Clarissa Riojas

Clarissa Riojas serves as the regional advocacy director for South Texas. Before joining Raise Your Hand Texas, Riojas was a middle school English teacher for 10 years where she organized teachers, parents, and students in support of safer schools, staff raises, and district transparency.

In 2023, she co-found and co-directed BLOOM Rio Grande Valley, a youth civic engagement organization in the Rio Grande Valley. Riojas is passionate about public education advocacy, working with young people, and uplifting the voices of public school employees.

Riojas holds bachelor degrees in English Literature and Mexican American Studies from The University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a master’s degree in Education Leadership from Harvard University. She lives in McAllen, Texas.