VISTA Volunteer Profile

My name is Mariah Romero, I am 23 years old, and I am the new VISTA Volunteer in Mora. I am the daughter of Dennis and Stella Romero, and the granddaughter of Alfonso and Gertrude Olivas and Pedro and Dorothy Romero. I was raised in Mora, New Mexico and graduated as valedictorian from Mora High School. Upon graduation from high school, I attended New Mexico State University (Go Aggies!) where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Family and Child Sciences as well as a supplementary major in Law and Society. I am currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Government from NMSU. My ultimate goal is to become a child advocacy attorney, and I hope to return to Mora to serve our own population. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, crocheting, crafting, and travelling. I have visited 10 countries, 26 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Through my upbringing in Mora, my education, and my travels I have learned the importance of community. Growing up in Mora, I knew I always had the support of my community behind me no matter what endeavor I was pursuing. At every school play, competition, or fundraiser I always had people showing up and rooting for me. I believe that this has been instrumental in my success thus far, and through my AmeriCorps VISTA service I have the opportunity to give back to the community that has done so much for me. As a VISTA volunteer, I will be working closely with local organizations to bring unique learning opportunities to our youth, developing a volunteer database to connect volunteers to service opportunities, and assisting with employment and economic development opportunities. These are just a few of the activities I will be doing as a VISTA member, and I’m sure that Mora residents will see me at many community events and meetings. I encourage anybody interested in becoming involved in the community in any capacity to contact me at my email address or find me on social media!

email: mariahromero4@gmail.com

Facebook: Mariah Romero

Instagram: @mariahjoeyoung