- 11721 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97266
- (503) 841-5201
- Info@DivisionMidway.org
Division Street Community Improvement
Division Street Community Improvement
Lisha Shrestha brings 19 years of local and international community-building experience. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree and teaching as adjunct faculty at Portland State University (PSU). Her deep involvement with Portland’s diverse communities has earned her the PSU President’s Diversity Award (2015), the Community Leader of the Year- Spirit of Portland Award (2017), and recognition as a Leader of East Portland (2023), with her image featured in a monumental mural. She is passionate about transforming the needs of individuals and communities into opportunities for economic prosperity. For her, community building is the powerful act of uniting people, amplifying their strengths, and driving collective change toward a better world.
Htoo Ray was born and raised in a Thai refugee camp before resettling in Portland with her family in 2011. She graduated from Lewis & Clark College in 2023 with a degree in Asian Studies. She is passionate about creating inclusive and supportive spaces where young people and marginalized communities feel a true sense of belonging. To her, community building means fostering trust, celebrating cultural identity, and ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities and a voice in shaping their environment. Outside of her work, she enjoys watching drama series, exploring nature through hiking, and capturing everyday moments with her camera.
Julia is currently pursuing a degree in Management and Accounting at George Fox University. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, she has carried forward the lessons of perseverance and hard work into every aspect of her life. For her, community building is about bringing people together and ensuring everyone feels they belong. It’s about fostering connections, supporting one another, and recognizing that the small acts are what create a strong and welcoming community. In her free time, Julia enjoys exploring coffee shops and spending quality time with her family.
Lorena lived in Mexico for three years before moving back to the U.S. in 2012. Since then, she has called Portland home. She graduated from Portland State University in 2024 with a major in Community Development and a minor in Child, Youth, and Family Studies. Her passion lies in supporting underserved communities and creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels seen and valued. To her, community building means having a place where you are truly welcomed and accepted for who you are and representation of diverse communities. In her free time, Lorena enjoys shopping, visiting new coffee shops, spending time with friends, and going to concerts.
Mohammad Khalid is a first-generation immigrant and a citizen of the United States. He studies accounting at Portland State University. His number one goal is to help and support the Iraqi community in Oregon. In his spare time, Mohammad loves to cook and to play soccer.
Khanh is passionate about youth development and creating welcoming spaces for community members with limited access to resources. She has experience supporting immigrant and refugee families, organizing culturally relevant youth programs, and facilitating language-focused workshops. Drawing from her own experience immigrating from Vietnam, she is committed to giving back to vulnerable communities with similar stories by bridging communication gaps across cultures and generations. She holds a B.A. in Applied Linguistics from Portland State University, with certificates in Teaching English as a Second Language and Global Studies. In her free time, she enjoys learning the languages spoken by the communities she works with because she believes that this effort builds stronger relationships and more respectful, supportive interactions. For Khanh, community building means creating positive and meaningful connections among people, fostering a sense of belonging, and supporting an environment where everyone feels safe, empowered, and valued. When people feel this way, they are more likely to open up, build trust, and feel comfortable connecting with one another.
As the Board President, Anne brings a lifetime of experience in working with immigrant and small business communities. With her experience, Division Midway Alliance is forging a path toward establishing the organization as a forefront leader in assisting communities around Division Street.
Leslie has been a college educator for 36 years in the fields of Health Education and Education. With the beginning of the Affordable Care Act in 2013, Leslie focused on serving people with the Federal Market Place and the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid). She’s currently a Para Educator with Portland Public Schools and continuing to work with special education elementary students. She’s excited about how DMA is expanding outreach to the SE Portland immigrant and refugee business communities.
With years of experience as an activist, Layla brings to DMA her passion in supporting immigrant populations and small businesses through guiding Division Midway Alliance to become the model organization that others look towards too as an example of a Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative that brings positive growth.
Breeanna Guardado (Bree) is an Affordable Housing Professional in Portland, Oregon. She has years of experience ranging from onsite management, federal compliance monitoring, asset management, and assistance in housing development. Bree is currently working for Rose Community Development, a grassroots developer that focuses on the SE neighborhood. Bree also has experience working closely with Portland’s most vulnerable populations: homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse. Bree is eager to use her strong communication skills, real estate knowledge, and compassion; to assist Division Midway Alliance to fulfill its mission.
Tayo Adesida is a Portland native and the son of a Nigerian immigrant. Tayo is currently a construction manager for Raimore Construction. Tayo has spent the last 3 years working on TriMet’s Division Transit Project that was located along the Division Corridor. Tayo brings knowledge of contracting, subcontractor development, and workforce development that can be used to assist other upcoming contractors in the communitys here.
Polo is a West Coast and SE Asia activist-lawyer, a Senior Contributing Editor of The Asian Reporter, and a contributor to The Oregonian and Oregon Public Radio. He became a City Hall’s New Portlander Programs manager. He is currently a Managing Attorney in NW Communities Council.
Danita is currently working full time at IRCO and has been with IRCO since 1997 when she started as a Parent Educator providing parent education to primarily SE Asian parents with young children ages Birth to 5 years old. She is now the Director of the Early Learning Division at IRCO. She received her bachelor’s in elementary education at Western Oregon University and a master’s in early childhood at Georgia State University. She is a proud parent of two wonderful boys, 31 and 17. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.
