36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE Esmeralda Owen tears up as she describes her idyllic childhood on a farm in El Salvador, where her family grew vegetables and coffee, and her father was known as a philanthropist who would help anyone in need. Then the civil war disrupted their sanctuary. Her family began on a path to move to Los Angeles. It is a story familiar to many immigrant families: Her father came first and got three jobs to earn enough to bring his wife and two children to meet him. Owen, then 11 years old in 1985, vividly remembers the experience of hiring a smuggler to guide them over the border, and the friendly strangers who helped them along the journey—one woman took off her jewelry and handed it to Owen’s mom so she would look like a person of means as she walked over the border from Tijuana to San Diego. “I don’t know how else we made it, if god was not watching out for us,” Owen says. She arrived in the U.S. shy and knowing no English. She eventually made her way into a career as a TV anchor—the job that brought her in 2005 to Univision 67, when she moved to Salinas and where she met her husband. Now, Owen teaches communications at Gavilan College and manages her own communications firm, Precious Stone PR Inc. She also holds several volunteer leadership roles, including serving on the board of the Salinas Airshow. She spoke to the Weekly about her journey. Weekly: You describe your childhood really warmly. Owen: I grew up running around the meadows and climbing mango trees—like 20 varieties of mango trees. That was our playground. We had no phone, no electricity. It was the happiest time. Then, the civil war. You describe guerrilleros from the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front suddenly showing up, and then everything changed. All of a sudden, we were surrounded—they were demanding food. My mom was in the kitchen making them tortillas and it was kind of peaceful. Then all of a sudden, we hear a helicopter over the house, and tk-tk-tk-tk. We’re freaking out, under the beds—we could hear the bullets ricochet. That was the beginning of the end for us, of our happy place. We were no longer safe there. My brother and I understood our parents had left everything—we had a responsibility to take advantage of the opportunity and the second chance that we got. You describe yourself as a shy child, never outspoken. How did you find your public speaking voice? Beauty pageants. That sounds like a big leap for a shy teenager. I felt completely comfortable. On stage, in front of people for the first time, I just felt this surge of confidence. My dad didn’t let me wear shorts; he looked the other way when I came out in a bathing suit. My mom would make my evening gowns because we didn’t have money. She did a great job, and I always looked the part; nobody knew that it just cost $5 or $10 in materials. You enrolled in college at USC expecting to study civil engineering, then ended up in broadcast journalism. What changed? It was the first year people with no green card or citizenship could not get financial aid. I only had a work permit—it allowed me to be here legally and work, but not to receive any type of benefit. That was devastating. Everybody else lied to get their green card and my dad wouldn’t lie. I was super upset and I thought my life was over. But I appreciate it now, because I appreciate his integrity. During your break from college, you kept doing pageants. I won Miss El Salvador LA. That brought me another level of confidence and I got more practice to be outspoken. The Chamber of Commerce would invite me to be in all these events and I would have to say something. You haven’t worked in television since 2008, but you always look ready to go on TV. Through the pageants, I learned to do basic makeup. It’s part of my morning routine. You started your own PR firm in 2020, just before the pandemic. How did you make it work? I had to learn Zoom super-quick. [I had led nonprofit Youth Orchestra Salinas] and knew most smaller nonprofits can’t afford a marketing director, and I quickly got busy consulting. What do you do to relax? I watch a little TV. My guilty pleasure is Real Housewives of Orange County, oh my goodness, the drama! My life is so much better. Royal Way Success in beauty pageants launched Esmeralda Owen on an improbable path to success. By Sara Rubin Esmeralda Owen calculated her volunteer commitments and discovered she donates 1,500 hours per year. “From a very young age, I noticed how my dad would give and give of his time—the person everyone could count on. That has stuck with me,” she says. DANIEL DREIFUSS Shelter From the StormS The barrage of disasters and ugly politics have separated us. Many of us feel small and ineffectual. We don’t know where to turn and have withdrawn from the world. Unitarian Universalists offer a safe harbor for you and your family. We believe in community. We say YES to JOY, to LOVE, to COURAGE, and to HOPE. Our Sunday services at 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., and our many community activities show how to face our days with a positive spirit. We strive to do good and to improve the world a little every day—focusing on social justice, environmental, LGBTQ+, and immigration issues. We welcome everyone, and we know that it is going to take all of us to thrive! To learn more, come to a Sunday service, check out our website at www.UUCMP.org, or call 831-624-7404. Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula, 490 Aguajito Road, Carmel CA 93923
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