Our people: Clovis resident Leticia Zarate enjoys public speaking

Clovis resident Leticia Zarate is a media consultant for a television station. She enjoys public speaking, writing and photography.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Zarate's three children, from left, Isaac, Sarah and Seth.

After my divorce in 2007, I asked myself what is the one thing I could do, since I'm alone and can't depend on someone else to provide an income for me, what is the one thing I could do to help myself? I had helped my husband get his master's degree, so I decided to go to school. I earned my bachelor of science degree in business administration in July 2010. I had just started night school when my son died and I kept telling my instructors "I can't do this." I was going to school, working full-time and dealing with my grief. I just wanted to give up, but I kept going and I finished with a B and I was on the honor roll. I learned something really important about myself. Now I know that I when I make a commitment I keep it. What is more important than making a commitment to yourself and being accountable to yourself every day?

I'll probably start my master's in creative writing in January. Getting published is a goal of mine.

Tell me about your writing.

Zarate and Randy at their wedding in 1985.

There is a motivational speaker that says you can do anything in 30 days if you make a commitment and do it. If you want to write a book with 50,000 words, you write 2,000 words a day and sit down and get it finished. I started a book Feb. 15 and finished it March 15. It's 116 pages and has 52,000 words. It needs some work but the raw material is there. The book ties into the challenges I've faced.

There are moments in life when you just want to crawl under a bed and hide and you don't want to face what you have to face. Writing has really helped me overcome my challenges. It has just been an incredible journey to get back to joy and back to living and having color back in my life, when it was such a dark time. I don't want to focus on the sad part. It's incredible to have so much joy in my life despite all the junk.

Do you have a hobby?

Photography is my passion. I got into a class at Clovis Community College in 2006. On a personal level, I find it therapeutic. It's what I use to enjoy myself, have fun and be creative. I love helping people feel better about themselves, so I've been talking to one of my friends who does hair and we've been considering helping people with low self esteem by photographing them and showing them how beautiful they are. When we look beautiful we feel so much better about ourselves. Sometimes we throw parties and just shoot pictures for fun. There's no pressure to earn money from it. On a professional level, I get to take pictures for commercials and my photography gets to be on television.

What do you do for fun?

Zarate receiving a Toastmaster's table topics award from Drake Davidson

I've been a member of Toastmasters club for 13 years. We have so much fun there. It's always so energetic. It's the highlight of my week. A teacher once told me, "Even though you're a woman you can still speak up and make a difference in the world." Even though you're a girl, you can have a voice. I remembered that. Growing up I was very shy, I wouldn't even look people in the eyes, but Toastmasters got me out of it. I've achieved about four different certificate levels. I enjoy giving inspirational speeches and I've been invited to give a speech for National Hispanic Heritage Month. I'd like to speak about having the mindset to be successful despite adversity.

— Compiled by CMI staff writer Tonjia Rolan