Growing up in East Los Angeles, Wendy Carrera witnessed many things that would discourage people from following their dreams. But instead, she used those events as her motivation and made her dreams a reality.

As a child, Carrera would mimic reporters on TV, telling her family that she wanted to be just  like them when she grew up. She noticed the reporters weren’t reporting in and around East LA when she was living there as a child.

“I always wondered why reporters didn’t come to my area, why no one even bothered to see us as people,” explained Carrera. To Carrera, it mattered that her city, the good and the bad, was noticed.

Carrera accomplished her goal of becoming a reporter and worked with many stations including BBC London, FOX and Clear Channel.

Cal State Los Angeles was the beginning of her education in becoming a reporter but during her first year at the school, her mother suffered a stroke forcing Carrera to drop out.

After deciding to return to school, Carrera enrolled at Rio Hondo College. While at Rio Hondo, Carrera joined the El Paisano Newspaper staff and eventually became Editor-in-chief for two semesters. Under her leadership El Paisano won a total of 27 awards.

Once she finished at Rio Hondo, Carrera was convinced by John Francis, former RHC Journalism Advisor, to transfer to Chapman University. Carrera would accomplish much more at Chapman University, even winning the Mir Tukhi award, which is given to the best student reporter out of the whole journalism program at Chapman.

The opportunity for Carrera to become the advisor for the Journalism division came along after Francis retired from the position. Carrera said she was unsure about applying for the position but the encouragement of two former students and her desire to “give back” to Rio Hondo were some of the factors which led to her eventual application.

Carrera is now the Journalism Advisor at Rio Hondo, she said that she wishes to take over the “30 plus year legacy and build on it.”  Students at Rio Hondo also wish to build on everything that was left for El Paisano.

“I’ve enjoyed my time in the newspaper but I’m glad she [Carrera] became the Journalism Advisor because she brings a more modern sensibility to the program and pushes students to work harder to achieve their goals,” said Diego Crespo, current EIC for El Paisano Newspaper.

Carrera said “I always think ‘how can I relate, how can I help ease their educational path’,” in respects to helping her students in her classroom. Carrera explained that because of her past, because of her tough upbringing, she could understand when it is that her students may need extra help. For her students, and for all other students she said to “just move forward, dream big and conquer.”