(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SACRAMENTO, CA— Assemblymember Marc Levine (D – Marin County) today named non-profit leader Socorro Romo as the California State Assembly’s Woman of the Year for Marin and southern Sonoma counties.
Romo was born in Jalisco, Mexico and moved to the United States in 1980, where she began her family in West Marin. Romo’s children attended West Marin School in Point Reyes Station and went on to attend local universities in the North Bay.
In 1990, Romo began a volunteer job at West Marin School after noticing a lack of Latino leaders in the community and the need to build bridges between immigrant and non-immigrant residents in Marin County. Motivated by her work, Romo went back to school to complete her higher education.
In 1993, Romo began working as a social worker and in 2009, joined West Marin Community Services (WMCS) where she has had the opportunity to work with some of the most marginalized in society. In 2014, Romo co-developed Abriendo Caminos, a project to increase Latino civic engagement, build leadership and find pathways to promote mutual respect, embrace diversity and promote equality for all people. In the summer of 2018, Romo became the Executive Director of WMCS and is the first Latina to lead the organization.
“Socorro Romo is a bright light in Marin County, giving inspiration and hope to people in our community and throughout the North Bay,” said Assemblymember Levine. “I am pleased to honor Ms. Romo for her commitment and dedication to help residents maximize their potential, to build a strong and diverse workforce and to improve the lives of residents throughout the region.”
The Woman of the Year event was created in 1987 to recognize March as Women’s History Month and to individually celebrate the contributions and unique accomplishments of women in each of the Assembly’s 80 districts.
The 2019 Woman of the Year event took place in the Assembly Chambers of the State Capitol on Monday, March 4, 2019.
Assemblymember Marc Levine represents California’s 10th Assembly District, which includes Marin and southern Sonoma Counties. Connect with Assemblymember Levine on social media: @AsmMarcLevine.