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Anastasia Somoza (C’07) spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last month. (AP Photo)

August 11, 2016鈥擳he 2016 Democratic National Convention wasn鈥檛 exactly short on big speeches.

The four-day ceremony featured addresses from a seemingly never-ending list of prominent national politicians鈥攊ncluding two U.S. presidents鈥攁ll endorsing the first woman to run on a major-party presidential ticket in Hillary Rodham Clinton.

But one of Philadelphia鈥檚 most poignant speeches didn鈥檛 come from a rising star legislator or party politics veteran. On Monday night, the first night of the convention, New York-based disability rights advocate 聽maneuvered her motorized chair to center stage and delivered a powerful five-minute endorsement of Clinton to a roaring crowd.

Judging by the reaction pieces that night, the political press received the speech as well as the arena had. But for Somoza, it was only the latest big moment in a life of public service and activism that began with a childhood passion for equal rights and was shaped here at Georgetown 海角论坛.

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Somoza (C鈥�07) was born with cerebral palsy with spastic quadriplegia, which confined her to a wheelchair from childhood. Her parents鈥攂oth immigrants, of Irish and Nicaraguan descent鈥攚orked hard to ensure she got the same educational opportunities as other children. But while Somoza could speak eloquently, her twin sister Alba鈥檚 condition rendered her almost completely nonverbal, making the fight to keep her in general education classes much more difficult.

Outraged that the school system had shunted her sister into a special education track for a physical disability, Somoza spoke up. In 1993, she met President Bill Clinton (F鈥�68) at a and lobbied for her sister鈥檚 cause. All of nine years old, she made her case clearly and directly to the sitting president.

鈥淪he can use her computer to speak, and I think she should be in a regular class just like me,鈥� Anastasia Somoza told Clinton.

Before long, Alba was granted access to the classes she deserved.

Having seen up close how political advocacy could change lives, Somoza continued to involve herself in politics even after Alba鈥檚 situation was resolved. She volunteered in local campaigns, from school board elections to New York Democrat Mark J. Green鈥檚 run to become the city鈥檚 first public advocate.

When it came time to apply to college, Somoza knew she wanted to follow her Fordham-educated mother鈥檚 advice and find a Jesuit school鈥攂ut she also knew she wanted to leave New York, eliminating her mother鈥檚 alma mater from the search. Eventually, her mother suggested she apply to Georgetown.

鈥淚t was an instant connection,鈥� Somoza said. 鈥淚 felt really comfortable in every way.鈥�

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Even for someone who now possesses the self-confidence to speak in front of thousands of people, the first few days of college can be nerve-wracking.

鈥淧eople may be surprised to hear this, but there was a time that I didn鈥檛 have that level of confidence,鈥� Somoza said. 鈥淚 had personal apprehensions about whether I鈥檇 be able to meet the academic standards, just like most typical teenagers.鈥�

Coming from a public high school, Somoza was worried that she would struggle in an academic environment with students who had had access to more advanced classes at private schools. She worried that her fellow students would be ultra-competitive and even that making friends would be a struggle.

鈥淚t was so not,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 found a supportive group of friends right away, and whenever I did need extra help, I remember all my professors having an open door.鈥�

Somoza eventually decided to major in and minor in , but she took full advantage of the flexibility the 海角论坛 offers to explore as many disciplines as possible, and eventually ended up only one class short of a second minor in . When she wasn鈥檛 in class or cheering on the basketball and football teams, she kept up her activist streak, getting involved with an HIV/AIDS awareness group and serving on the board of Hoyathon, a 24-hour benefit dance marathon for the Children鈥檚 Hospital of DC.

Somoza’s experience at the 海角论坛 helped give direction to the drive to serve that she had felt for years. After graduation, she enrolled at the London School of Economics and Political Science and earned a .

鈥淥ne of Georgetown鈥檚 biggest mottoes is to live in the service of others,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e carried that with me. I tried to do it at Georgetown, and that鈥檚 a big part of the reason I pursued the graduate degree that I did.鈥�

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Today, Somoza consults for the , a disability rights advocacy group based in New York. Shield supports a number of programs for people with both intellectual and developmental disabilities, many focusing on daytime physical therapy and training for those who can鈥檛 work a traditional job. She鈥檚 most familiar with the studio, where her sister Alba is a , but she serves as a sort of jack-of-all-trades for the organization.

鈥淢y work with them is speaking, working with their board, fundraising, and staff, parent and teacher training,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y role is really to help the staff and families remember what they鈥檙e doing beyond the paperwork.鈥�

But Somoza鈥檚 work isn鈥檛 limited to her paid job in New York. She鈥檚 brought her passion for service to a national and international scale, with the indirect help of a family she first met as a small child: The Clintons.

After a chance meeting with St. Cloud State University鈥檚 Dr. Kathy Johnson while interning at the 2012 annual meeting, Somoza began working on a CGI project aiming to eliminate the abandonment of children with disabilities in China. The project鈥攁 Commitment to Action, in CGI terms鈥攚ill seek to establish a comprehensive resource center for parents of children with disabilities.

In addition to her consulting and volunteer work, Somoza will serve as an official surrogate for Hillary Rodham Clinton鈥檚 presidential campaign this fall. She鈥檒l hit the trail in the coming months and speak on behalf of Clinton.

Less than a decade removed from her graduation, the woman who was nervous about even coming to Georgetown is making a tangible difference in her city, her country and halfway around the world. She鈥檚 doing exactly what it would seem she鈥檚 been destined to do since childhood, and she credits her education for helping her get there. So what does she think current Georgetown students should do to follow in her path?

鈥淭ake every opportunity you have to pursue things that you love, but also that you never imagine you鈥檇 be interested in,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the best part, realizing how many pathways there are to realizing who you are as a person. Step鈥攐r wheel鈥攐utside your comfort zone.鈥