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Welcome to the first annual International Youth Leadership Conference. The goal of this conference is to foster a sense of community among ELL students through the promotion of leadership, self-esteem, college preparedness and cultural awareness.

Four hundred ELL students from across the school district, representing approximately eighty languages, have come together for this unprecedented opportunity to learn and network with fellow students, educators and language minority leaders from the greater metro Portland area. We hope that the cultural richness of this event will generate/renew the energy and commitment of everyone involved to strive for a better future and enhance our educational and leadership potential.

Once again, on behalf of our planning committee welcome to the conference and have a wonderful day.

Keynote Speakers

Francisco Lο?pez
Executive Director, CAUSA Oregon

Francisco Lo?pez is a Salvadoran-American that came to the United States in 1985 as a refugee from the war in El Salvador. Francisco is a member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in South Salem. Francisco is the Executive Director of CAUSA, Oregon’s immigrant Rights Organization. In 2008 he was the Field Director with Voz Hispana Vote Project in Oregon.

CAUSA (Oregon’s Immigrant Rights Organization), the largest Hispanic civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. Mr. Lo?pez is a recipient of the 1997 Mexican Government Ohtli Medal; 1998 Hispanic Heritage Award from the Austin Independent School District; Providence Portland Medical Center Mission Leadership Award 2000; and the Oregon Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers 2006 Citizen of the Year Award and recipient of the 2011 Oregon Immigrant Achievement Award presented by American Immigrant Lawyers Association.

Keynote topic: Keeping Families Together

Lou Radja
Lou Radja Enterprises

As an International Speaker, Lou Radja’s mission is to uplift, educate and inspire his audience to live up to their greatness. Lou has motivated and challenged audiences worldwide to shake o disempowering beliefs and live up to their full human potential. Living by the global metaphor that “life’s a gift”, Lou’s message is built with gratitude as the foundation.

A Servant Leader, Lou Radja continues to work tirelessly to improve the lives of many across the globe. A recognized Motivational Speaker and founder of Lou Radja Enterprises, Mr. Radja has addressed and engaged global citizens all over the world on Leadership, Diversity, Service and Personal Development. As Executive Director of EduCongo, a U.S. based nonpro t organization; Lou’s energy is devoted to generating awareness and support to provide quality education for over 2,000 underprivileged children in the Congo.

Keynote topic: Helping You Live Your Best Life!

Dr. Doris McEwan
Deputy Director, Curriculum and Instruction at
Oregon Education Investment Board

Dr. McEwen joined OEIB in September 2012, having previously been Vice President/General Manager for the Central Region for Pearson/ America’s Choice and University of Washington’s College of Education.

Dr. McEwen has spent more than 40 years as an educator, including a successful seven- year tenure as superintendent of Clover Park School District (Lakewood, WA) where student achievement dramatically increased during her tenure. She was the rst African American female superintendent in Washington State, and for many years the only African American superintendent.

Through her tenure as an educator, Dr. McEwen has had a commitment to children and a passion for working with sta and the community to increase academic achievement and to ensure that students in her charge are competitive with their peers. Under her leadership the district culture changed to one to advocate and support the learning of every child and as a result, test scores signi cantly improved.

Dr. McEwen holds a doctorate of philosophy and a master’s degree in educational administration from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.

Tamam Waritu
Chief Executive O cer, (CEO) at SeeNuu

Born in a tiny village in East Africa, Ethiopia, in the region of Oromia, Tamam grew up as a typical poor African child. His father left the country when he was only twelve. He dropped out of 5th grade upon his father’s departure and spent nearly four years without attending school. At the age of 16, he arrived in the United States with his entire family.

Here in America, he and his eleven siblings lived in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom low- income government apartment with food stamps as a main source of income. His father worked on the night shift as a dishwasher for minimum wage to support himself and the rest of the family.

After arriving in America, Tamam faced the biggest challenge of his life. Despite dropping out of fth grade back home, not having been in a school environment for nearly four years and not knowing a word of the English language, he was placed in 9th grade simply because he was 16 years old. At such an age, he was told that high school was the only appropriate place for him. It was the tallest mountain he had to climb and he almost dropped out again.

But he overcame the barriers through hard work and persistence and went on to receive a graduate degree from Harvard University and became CEO of a startup company--SeeNuu.

As a motivational speaker, Tamam inspires and motivates young people to beat the odds and become successful in life. His message is simple: Don’t let where you come from or the circumstances you are in de ne who and what you become in life.

Keynote topic: Beating The Odds