Los Angeles Unified School District held its inaugural International Newcomer Student Leadership Conference to empower newly immigrated students with resources and skills.

More than 800 students from countries from all over the world participated in the virtual event, which was sponsored by the Division of Instruction and the Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department. They participated in workshops to help them build leadership and social-emotional skills, learned about community resources and heard from role models including district leaders and former and current international newcomer students.

“I am the son of an immigrant,” Superintendent Austin Beutner said. “The best opportunity I was ever given was a great public education. We want to provide that same opportunity for students who are newcomers to this country.”

Held in Spanish and translated into other languages – English, Armenian, Arabic, Mandarin, Korean and French – the conference provided the newcomers with examples of successful adults who immigrated to this country. LAUSD teachers, principals and other employees shared their personal stories in English and in their first language in a series of heartfelt videos.

“Our international newcomer students and their families are dreamers, and dreaming is hard work,” MMED Executive Director Lydia Acosta Stephens said. “Dreaming is the genesis of how we address educational injustice by knowing our story and stories of others. We use information to empower and embrace our family history, home language, culture, love of self and others. We take action by creating a roadmap.”

The MMED serves about 7,000 newcomers in middle and high school, providing them with English-language instruction and social-emotional support while building on their own cultural and linguistic strengths.

“International newcomer students have tremendous assets that we want to elevate, celebrate and cultivate with leadership opportunities,” Chief Academic Officer Alison Yoshimoto-Towery said. “Diversity makes our students and communities stronger.”

“This conference has been an opportunity to empower our students and support their dreams,” Board President Kelly Gonez said. “The multicultural and multilingual skills newcomer students are developing will be invaluable assets as they pursue college and careers, and our district is providing them with the resources and opportunities they need now to support them on those paths. I’m proud of Los Angeles Unified for continuing our commitment to this critical event even in the virtual space.”

“Diversity is our strength – not just in our country, but in our district,” said Board member Nick Melvoin, 4th District.

“We are proud to welcome students from all around the world and provide opportunities like today’s event to ensure that our international newcomers have the support they need to learn and thrive in their new home,” he added.