got class favorite a couple of times. I attempted sports, but I
wasn’t very good at that.”
After graduating from high school, Guerrero headed for Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where she studied, it was no surprise, communications.
Guerrero immersed herself in learning about broadcast journalism and wanted to understand all the angles. “I wanted to learn every aspect of the industry,”
Guerrero said. “So I worked at a lot of TV stations. I worked at KTRE, which was my first ever job. I was a camera girl. I’ve done everything. I’ve gotten yelled at
for cutting mics from the audio booth. I’m the kind of person who wants to understand things from different angles and appreciate the people who work with me.”
During her final year at LSU, Guerrero’s mom came to live with her. She and her mom had always been close. “I was so terrified of finally having to get another
job and move from where I was working as a reporter at Channel 9 in Baton Rouge — I just worked my way up to that,” Guerrero said “I asked her to come live
with me. And I think that just changed our relationship from a mother and daughter to just best friends. I really do feel that. Some people might not understand
that. I’m 24 years old and a lot of people want their independence. I’ve already had that. I lived by myself for many years after high school. It really helped our
relationship. We talk a lot about her past and the sacrifices that all of my family has made. It’s a really great thing that I have right now. Sometimes it is too late
before people appreciate their parents.”
When she got the job at WISC-TV 3 last fall, Guerrero brought her mom along with her. Her mom still works at a motel just a few blocks from where they live
on Madison’s west side. “It’s just in our genes, I guess, just to work pretty much,” Guerrero said. “In a few years, she will not be working. That is one of my goals in
life. It will be a struggle for her not to work because it will be so different for her. But I really want to do that.”
Guerrero loves her job at WISC. As we conduct the interview, a little of that Texas lilt accents her newscast voice. Guerrero is very charming. “I am a positive
person,” Guerrero said. “The most important things in life are with me. My mother is my best friend. I have the most amazing job and I get to meet a lot of really
great people. So why not be happy?”
While she is a regular news reporter — she covered the spring floods out in Spring Green for the station — Guerrero has been called upon to cover stories in
the Latino community as well. “With me, it’s not only about speaking Spanish, it’s about understanding the Latino community and our culture,” Guerrero said. “I
think I bring that to the table here at Channel 3 to where I can go and understand how to speak with a Latino man. It’s a very important part in our community.
And I feel it has been very underreported, not because people don’t want to, but just because the resources aren’t there to understand our language and our
culture. So I think it is important to bring forward this piece of our community that is so important and vital to whom we are as Madison. I try to stay on top of the
Latino community. Obviously if they see that it isn’t the best that I take over a story, then I’m fine with that as well.”
One of the biggest stories in the Latino community is the whole immigration debate, something that hits close to home for Guerrero. And it is the issues
surrounding immigration that have had a profound impact on the Latino community. “I think we’re one of the only people when you look back to the early 20th
century when Italian immigrants came over, one thing that separates us so much — for good and bad — is that we hold onto our culture and to our way of living
wherever we are, specifically in the United States,” Guerrero said. “I think it traps us within our own community. We have all of the same concerns with the
economy, with family issues, with teen pregnancy, with gangs. That’s a big deal for us. But I think that just living in that culture of fear and just wanting to do
what you’re supposed to do and go home and not really advocate for these changes is really what has made us step back.”
“Being invisible is a positive thing,” Guerrero continued. “I remember growing up that being invisible was important. You go to school. You do what you are
supposed to do there and come home. You don’t want to be seen. You want to be seen within your family, but that’s it. That is pretty fascinating within our
community and it is changing. Especially right now, it isn’t helping. How can you expect things to get better if we still live like this?”
Probably Guerrero’s bubbly, positive personality comes from her experience with poverty and having an undying appreciation for the life that she is able to live.
And her life is also a testament to the contributions that immigrants — documented and undocumented — make to American society.
“I just hope people really understand that the American Dream does exist,” Guerrero emphasized. “People who come here, whichever way they do come to
the United States, are grateful for this country. I am forever grateful. This is my country, People are grateful to be here. I don’t take this for granted, everything
this country has given me. Barack Obama — I’m not saying if I support him or not — and Oprah Winfrey, people like that, who say in no other country would their
stories be possible and that is so true. I don’t know what would have happened to us in Mexico. But it certainly wouldn’t be me here living my dream and living in
the best country of the world. This is my American Dream and I really do believe that with all my heart. I hope that people understand that through all of the
immigration battles and debates that people are very grateful to be here.”
For at least the next two years, WISC-TV 3 viewers will be able to tune into the news and see Guerrero. However, she’s had since the sixth grade to make big
dreams about where she would like to end up in the industry. “I have big dreams,” Guerrero said. “I dare to dream of big moves to possibly even CNN one day.
