Regina Romero
Organizations
Public office, Mayor of the City of Tucson
Location
Tucson, Arizona
Biography
Regina Romero was born in 1974 in Somerton, Arizona. She is the youngest of 6 siblings and her parents were farmworkers who immigrated to Arizona from Mexico. Romero became the first person in her family to graduate from college and the first to vote. Regina Romero got her BA at University of Arizona and a postgraduate certificate from Harvard University's School of Government. She served in various capacities for the Tucson City Council before her mayoral bid. In 2019, Romero became the first-ever female and first-ever Latina mayor of Tucson, Arizona and won reelection in 2023.
Audio Clips
Interviewed by Michelle Téllez on February 1, 2024 in Tucson
Regina Romero introduces us to her parents and her experiences of living on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border between Sonora and Arizona.
Romero describes the difficult transition she experienced moving to Tucson and arriving at the University of Arizona. Eventually she took a Chicano Studies class and it politicized her, made her want to get involved and gave her a sense of belonging in Tucson. She also credits her family for inspiring her to vote; she saw electoral politics as her focus.
As Romero is putting herself through college she started working for the county and when her friend and mentor Raúl Grijalva decided to run for office she became heavily involved in campaign work. Eventually she and her fellow organizers created a group called Las Adelitas.
Romero describes how she decided to run for mayor and the campaign that led her to her historic victory in 2019.
Digital Archive
Seeking reelection for her position on the Tucson City Council for Ward 1 (2011).
Romero was an opponent of Arizona SB1070, here in an undated photo speaking against the legislation.
Romero is interviewed by local radio show on election day in 2015.
Rosa Robles Loreto was an undocumented woman who was in sanctuary at Southside Presbyterian Church between 2014-2015. Here Romero and colleagues stand in support of Rosa.
Mayoral bid election button.
Victory for Mayor Regina Romero, 42nd mayor and first Latina. Here in 2019 cover article with a photo of her and U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva.
Group photo on election night. 2019. Manuel Ruiz - Manuel Ruiz Photography.
Vice President Kamala Harris is greeted by Mayor Romero in her visit to Arizona in April of 2024.
Mayor Romero addressing the crowd at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.