Loyola sophomore named a 2019 Newman Civic Fellow

Campus Compact named Gabriella Romo, ’21, a 2019 Newman Civic Fellow, an award for inspiring student leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to finding solutions to challenges faced by their communities.

Romo, a global studies major with a focus on globalization and sustainable development who is from San Antonio, Texas, was nominated by Loyola’s president, Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J.

“From her very first months as an undergraduate student, Gabriella stepped into a leadership role on campus, coordinating a campus event to raise awareness of racial injustices, organizing a campus discussion on the U.S. migration systems after she returned from working with migrants at the U.S./Mexico border, and overseeing a gala event with 500 attendees as a fundraiser for the Middle East Relief Initiative,” said Fr. Linnane.

At Loyola, she is an intern through the Center for Community Service and Justice. . She has taken part in Loyola Rising, a student movement for racial equality, and the Kino Border Initiative, an organization at the Mexican border working to ensure access to basic needs for those seeking safety and to foster bi-national solidarity on the issue of migration.

She is the treasurer for Middle East Relief Initiative and an ambassador for Mosaic: A Womxn of Color Initiative. She started and runs a community ToolBank through her work with the York Road Initiative with more than 400 tools to empower residents in their work to keep community spaces clean and safe.

“I am passionate about serving my community because I believe that the best outcomes are derived from building relationships and advocating for their unique needs and demands for justice and equality,” said Romo.

Romo hopes to apply her degree to combating environmental racism and influence positive change in policy.