Obviously I would have to work my way up there. I’m not saying I would go there from here. I have big dreams. Let’s just leave it at that. I don’t care when it is, I
just want to work hard to really be good enough to be on a network like that.”
That doesn’t mean she is already set to pack her bags and leave Madison. “I’m very happy here,” Guerrero said. “I’m very, extremely happy with this career
move that’s brought me to Madison. Channel 3 has been phenomenal. I could really see myself staying here a little longer than expected just because of how
the situation is turning out with work here. In the industry, reporters stay in a market for about two years if you are under contract. I will be here for a little longer
than that and who knows after that. But it is about two years and a lot happens. We’re human. You meet someone or you have a family and you don’t want to
move everyone around. That’s part of the cycle of journalists. But I’m really focused right now.”
Guerrero is proof positive of the solid contributions that immigrants make to this country. And during her stay in Madison, most assuredly, she will enlighten
all of us on the issues that we face today.
in obscurity as an adult.
“We sat and watched the five o’clock newscast and I was in heaven,” Guerrero recalled. “I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,
to be able to reach so many people and let them know what was going on and hopefully change some things that are wrong in society. I knew that’s what I
wanted to be. All through school, I was in the newspaper classrooms and especially the broadcasts. We had a newscast and I was the anchor on it. I was just a
regular girl from good old Texas.”
During her high school years at Hudson High School, Guerrero just wanted to be a regular girl from good old Texas. She just wanted to fit in, especially since
there weren’t many Latinos living in Lufkin. “It was a struggle for me because I wanted to be just like everyone else,” Guerrero said. “I didn’t understand the
importance and how I understand my culture right now and appreciate everything I’ve been through; I just wanted to be like everyone else. I wanted to be
accepted just like any other child does. I do understand the difference now. It’s helping me along the way obviously to understand my culture and my language.
But I just had the typical, if you can say that, Mexican American childhood. I was a cheerleader. I got class favorite a couple of times. I attempted sports, but I
wasn’t very good at that.”
After graduating from high school, Guerrero headed for Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where she studied, it was no surprise, communications.
Guerrero immersed herself in learning about broadcast journalism and wanted to understand all the angles. “I wanted to learn every aspect of the industry,”
Guerrero said. “So I worked at a lot of TV stations. I worked at KTRE, which was my first ever job. I was a camera girl. I’ve done everything. I’ve gotten yelled at
for cutting mics from the audio booth. I’m the kind of person who wants to understand things from different angles and appreciate the people who work with me.”
During her final year at LSU, Guerrero’s mom came to live with her. She and her mom had always been close. “I was so terrified of finally having to get another
job and move from where I was working as a reporter at Channel 9 in Baton Rouge — I just worked my way up to that,” Guerrero said “I asked her to come live
with me. And I think that just changed our relationship from a mother and daughter to just best friends. I really do feel that. Some people might not understand
that. I’m 24 years old and a lot of people want their independence. I’ve already had that. I lived by myself for many years after high school. It really helped our
relationship. We talk a lot about her past and the sacrifices that all of my family has made. It’s a really great thing that I have right now. Sometimes it is too late
before people appreciate their parents.”
When she got the job at WISC-TV 3 last fall, Guerrero brought her mom along with her. Her mom still works at a motel just a few blocks from where they live
on Madison’s west side. “It’s just in our genes, I guess, just to work pretty much,” Guerrero said. “In a few years, she will not be working. That is one of my goals in
life. It will be a struggle for her not to work because it will be so different for her. But I really want to do that.”
Guerrero loves her job at WISC. As we conduct the interview, a little of that Texas lilt accents her newscast voice. Guerrero is very charming. “I am a positive
person,” Guerrero said. “The most important things in life are with me. My mother is my best friend. I have the most amazing job and I get to meet a lot of really
great people. So why not be happy?”
While she is a regular news reporter — she covered the spring floods out in Spring Green for the station — Guerrero has been called upon to cover stories in
the Latino community as well. “With me, it’s not only about speaking Spanish, it’s about understanding the Latino community and our culture,” Guerrero said. “I
think I bring that to the table here at Channel 3 to where I can go and understand how to speak with a Latino man. It’s a very important part in our community.
And I feel it has been very underreported, not because people don’t want to, but just because the resources aren’t there to understand our language and our
culture. So I think it is important to bring forward this piece of our community that is so important and vital to whom we are as Madison. I try to stay on top of the
Latino community. Obviously if they see that it isn’t the best that I take over a story, then I’m fine with that as well.”
One of the biggest stories in the Latino community is the whole immigration debate, something that hits close to home for Guerrero. And it is the issues
surrounding immigration that have had a profound impact on the Latino community. “I think we’re one of the only people when you look back to the early 20th
century when Italian immigrants came over, one thing that separates us so much — for good and bad — is that we hold onto our culture and to our way of living
wherever we are, specifically in the United States,” Guerrero said. “I think it traps us within our own community. We have all of the same concerns with the
economy, with family issues, with teen pregnancy, with gangs. That’s a big deal for us. But I think that just living in that culture of fear and just wanting to do
what you’re supposed to do and go home and not really advocate for these changes is really what has made us step back.”
