Amplifying Youth Advocacy
Whether it is advocating for the responsible use of technology, being a youth peace ambassador or interning for U.S. Senator Brian Schatz ’90, Reina Gammarino ’24 is not one to let challenges stand in the way of pursuing her passions.
Gammarino, who was born deaf and needed specialized auditory training to learn to speak, has lived with cochlear implants since infancy. The devices convert sound into signals by directly stimulating the auditory nerve, enabling her to navigate the world of sound and speech – and sparking her interest in the applications of advanced technology.
Leveraging her unique experience, Gammarino hopes to influence discussions around AI, privacy and technology regulation. She calls for increased government safeguards around generative AI and personal information. Currently, while companies must report leaks involving sensitive banking details, there is no requirement to do so for biometric data like fingerprints or facial IDs. Gammarino emphasizes, “It just seemed clear to me that there needs to be some change, and that privacy law needs to account for all personal data.”
Despite the early challenges of speech therapy, Gammarino has been honing her voice as an activist through significant public platforms, from the legislature to international conferences. As an active member of Davis Democracy Initiative’s AI/Tech policy group and the founder of START (Student Advocates for Responsible Technology), Gammarino has testified at the Capitol before legislators on such issues as a cybersecurity bill aimed at updating privacy laws to account for biometric data. Gammarino also interned for U.S. Senator Brian Schatz ’90, assisting with policies that draw on research from the National Institute for Health’s National Center for Biotechnology Information.
While the atmosphere of legislative hearings can be intimidating, Gammarino rises to the challenge to elevate youth voices on important topics. “It’s scary in the legislature – we’re the youngest ones there – but it’s encouraging because we have a statement to make,” she explains.
Her advocacy extends to climate issues as well. She is active with the Hawai‘i Youth Climate Coalition and has participated in sustainability conferences, including the Climate Future Forum in Honolulu and an international climate change conference in Villars, Switzerland. She is also an editor for the School newspaper and a captain of Punahou’s Speech and Debate team, having been active since ninth grade and winning several state awards.
Gammarino’s resilience similarly shines through her personal interests. Despite doubts about her auditory ability to appreciate music, she is an accomplished pianist and is learning to play the guitar. She also dazzles as a card magician and founded the Punahou Magic Club. After all, she notes, “cochlear implants are a form of modern magic.”
Beyond technology and policy, Gammarino’s Japanese and American ancestry have influenced her interest in international relations. “I like to think I’m a bridge between the two cultures,” she says. She has been actively involved in Model UN and was a Hiroshima Peace Scholar, who visited Japan as a youth peace ambassador. She plans to continue in this vein for future studies at UPenn, where she hopes to major in international relations while possibly pursuing a dual degree in engineering.
Gammarino, no doubt, embodies the spirit of resilience and the power of personal challenges to transform. Her advice to younger students echoes her own experiences: “Above all else, things will work out in the end. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but you meet new people, expose yourself to new experiences, keep an open mind, and you will find a path.”
