César E. Chávez Leadership Conference Offers Career Boost!

The César E. Chávez Leadership Conference, held on April 8 at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, focuses on teaching students how to be leaders in the tradition of Chávez, an American labor leader and civil rights activist.

The nonprofit organization that runs the group holds a mini-conference in the fall for seniors and another mini-conference in the spring for juniors.

The conference “was a beneficial way for our Latino students to learn about leadership skills, develop knowledge about their culture and be inspired by Latino keynote speakers like Yosimar Reyes,” a poet and activist who spoke at this conference, said Belen Romero Orozco, an instructional assistant at North Marion High School. “Students participated in different workshops that educated them on the value of education and equity. This was a great opportunity because it showed them that they are able to acquire an education and be successful in life.”

North Marion High School junior Yadira Romero said that she learned about Chavez’s impact as an advocate for “farm workers, who were receiving low wages under horrible conditions.”

“On another note, I was able to learn that it’s important to be proud of my Hispanic heritage and celebrate it as a privilege,” Romero said “To see other students from Oregon who have similar backgrounds to me was very inspiring as we all have the goal to succeed in life.”

She said that Reyes’s speech was empowering for her because he proved that people can overcome anything if they have strong role models in their lives.

The 18 students who attended had the opportunity to visit a College and Career Fair during the conference, a terrific benefit for budding local leaders, and Romero was especially impressed by the impressive story of one of the exhibitors. 

“One of my favorite exhibitors was Dr. Mayra L. Gomez,” Executive Director of Instructional Services at North Clackamas Schools, Romero said. “She gave us a rundown of how she was able to be where she is today. With the support of her family, she was able to be a first-generation college student and receive a PhD.”