Belise Nishimwe
(She/Her/Hers)
Poet
Belise Nishimwe is a senior at St. Mary’s Academy in Portland, Oregon. Extremely passionate about social justice, international relations, and law especially as it pertains to immigrants and their rights, Nishimwe was born and lived in a refugee camp in Tanzania until the age of five, when she and her family moved to America through Catholic Charities. Now a U.S. citizen, she has dedicated herself to be someone who can create a platform that gives a voice to immigrants and refugees and the representation they need. She serves as now President for a youth-led nonprofit called, Youth Ending Slavery. As well as these activities, she enjoys writing poetry and exploring other artistic venues. She was the 2019 Poetry Out Loud State Champion and received the 2019 Pamplin Media Group Amazing Kids Award. In the near and far future, she dreams of interning for a law firm or for a political office. She plans on strengthening her abilities as a leader and as an activist, so she can be a person who defends and speaks for those who are told they can’t.