With experience he gained at Loyola, Flavio Bravo makes his mark in Arizona

When Flavio Bravo (BA ’16) was growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, Catholic school seemed out of reach. His parents both worked as court interpreters, and the students in the Catholic schools were the children of the more well-off judges and attorneys.

Eventually there was an opening at a nearby school, and a coworker encouraged his parents to apply. Bravo was admitted, and his family was happily surprised that they could make it work, thanks to some “generous financial aid,” he says.

However, it wasn’t always easy. His family often discussed the sacrifices made for his education: “I remember those conversations in the household as early as fourth grade,” he says. “It meant a lot to me because I thought, ‘Look how hard my parents are working. They’re juggling different jobs,’” he says. “It was all hands on deck, everyone pitching in.”

Inspired by their hard work, Bravo came to Loyola University Chicago as a first-generation college student. Growing up in Arizona, he was surrounded by immigrants, but the politicians there didn’t seem to value the contributions of these communities. In Chicago, he noticed a difference: Elected officials amplified the stories of new residents. His application essay for Loyola was about how Chicago, a city of immigrants, responds to its needs.

Once on campus, Bravo hit the ground running. “As early as freshman year, I got very involved in the work to support undocumented students,” he says. Bravo was born in the U.S. and was eligible for federal aid. He wanted to make sure undocumented students had the same opportunities he had.

Later, Bravo helped plan a summit on immigration reform among Midwest universities and successfully campaigned for it to be held at Loyola. During his sophomore year, he was elected student body president. In that position, he helped the University create a scholarship fund, the Magis Scholarship, for undocumented students—with a little help from Sister Jean. “She knew who to speak to, to move the levers at the University. And she was all on board,” he says.

He continued to take on leadership roles, connecting to his peers and professors.

“Those professors became some of my greatest mentors,” he says, “by challenging my views and trying to help me understand what my future role in life would be.”

Bravo graduated with the goal to keep serving. He began working on Capitol Hill in 2019. Then, at just 27, he ran for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives in his home district and was elected in 2022. Now he’s a member of the Arizona Senate, representing the same district.

This district “has the highest concentration of refugees in in the state of Arizona,” Bravo says. “Some could compare it to Rogers Park,” the diverse home of Loyola. In this position, Bravo continues to fight for new Americans. Among several efforts, he is working on a policy that would allow immigrants in Arizona to access occupational work licenses at age 18.

Bravo sees the value and the decency in investing in immigrants. He saw it in his childhood, he saw it at Loyola, and now he’s using that experience to impact the lives of the people he represents. “We’re all connected,” he says, “and we should remember that for life.”

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