National Convening Program Books 2015 YEO National Convening Program Book | Page 28

Detailed Agenda SATURDAY | JULY 25, 2015 Antonio French St. Louis Alderman Antonio French is a dedicated husband and father to his wife and threeyear-old son. Born and raised in the city of St. Louis, French is in his second term on the city’s Board of Aldermen, representing the community he grew up in. He recently graduated from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis with his Executive Master of Business Administration. Prior to being elected in 2009, French served as the committeeman for his ward. He has managed numerous winning political campaigns as the president of his own consulting firm. During his time on the Board, French has earned a reputation for passionately serving his ward and creating new initiatives to improve the quality of life in north St. Louis. In 2012, Alderman French founded the North Campus, an ambitious education initiative modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City. His vision is to coordinate a vast array of partnerships to provide the approximately 1,800 children of North Campus with a world-class education and an enriching childhood experience in a safe, supportive environment. Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez United We Dream Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez was born to a single mother in Brazil, who sent him at age 14 to Miami, Florida where he first dreamed of becoming a teacher. He started organizing on immigrant rights issues in 2007 while student government president at Miami Dade College. He walked on the Trail of Dreams in 2010 to draw attention to the need for the DREAM Act and to push for an end to deportations. Sousa-Rodriguez has become a leading voice on the intersection of LGBTQ issues and immigrant rights. At GetEQUAL, he served as national field director and co-director. Now he is the deputy managing director at United We Dream. He holds an A.A. in international relations from Miami Dade College and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in business studies and a minor in economics from St. Thomas University. Sousa-Rodriguez was awarded the “Freedom From Fear” award from Public Interest Projects in 2011 for his work on the Trail of Dreams, he was named one of the “Top 15 Civil Rights Leaders of the 21st Century” by News One and “20 Queer People of Color You Should Know” by Out Smart Magazine. Rashida Tlaib Former Michigan state Representative and Take On Hate Campaign YEO National Convening | 2015 27 Rashida Tlaib was the first Muslim woman elected to the Michigan legislature. Politically, her legacy is largely her accomplishments fighting budget battles and shaping legislation on numerous social justice issues. For Tlaib’s constituents, her legacy centers on her creation of a nei ghborhood service center that provided direct advocacy on issues and anti-poverty services to thousands of people. Currently, she is the community partnerships and development director at the Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice and manager of the Campaign to Take on Hate, a racial justice movement to prevent the increase of hate crimes. The first to attend college in her family, Tlaib received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Wayne State University and her law degree from Thomas Cooley Law School. She lives in southwest Detroit with her family.