The History
The Beginning
PISA was founded in 2007 by Makerusa Porotesano, a student at Portland State University and then President of the PSU Pacific Islander Club. After witnessing the lack of Pacific Islander student curriculum, representation and leadership programs, mak would spend the next couple of years creating a new pathway for Islanders. In 2009 mak was accepted into the Western Institute of Leadership Leadership Development (WILD) program of the Western State Center and helped launch the first PISA Student Conference in 2010. Below you’ll be able to read through the many iterations of PISA and those who helped lead this work into a new pathway.
The Early Years
On January 15th and 16th of 2010, PISA held their first Conference at Portland Community College (Sylvania Campus). It was a successful event, where students from all over the state were able to gather and meet. The Conference covered topics such as health, culture, and music. Soteria Moli was the President of PISA in 2010
On February 25th and 26th of 2011, PISA celebrated our second annual Conference at the University of Portland. We celebrated with music, food and made friends from all over the Northwest. The Conference held workshops that covered stereotypes, cultural conflict, significance of tattoos, economy, and more. We were also fortunate enough to show two documentaries, "Unnatural Causes" and "Living Pono". Fipe Havea was the President of PISA in 2011.
PISA Forum
After a brief break PISA would partner up with the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) to host two PISA Forums. These forums went from 2015-2016. APANO offered leadership development for Pacific Islander youth and community members, to help foster this program.
In 2017, PISA would start to revamp its efforts for students and begin its planning process for a 2018 conference. With the return of founder Makerusa Porotesano, PISA would host its first student leadership gathering at PSU and leadership retreat at the University of Oregon
Oregon, Oregon State, Clark College, WSU Vancouver, Everett CC and Portland State University would lead the planning for PISA 2018. University of Washington & Southern Oregon would join after.
Since 2018 PISACON has continuously taken place in various campuses and online. In 2022, the conference was hybrid and fully back in person in 2023 at Portland Community College.
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2018 - Portland State University
2018 Portland State host PISACON18 at the Native American Student and Community Center
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2019 - University of Washington
PISACON held its first conference outside of Oregon when it was hosted by the University of Washington.
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2020 - Oregon State University
Longtime partner Oregon State University host it first PISACON.
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2021 - On-Line Conference
Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic, PISACON kept the conference going with a month long series of workshops.
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2022 - Portland State University
PISACON returns to Portland State University on April 9th at the Native American Student and Community Center.
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2023 - Portland Community College
PISACON returns to a full form with its first full on in-person conference at the Sylvania Campus of PCC.