Tucson Mayor Regina Romero Named Chair Of Latino Alliance Of Mayors

WASHINGTON, DC — Tucson Mayor Regina Romero has been named the chair of the Latino Alliance for the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), the USCM announced Wednesday.

Romero was elected mayor of Tucson in 2019, becoming the first woman and first Latina to hold that position. At the time, she also was the only Latina mayor in the 50 largest U.S. cities.

Now, she will chair the group that, according to its literature, serves as a forum for mayors to address policy concerns, governmental participation and the changing demographics of Latino communities in American cities.

"I am honored to serve in this role and am grateful for the support of my colleagues," Romero said about becoming the chair of the Latino Alliance. "Latinos are one of the fastest-growing demographics in the nation, with millions living in our cities. As we work on transformative change at all levels of government, it is important that we continue to elevate the needs of Latinos and other communities of color. Our power is in our shared story."

The Latino Alliance of the USCM was established in 2016 and includes both Latino mayors and non-Latino mayors who come from cities with large Latino populations.

"Mayor Romero has been a proud champion of her city and for the Latino community everywhere," Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said. "The Latino Alliance works on the most pressing issues facing this community today. I am confident Mayor Romero will continue to help the organization advocate for policies that will both address these challenges and ultimately strengthen the rich and diverse fabric of our nation's cities."

Romero was raised by immigrant farmworkers in Somerton and graduated from the University of Arizona. She received a post-graduate certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

In 2007, Romero became the first woman to represent Tucson's Ward 1 on the Tucson City Council. According to her biography on the city website, Romero has championed issues such as climate change, affordable housing, infrastructure investment, immigration and workers' rights and access to high-quality education.

Next month, Romero will join mayors from across the country for the USCM's 90th annual meeting, which takes place June 3-6 in Reno, Nevada.

According to the USCM, the meeting will involve hundreds of mayors discussing a wide range of priorities that contribute to the overall health of the nation's cities. The group also will be adopting policy resolutions that guide the advocacy agenda of the organization.