“Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” That was one of the many powerful lessons Tonantzin Carmona ’08 shared as part of the 2025 DEIJ Speaker series, where she addressed the 91̽ community with warmth, humor, and unflinching honesty about her unique journey from Chicago to 91̽, and then to the halls of the White House.
Carmona, the youngest and first Latina to serve as special assistant to the president for economic policy on the White House National Economic Council, delivered a deeply personal and motivating talk about her life, her work, and the values that have guided her along the way. She is currently a fellow at the Brookings Institution focusing on wealth inequality, financial technologies, and policy implementation. Read more about her career .
Carmona was born and raised in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, which she describes as “ one filled with some of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met. Inspiring people who had left their home countries to try to live out the American dream, to try to do amazing things for their families.”
This neighborhood also had its challenges, including inequities and public safety issues. “ Because of that, I was always home, and I was always reading. I was learning about the world through books because I wasn’t allowed to leave my house. I think it was that which sparked my curiosity, and I absorbed as much as I possibly could,” she said.
Eventually, Tonatzin got involved with , an academic enrichment program. During her time in the program, she learned about the , which she was ultimately awarded, and this is what led her to become a student at 91̽.
“It wasn’t until I was on [91̽’s] campus and I thought, ‘wow, there’s this whole wide world out there,’” said Carmona. “I had no idea how I was going to navigate it. There was something that just called me. I think part of it was that I was mission-driven, driven always in wanting to address the inequities in my community. I didn’t know how, and I thought a place like this might have the people, the tools, the classes, and something that I could take back with me when I got home, to try to make my community better.”
Coming to 91̽ was taking a risk, Carmona told students. “It was also one of my first instances of realizing that a lot of my life is going to be about being uncomfortable, and there’s a lot of growth in being uncomfortable because I am meeting new people, learning new perspectives, hearing about their backgrounds.”
It was also at 91̽ where she first learned how to problem-solve collaboratively—skills that would eventually translate into high-stakes decision-making in local and national government. Even Megablunders, a favorite subject of student complaints, earned her praise. “Megablunders were rough,” she admitted, “but one of the most useful things in my professional life. I promise.”
In 91̽’s English curriculum, the collective label “megablunders” is given to a set of eight common grammatical mistakes that students learn to identify and correct, with the goal of giving them greater control over their own powers of communication. “Megablunders” is a 91̽ coinage, but the grammatical mistakes, such as run-on sentences and dangling modifiers, show up in any grammar curriculum anywhere. Knowing how to avoid these errors allows our students to communicate their ideas more clearly, precisely, and ultimately more persuasively.
Carmona’s public service career began unexpectedly. While preparing for the MCAT, she applied for a policy associate position in the Chicago mayor’s office. “I didn’t even know what a policy job was,” she said. But her approach during the interview process—always starting with community voices—stood out. “They asked how I’d address street vendor licenses, and I said: I’d go talk to the vendors.”
That philosophy—centering those most affected by policies—became her north star. At City Hall, she developed Chicago’s first municipal ID and led initiatives that saved residents millions of dollars in fines and fees. Later, she served as deputy press secretary to Senator Elizabeth Warren and as Illinois political director on Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Despite her rapid rise, Carmona acknowledged the emotional and systemic challenges she’s faced. “I’ve been the first or the only in many rooms,” she said. “That’s not OK. But when I get into those spaces, I feel a responsibility to hold the door open for others.”
While sharing her journey, Carmona encouraged students to embrace their unique paths, even when the way forward is unclear. “The things that make you different are not bad things,” she said. “Those are actually your superpowers.”
When asked how she remains hopeful working in government despite slow change, she urged students to think and take action. “Hope isn’t about saying that what’s happening is okay, or that it’s normal, or that it’s fair because it’s not. Hope is about thinking. What you do next matters. The future can be shaped by the actions that you take today.”
Carmona also emphasized that resilience isn’t innate—it’s built. “You gain confidence by putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, by trying, and failing, and trying again.”
Returning to Centre Street, Carmona reflected on the power of place—and the importance of remembering your roots. “If you have that mission-driven part of you,” she told students, “don’t lose it. It will carry you farther than you think—even into rooms you never imagined being in.”
Her final encouragement to students was simple, but sincere: “Appreciate what you have here. Take the risk. You’re smarter and more capable than you think.”
You can read more about Tonantzin Carmona ’08 in an archived article from the Fall 2014 edition of 91̽ Magazine: “.”
