student spotlight
The Passionate Activist NYU Law’s new Soros Fellow is dedicated to fighting injustice. The Coca-Cola work brought Romero to rowing up, camilo romero ’12 says, “I was often angry.” His awareness of New York, where in 2005 he helped win a injustice fueled a passion to defend the ban of Coca-Cola products at NYU. He was weak and disadvantaged that has recently in the city, too, in February 2009, when the been recognized as he becomes the third University allowed Coke back on campus. NYU Law student since 2005 to win a The next day, Romero received an accepPaul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New tance letter and full scholarship from NYU Americans. “There was a very big pebble in Law. It was a crisis-of-conscience moment. “Despite feeling conflicted,” he recalls, my shoe,” he says. “In fact, in both shoes.” “it also was motivating to think I could use But he chose idealism over despair. Born in California after his family es- the opportunity to help attain my goals.” caped the violence in Colombia, Romero His decision to pursue a J.D. had stemmed largely from litigation grew up in a workingagainst Coca-Cola— class household in he’d seen that activism Costa Mesa that inalone was insufficient. cluded his mother, an Romero chose NYU for administrative assisits public service emtant; his grandmother, phasis: “Law school is a a housekeeper; and his tool of access, so no matyounger sister. ter what cause you’re Even before college, fighting for, a degree Romero was interested from a school as elite as in immigrant rights NYU is leverage.” and community buildNow an organizer ing. At the University and member of the of California, Berkeley, legal team for SINALRomero found a lanTRAINAL, Romero atguage for his passion to correct injustice. He also encountered tained more leverage this spring with his the cause that would come to define much Soros Fellowship, which provides tuition of his life: holding multinational corpora- assistance to immigrants or children of tions accountable for human rights abuses immigrants. More important, Romero says, the accolade validates his work of the past of their workers and others. Initially becoming involved with SINAL- seven years: “This award is not for me, but TRAINAL, Colombia’s largest food and for those who will come after me.” Romero actively seeks mentors, even beverage industry union, because of U.S. military intervention in Colombia, Romero those he hasn’t been taught by, such as Prosoon joined a campaign against Coca-Cola, fessor of Clinical Law Anthony Thompson, helping organize campus boycotts across an expert in utilizing advocacy to shape the United States to pressure the company public policy. “There are two things about to address allegations of abuse of union or- Camilo that are very unique in first-year ganizers in Coca-Cola facilities in Colombia. law students,” says Thompson. “One, he (In a statement on its website, Coca-Cola comes into the study of law with an acute defended its reputation and said that, “for appreciation for the role of organizing and as long as we have been in Colombia, the activism, in addition to litigation, as ways Company and the independent franchise to better the plight of the less fortunate. bottling partners have made efforts to pro- Two, he’s had some experiences outside the country, and he comes with a very broad tect the Coca-Cola workforces.”) “Camilo is strikingly passionate about perspective of what it means to be involved social justice as well as having a vigor- in social justice and human rights issues.” Romero values leadership developous understanding of the social world,” says Professor Samuel Lucas, who taught ment, and wants to ensure a path for othRomero at Berkeley. “Those two things ers. “There’s a victory in this struggle,” says provide an unbeatable combination when Romero of his activism. “By the time we die seasoned by his obvious insight, intellec- the world will still suffer from inequalities, tual capabilities, and empathy for disad- but if we can make it better, then we’ve done our part.” Atticus Gannaway vantaged groups and individuals.”
G
october 29, 2009
Fall Ball WWW.LAW.NYU.EDU
85