Karen Romo

My name is Karen Romo. I was born and raised in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, until the age of 15, when my family and I immigrated to the United States through my aunt’s sponsorship. Last December, I proudly became a U.S. citizen. Although my naturalization was finalized too late for me to vote in the last election, I found another way to participate in democracy by canvassing, phone banking, and volunteering with Voces de la Frontera (VDLF).

My connection to Voces began years ago, when I joined the Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES) group after moving to Racine, WI. As a teenager who didn’t yet know English, YES gave me community and support, and that experience inspired me to return to Voces years later as an organizer. At UW–Madison, I founded a Voces chapter to build power among students and address equity and justice issues on campus. One of our proudest achievements has been hosting Know Your Rights workshops, including a panel last semester that drew over 50 students, faculty, and community members to support international students who were being targeted.

Currently, I serve as a Rapid Response Organizer with Voces, where I focus on case management and help lead our emergency line through community watch effort.