 She witnessed the devastation to communities and the fragile ecological foundation of her island growing up and learned how to organize, protest and challenge authority effectively through the actions of those around her and later through her own advocacy at University.Though from humble beginnings, Negretti graduated magna cum laude from Emerson College with a bachelor's degree in fine arts and holds a master's degree in public administration from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.In 1992 Negretti moved to Massachusetts to attend college and went on to work as senior legislative aide for State Senator Dianne Wilkerson at a time when there was no visible Latino political leadership.