LAURA CAMILA RIVERA
Director of Marketing & Communications, Commonwealth Corporation
Founder, CAMI Studio
Heritage: Puerto Rican
By: Frank Morris Lopez
Awards & Recognitions
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Order of Omega Greek Honor Award 2019 – Boston, MA
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Latinx Student Cultural Center Civic Engagement Award 2018 – Boston, MA
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NEU Student Leadership Access Award 2018 - Boston, MA
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Latinx Student Cultural Center Senior Cultural Award 2019 - Boston, MA
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ALPFA Boston, Board Member of the Year Award, 2021
What motivates Laura Camila Rivera?
“Just other people’s passions,” she said. “I really love an opportunity to help elevate the hard work someone is doing just by using the skills I have.”
So it makes sense that Rivera’s entire career since college has been focused on helping others through marketing, an interest of hers since 8th grade — and much of her work has been focused on lifting up other Latinos.
She studied business marketing and graphic design at Northeastern University, where she was the first Latinx president of the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, raising thousands to provide medical supplies for the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Boston Children's Hospital, and leading multiple diversity and inclusion programs.
When Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017, Rivera led efforts to raise funds, food and articles of first necessity for people on the island. Working with Students with Puerto Rico, she was able to help raise more than $200,000. The fundraiser even caught the attention of Jimmy Fallon, who made a $20,000 contribution.
“That was really a grassroots movement from the start,” she said. “It started with just reaching out to each other, because we all felt paralyzed. No one could get back to the island, but we could not stand still, either. We needed work; we needed to be doing something.”
In her final months as a student, she founded the Northeastern Students of Color Caucus in hopes of gaining a foothold at the university to advocate for students of color. She’s still an alumni advisor there.
Rivera is now the director of marketing and communications at Commonwealth Corporation, an agency that provides workforce opportunities to diverse communities, including youths and adults exiting the penitentiary system.
Just last year, she started her own marketing firm called CAMI Studio, where she does marketing for BIPOC-owned, women-owned and mission-based businesses.
Aside from all that, Rivera is a marketing consultant for ALPFA Boston, where she previously served as marketing director. She also holds a seat on the National Puerto Rican Student Coalition Board, and has volunteered with Amplify Latinx, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción and canvassed with multiple political campaigns.
“This work has been incredibly meaningful to me because I came from a family that did not have a lot. My parents were pastors, and they were always taking care of the people around us,” she said. “My parents have gone through it, but it was never about what they needed. It was more about supporting other people so they can meet their needs.”
It’s those values, instilled by her parents, that drives her work now.
“I’ve had a lot of opportunities and so a lot of the work I do is about creating opportunities for others,” Rivera said. “I love working with other people because their passions become my passions. People can do a lot of amazing things if you give them a chance.”
