Trinity Student Bridges Borders Through Advocacy

Trinity University students learn to think beyond borders. For Alynn Miranda '27, that perspective is shaped by lived experience. Born in Texas and raised in a border town in Tamaulipas, Mexico, Miranda returned to San Antonio in 2021, hoping to reconnect with a part of her identity she had never fully explored.

What began as a short stay quickly became permanent, launching her into a new school system, a new language, and a completely different cultural environment. "I had never really experienced the U.S.," she said. "I wanted to understand that side of who I was."

The Rio Grande was only the first of many borders Miranda would cross. What began as a personal search for identity has grown into a larger commitment to justice, leadership, and advocacy, one that is already producing meaningful work in support of human rights, especially for women.

When Miranda enrolled at Sam Houston High School, in San Antonio's far-east side, she had to navigate an unfamiliar academic system on top of learning a new language. Every morning, before class, she met with a teacher who tutored her in English.

Knowing she wanted to attend a four-year university, Miranda began researching colleges, and that's when she learned about Trinity University. "As a first-generation student, I didn't even know how college applications worked here," she said. "I didn't know what the SAT or ACT were." But Miranda persisted.

"I knew what I wanted," she said. "Even if I didn't know exactly how to get there."

With little formal guidance, she researched the process on her own, completed her application independently, and applied to just one university: Trinity, where she was accepted.

Before beginning at Trinity, Miranda took a gap year that would shape her worldview. Through a U.S. State Department exchange program, she spent 10 months in Warsaw, Poland, living with a host family, attending high school, and learning Polish.

The experience challenged her and gave her clarity. "It taught me how to be comfortable being uncomfortable," she said.

While abroad, Miranda reflected on the realities she had grown up with, particularly gender-based violence in her hometown in Mexico. There, she had to follow strict safety precautions before leaving home. She sent photos of what she was wearing, along with details of where she was going and who she would be with, to her parents, "just in case" something happened to her. In Europe, she encountered a different reality: no photos, no check-ins, no quiet contingency plans, just the unfamiliar experience of moving through the world without fear.

Motivated to share those perspectives, Miranda created an Instagram account translating Spanish-language content about gender-based violence into English. The response was immediate and global.

"I started hearing from women all over the world," she said. "They were saying, 'This is exactly what I've been trying to explain.'"

That project evolved into "Revolución Violeta," now a registered nonprofit organization with chapters in San Antonio, Austin, and Denver. The organization focuses on raising awareness about gender-based violence and amplifying lived experiences often overlooked in policy discussions.

At Trinity, Miranda studies political science and international affairs, with a focus on human rights and migration. She has participated in a study abroad program in Bosnia and will be doing another this fall in Argentina.

Her academic work is deeply connected to her community engagement. She volunteers with immigrant support efforts in San Antonio, assisting individuals navigating the legal system, providing translation services, and connecting families with resources.

"Seeing these issues up close changes how you understand them," she said. "It's not just theory, these are people's lives."

Miranda sees her role as bridging two worlds. "There are so many voices that deserve to be heard," she said. "I want to help connect those stories to spaces where decisions are made."

Miranda's work has earned national recognition. She is a finalist for the prestigious Truman Scholarship, awarded to students committed to public service.

She has also participated in a leadership program through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, where she interned in Washington, D.C., engaged with policymakers, including former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris , and contributed to conversations on education and immigration.

While in Washington, Miranda was invited by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition, in collaboration with the Mexican Embassy, to deliver a speech for the launch of a toolkit designed to help Spanish-speaking families navigate the U.S. education system and become more engaged in their children's educational journeys.

Looking ahead, she plans to pursue graduate studies and continue working at the intersection of human rights and public policy. "I'm still exploring what that path will look like," she said. "But I know I want to keep creating opportunities not just for myself, but for others."

From navigating a new language and education system to building a nonprofit and engaging in national policy spaces, Miranda's journey reflects resilience, initiative, and purpose. She credits Trinity professors, such as Rosa Aloisi, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Political Science Department, among others, who have encouraged and supported her along the way.

Miranda doesn't just go beyond borders, she pushes them. "If I don't see an opportunity," she said, "I'll either find it or create it."