Erika Garza

By IRENE RODRIGUEZ / Special To Vida En El Valle
(Published Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 09:10AM)

If you ask Eliud Garza how he would describe older sister Erika Garza, he has nothing but positive things to say.

"Erika doesn't have any barriers. If she wants something, nobody can stop her," said the proud brother.

Garza, co-host of the popular weekend entertainment program 'Descontrol' (Lack of Control), has taken her brother's words literally. She knew at an early age that her true calling was to be in front of the camera with a microphone in hand.

Today, with one of Telemundo's highest-rated national shows and with many other projects ahead, Garza, who grew up Avenal, is a clear example that anything is possible once you set your mind to it.

Garza graduated from California State University, Fresno, with a bachelor's degree in journalism. While in school, she worked on the college newspaper and interned at KFTV Univisión Channel 21's news department.

"Although I started out in the news, I realized that wasn't the area I wanted to be in. It was more in sports and entertainment," recalled Garza during a recent telephone interview from Los Ángeles where she is now based.

After her television internship, she switched to radio where she worked for Romance 106 and La Súper Q on the weekends.

"I always wanted to work on television, but I never thought of radio. Radio was something that came on its own," Garza said. "I already knew I had bigger plans than the ones I had in Fresno and I knew I had to move to a bigger city."

And that is exactly what she did. Garza moved to Los Ángeles where she found the opportunity she was looking for at Tricolor Network, a Spanish-language radio network that reached 12 markets, including Dallas, Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas.

Shortly thereafter, Garza had the opportunity to work at Mun2, Telemundo's sister station, which targets a younger audience.

"Mun2 was the experience that really made me develop as a television personality," Garza said. "I had the opportunity to implement what I did on radio, but in front of a camera and where I had a lot of exposure because it was all over the United States, México and Central América."

Her family's support has been one of her greatest motivations.

"Since she was little her dad would say 'Erika has to be a reporter,'" said her mother Carmen Garza. "She was always involved in different activities, sports, Girls Scouts, in-school activities that helped her develop. We have always told her to give her everything at what she does and to do everything with lots of love."

And it seems as though the television host has followed the advice of her parents, who are originally from Linares, Nuevo León, México. Garza considers herself a person who is very critical of her work and her persona.

"I am a person who likes quality, a good image. I am a person who is very analytical of what I do. I analyze things 1,000 percent and if I don't like it, they won't go. I like to do my best. Preparation is very important; I have been preparing myself in television for many years," Garza said.

This is also the reason why despite receiving many offers, she hasn't become an actress or a singer.

"For now I want to dedicate myself to hosting, but I do have plans to take acting classes, as well as singing lessons. There are talks and opportunities to record (an album) when I'm ready," she said.

Among her other goals, she wants to have her own daily show, "like Oprah or Cristina, but for a younger audience, entertainment, leaning more towards music."

This year, Garza released a calendar to raise funds for college scholarships. She managed to raise more than $12,000.

Recently, she hosted the event 'Conteo a los Premios Billboard' (Countdown to the Billboard Awards). She also had the opportunity to work on the Telemundo network's New Year's special and is currently preparing big surprises.

Garza considers herself a driven person who has not given up or fallen even with all the negativity that surrounds this business. She hopes to inspire others, help them realize that as a child of farmworkers she canfulfill her goals.

"My family came (to this country) as farmworkers. They worked in the fields for many years and I feel like a representative of my family," Garza said. "That is why I decided to leave that difficult life and make my family proud."