Thirty. 10. 5. Tokyo!

Today is Sunday, July 5, 2026. I lie awake in my VRBO Hollywood Hills bed on my birthday. Once again I decided to celebrate the weekend in Cali with my minis. They decided to treat me to a day to Universal Studios, but because I am unable to take extra time off this weekend, we visited the park yesterday. It was so much fun–we rode all the rides and I was reminded that my equilibrium is not the same as it was when they were little. LOL! Even with the hiccups we have traveling from time to time, I love that they still make time to go on adventures with me and this year seems to most poignant with three trips planned and a potential fourth, but I’ll get into that a little later.

@darasophia13

Saturday in the park. I think it was the 4th of July. #universalstudios #2026 #independenceday #chicago

♬ Saturday in the Park (2022 Remaster) – Chicago

I love celebrating my birthday. It’s a time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the year ahead. Full knowing I have less birthday celebrations ahead than those behind me, I tend to take them seriously and celebrate fully throughout the month. I am coming up on the last six months in the Office of the Governor. What a privilege to do the work leading the Governor’s initiatives and engaging New Mexico communities in meaning full ways. With an incredible team and community members, the Governor with the “Salamanca Twins” took to the road this spring to promote the Great New Mexico Clean-up. It was no easy feat, but the state came together with over 40 clean-up events involving 7, 185 volunteers collecting 60,046 lbs of trash over a two day period (April 17-18) this spring. Right now I have 11 interns reporting to me, from the ages of 14 to 21 (the reason I can not take extra time off right now). They have visited over a dozen state agencies and business that make our state great and are working on policy projects to strengthen the work we do daily. This does not come without challenges. I see so many differences in the cohort from a year ago. Last week, another youth based program I had the honor to co-lead, completed their 9 month program focusing on litter eradication and beautification in their local communities. These young ambassadors were responsible for hosting clean-up events and completing capstone projects. Some of them were chosen to write Op-eds about the impact of litter in our community. The citizens councils I facilitate are moving to impact their communities working with local governments. These are projects I hope to continue after the administration is out of office. I get asked all the time what is in the cards after January 1st. That I don’t know. I have enjoyed my time in Santa Fe, but I have no desire to continue you the commute. The work at the department level is too slow for me. I would love to continue in community engagement.

The year, 2026, also brought some major milestones. These milestones impacted me in ways that were made to help me to build resiliency or attempt to destroy me. Almost two weeks ago, we gathered to honor the memorial anniversary of my mom. It has been 30 years since she died; it was a few weeks from my 23rd birthday. To my friends out there who have lost a parent, I see you. For me, 30 years still feels like yesterday, yet I still feel her presence all around me, in my minis, in the work I do and in the occasional butterfly that flutters by to remind me she is around. In the past 30 years, we have been able to secure her legacy to help students at UNM achieve their academic goals through her memorial scholarship. As much as I moan when I have to read an average 60 applications (and sometimes over 100), I am so honored that we are able to help those students (over 100+ to date) continue their education event when obstacles stand in their way. Every day, I am reminded that we have the opportunity to impact others in positive and meaningful ways, even if we will never know them.

Later this year, it will be 10 years that I have been divorced. That was a time in my life that I just felt numb. It is incredible what you learn about people and who they truly are. I learned that I am so much stronger than I give myself credit for. Maya Angelou’s quote, “When someone shows who they are, believe them the first time.” was solidified for me during this time. I don’t disregard the 22 years before that time, but I am truly grateful for the path, the relationships and the joy since.

Five years ago, February 18, 2021, I was on a call with the doctor after a biopsy and received the news that no one wants to get at work. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I so nonchalantly shared that in the group text with my friends. Ang joined me in less that 20 minutes (she had to wait for Macy’s doors to open to come in). Navigating any diagnosis during COVID was a nightmare. I don’t remember how many appointments had had to attend on my own, how many times I had wait in drive up lanes for COVID testing before surgeries, how many visits to NYC to get my fix (oh wait only one) and how many friends and family members showed up–to that I AM SO INCREDIBLY THANKFUL!! I didn’t choose the chemopath and I stick by it to this day so I didn’t know about ringing the bell at the end of the session. Instead, I had 6 weeks of radiation therapy on the daily. It was rough and yet, I decided to have some fun with it. Every day, I chose to wear a different pair of shoes (yes, I have that many). On the last day of my treatment, July 29, 2021, with my short pixie haircut (I wasn’t sure if I was going to do chemo when I decided I needed a change) and my left side of my chest flaming red from the radiation, my friends told me to get dressed up because we were going out to celebrate (thanks Kristin for taking the lead). Every year, I am grateful that I am still here living my life to the fullest and doing all the things. Which leads me to Tokyo…

If you have been on social media, you may have heard about a little macaque monkey, Panchi-kun, who was born on July 26, 2025 in Ichikawa City Zoo. He was born in the heat of summer and his mother wasn’t equip to bond with him. Abandoned, zoo staff cared for him and gave him an orangutan stuffie to cuddle with when he was old enough. I am obsessed as I am with the Pandas in DC and Mars, the pygmy hippo, in Wichita. I wanted to travel to Tokyo to celebrate his birthday…but they weren’t kidding about the weather this time of year and the flights were a little cost prohibitive. Isaiah and Brianna mentioned going in November during the Thanksgiving Holiday (they are traveling with friends, and I just thought that maybe I could convince Cati for us to tag along) when the Universe butted in. After Milan Fashion Week, I mentioned that I wanted to do one more international show in Tokyo. I started looking at production companies and the laughable $20,000 entry fees were a huge barrier. That on top of my work commitments prevented me from anything fashion design passion project related. I mean ANYTHING (I haven’t designed or completed anything beyond hemming in the past year). Then last week, I received an email from the production company that I worked with in Paris and Milan and what do you know, they are expanding to Tokyo. The date of this show is November 28, 2026. I said if I go to Tokyo Fashion Week, I have to go with my minis. Here is the opportunity! And the cost, while still not free, is much more small design house friendly at $4,500.

So I’m in. I need to focus on the collection inspiration and determine whether or not to host a hometown preview. It is time for some creativity in my life. While 30.10.5 may have been been obstacles in my way to break me. I think they have created resiliency, opportunity to look at life through a different lens and to celebrate life for the roses and the thorns. These events have also inspired me to create. I hope you will tune in as this plays out on the runway…and I’ll definitely be planning a visit to see Punch.

Here’s to more chapters in my Ms. Adventures. Now I get to enjoy brunch with my minis!
With light and love,

Dara Sophia Romero