“Being invisible is a positive thing,” Guerrero continued. “I remember growing up that being invisible was important. You go to school. You do what you are
supposed to do there and come home. You don’t want to be seen. You want to be seen within your family, but that’s it. That is pretty fascinating within our
community and it is changing. Especially right now, it isn’t helping. How can you expect things to get better if we still live like this?”
Probably Guerrero’s bubbly, positive personality comes from her experience with poverty and having an undying appreciation for the life that she is able to live.
And her life is also a testament to the contributions that immigrants — documented and undocumented — make to American society.
“I just hope people really understand that the American Dream does exist,” Guerrero emphasized. “People who come here, whichever way they do come to
the United States, are grateful for this country. I am forever grateful. This is my country, People are grateful to be here. I don’t take this for granted, everything
this country has given me. Barack Obama — I’m not saying if I support him or not — and Oprah Winfrey, people like that, who say in no other country would their
stories be possible and that is so true. I don’t know what would have happened to us in Mexico. But it certainly wouldn’t be me here living my dream and living in
the best country of the world. This is my American Dream and I really do believe that with all my heart. I hope that people understand that through all of the
immigration battles and debates that people are very grateful to be here.”
For at least the next two years, WISC-TV 3 viewers will be able to tune into the news and see Guerrero. However, she’s had since the sixth grade to make big
dreams about where she would like to end up in the industry. “I have big dreams,” Guerrero said. “I dare to dream of big moves to possibly even CNN one day.
Obviously I would have to work my way up there. I’m not saying I would go there from here. I have big dreams. Let’s just leave it at that. I don’t care when it is, I
just want to work hard to really be good enough to be on a network like that.”
That doesn’t mean she is already set to pack her bags and leave Madison. “I’m very happy here,” Guerrero said. “I’m very, extremely happy with this career
move that’s brought me to Madison. Channel 3 has been phenomenal. I could really see myself staying here a little longer than expected just because of how
the situation is turning out with work here. In the industry, reporters stay in a market for about two years if you are under contract. I will be here for a little longer
than that and who knows after that. But it is about two years and a lot happens. We’re human. You meet someone or you have a family and you don’t want to
move everyone around. That’s part of the cycle of journalists. But I’m really focused right now.”
Guerrero is proof positive of the solid contributions that immigrants make to this country. And during her stay in Madison, most assuredly, she will enlighten
all of us on the issues that we face today.
By Jonathan Gramling
When she graduated from high school, Mario Guerrero, a WISC-TV 3 reporter, took a trip
back to Juarez, Mexico where she was born. She saw the devastating poverty that was there and
the house, if you could call it that, where she lived when she was a baby. It was shocking to her.
And but by her mother’s courage, she could have still been living there today. “It made me just
thank everything — thank my family, thank God — that my mother got the courage to get out of
the bad situation there,” Guerrero said during an interview with The Capital City Hues.
In 1984, Guerrero’s mother crossed the Mexican border into Texas to join her parents and
siblings in Lufkin, Texas. Her mother had worked since she was 14 years old when she got a job
assembling TVs at an RCA plant in Juarez. She fled Mexico to make a better life for her
children.
Guerrero and her family were undocumenteds back then. They have since become U.S.
citizens.
Guerrero’s family lived in a rural area where they thought the INS would not be patrolling for
undocumenteds. They worked in the Pilgrim’s Pride chicken processing plant and came home.
Like most Mexican families, they had a very strong family life and tried to live in obscurity.
When she graduated from high school, Mario Guerrero, a WISC-TV 3 reporter, took a trip
back to Juarez, Mexico where she was born. She saw the devastating poverty that was there and
the house, if you could call it that, where she lived when she was a baby. It was shocking to her.
And but by her mother’s courage, she could have still been living there today. “It made me just
thank everything — thank my family, thank God — that my mother got the courage to get out of
the bad situation there,” Guerrero said during an interview with The Capital City Hues.
In 1984, Guerrero’s mother crossed the Mexican border into Texas to join her parents and
siblings in Lufkin, Texas. Her mother had worked since she was 14 years old when she got a job
assembling TVs at an RCA plant in Juarez. She fled Mexico to make a better life for her
children.
Guerrero and her family were undocumenteds back then. They have since become U.S.
citizens.
Guerrero’s family lived in a rural area where they thought the INS would not be patrolling for
undocumenteds. They worked in the Pilgrim’s Pride chicken processing plant and came home.
Like most Mexican families, they had a very strong family life and tried to live in obscurity.