Inspiring Conversations with Stephanie Romo of A Place For Youth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Romo.

Stephanie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I owe my ambition, resilience, and passion to my family. I grew up in a large immigrant household where education was deeply valued, but access to guidance and opportunity was limited.

My parents immigrated from Mexico, speaking only Spanish, and never had the opportunity to attend college. My father worked in construction, and my mother raised six children while caring for my grandmother. I grew up translating in doctors’ offices, filling out paperwork, and helping my family navigate unfamiliar systems — all while trying to navigate my own education.

Like many children of immigrants, I believed success meant becoming a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. I pursued a degree in biology on the pre-med track, determined to become a pediatrician.

After graduating, I spent what was meant to be my gap year working with underserved, orphaned, and refugee youth both abroad and locally. That year changed everything.

Being immersed in the daily realities of young people navigating trauma, displacement, poverty, and systemic inequities opened my eyes to deeper root causes. I realized that while medicine treats illness, education, mentorship, and stability can prevent long-term harm. That shift redirected my path.

I moved to Los Angeles to pursue graduate studies in Global Medicine at USC’s Keck School of Medicine and the Marshall School of Business, with a focus on management, operations, and impact measurement. I became deeply committed to building organizations rooted in ethics, transparency, and accountability.

In 2023, I founded A Place for Youth in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles to create the support system I wished my own family had. Education today faces shrinking budgets, larger class sizes, and fewer safety nets. APFY was created to fill that gap — ensuring young people have access to guidance, opportunity, and a safe space to belong.

I am proud to be a testament to the potential first-generation youth hold when someone invests in them. I often tell our teens, “You don’t have to know exactly what you want to be — you just have to keep as many doors open as possible.” My parents held doors open for me. Now, I hold them open for others.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been smooth — and it hasn’t been easy. Running a nonprofit requires balancing leadership, administration, fundraising, staffing, and the emotional responsibility of serving youth and families facing real challenges.

Sustainability is our greatest ongoing challenge. Providing free, year-round programs requires constant fundraising and long-term donor commitment.

There have been moments of fear, anxiety, and burnout. My work-life balance may look different from that of many people in their 30s in Los Angeles. But as my mother always says, “Si fuera fácil, todos lo harían.” If it were easy, everyone would do it.

Every challenge has strengthened my resilience and deepened my belief in this mission. I’ve learned to ask for help, lean into community, and lead with integrity, even when it’s difficult.

What sustains me is seeing the direct impact of this work — watching students grow in confidence and families feel supported.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
A Place for Youth is a registered public charity operating a teen center in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles. What was once a warehouse is now a thriving community hub accessible via Metro and DASH lines, serving more than 120 middle and high school students annually from across greater LA.

Most of our students come from families earning between $25,000 and $30,000 per year, many of whom rely on free or reduced-price lunch programs, with an average household size of 4.3. A large portion are first-generation learners, and two out of three speak a primary language other than English at home. These numbers demonstrate both the urgency and intention behind our work.

We provide free tutoring, STEAM enrichment, college and career guidance, leadership development, and life skills programming to ensure students don’t fall through the cracks in overcrowded school systems. Each year, APFY delivers over 1,300 hours of structured academic support, serving students from more than 50 schools across Los Angeles.

Beyond academics, exploration is central to our model. We expose students to extracurricular activities, creative outlets, and hands-on experiences they might not otherwise access — helping them discover new interests and expand their sense of possibility. During the summer, students participate in our leadership camp, building resume-ready skills such as CPR and First Aid certification, financial literacy, budgeting, project planning, and peer mentorship. Our teens have the opportunity to serve as junior camp counselors, demonstrating leadership and mentorship, while also beginning early college exploration, advisory, and planning. Students have access to more than 120 hours of supervised, coordinated community service annually, because our philosophy is that leadership begins with service.

What sets us apart is our relationship-based and data-informed model. Our Academic Success Coordinator and tutors closely track assignments, deadlines, and exams. When a student begins missing work or falls behind, our team and counselor communicate directly with families to intervene early. We do not wait for failure — we aim to prevent it.

What I am most proud of is seeing transformation come full circle. One of our students came to us remedial in at least one subject every year and was uncertain whether they would graduate. For much of high school, they believed their only path forward was to enlist in the military because college felt out of reach. Through consistent tutoring, mentorship, and exposure to new opportunities, they discovered a passion for graphic design. They graduated from high school, are now attending community college with plans to transfer to a four-year university, and have since joined our staff as a peer advocate. Today, they mentor younger students, reminding them that their current struggles do not define their future. Their journey is proof that when young people are given stability, belief, and opportunity, they not only succeed but also return to lift others with them.

What does success mean to you?
To me, success means building something that lasts. I often tell our teens that I hope to retire one day and hand the center over to them. It’s never too early to plant the seed.

If the young people we serve grow into confident, compassionate, capable adults who return to uplift their communities — that is my measure of success.

Pricing:

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Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aplaceforyouth.org
• Instagram: @aplaceforyouth
• Facebook: @aplaceforyouthorg
• LinkedIn: @aplaceforyouth