Benjamin Lostheart

Benjamin Lostheart is a visionary educator, curriculum designer, and community advocate reshaping what education looks like for youth on the margins. He is of Choctaw heritage from Oklahoma on his maternal side and Quechua ancestry from Peru on his father’s side—roots that deeply inform his work, values, and approach to leadership. Drawing from these Indigenous traditions, Benjamin grounds his mission in intergenerational wisdom, resilience, and the belief that learning should be both liberatory and healing.

As the Founder and Executive Director of Day One Tech S.T.E.A.M., he leads a mission-driven organization that blends hands-on STEM education with trauma-informed care, mentorship, and culturally grounded pathways to opportunity.

Benjamin believes every child deserves a “Day One”—a fresh start, a safe space, and a system that sees their potential from the beginning. His leadership is rooted not just in innovation, but in experience—both personal and professional—making his work a powerful blueprint for equitable, healing-centered learning.

Benjamin has developed and led some of Portland’s most innovative youth-centered programs:

• EF25 (Executive Function Practices): A curriculum that builds core cognitive skills through guided STEM challenges, play-based learning, and reflective thinking.
   
• DOTS (Day One Tech Solvers): A gamified STEM scouts system using badges and creative pathways to explore circuits, robotics, and design.
   
• FRESH: A mentorship initiative offering free haircuts and grooming by local barbers and stylists, combined with conversations around identity, growth, and self-worth.
   
• BOSS: A teen workforce program that teaches leadership, communication, and management in retail, fast food, and customer service sectors.
   
• Tech in the Park: A mobile pop-up project that activates parks with technology, STEM games, and youth-friendly activities—creating presence and trust in underserved neighborhoods.
   
• SPED STEM: A blended afterschool program supporting students with intellectual disabilities and undiagnosed learning needs through inclusive STEM instruction and SPED-informed practices.
   
• Rooted in Tech: A culturally specific digital literacy initiative that uses Indigenous knowledge systems—like Native math and oral storytelling—as a foundation for teaching modern tech skills and digital empowerment.
   

Benjamin was born and raised in Inner Northeast Portland, in the neighborhoods of Albina, Alberta, and St. Johns. His childhood stretched from the apartments of the  Columbia Villa to Alberta and Albina , giving him a firsthand view of the beauty, challenges, and displacement that reshaped his community over the years.

He experienced many of the same barriers facing today’s youth: systemic racism in schools, over-policing, housing insecurity, and a lack of representation in opportunity spaces. He also witnessed how entire Black and brown communities were pushed out of Inner Northeast Portland and into East County, including areas like Rockwood, Powellhurst-Gilbert,  and Gresham.

That personal history is why Benjamin’s work today focuses so heavily on East County—the new frontier of Portland’s displaced families. His commitment is not just to provide services, but to rebuild systems of support and belonging in the neighborhoods that need them most.

Benjamin’s newest initiatives continue to push boundaries and spark systemic change:

• The Centennial Business Association – A hyper-local economic network built to uplift community businesses and encourage Black and Brown, as well as non-native English-speaking business entrepreneurs, to connect in East Portland. The CBA will reach from 150th and Division in District 1 to the SW corner of Gresham.
   
• BEE-FI (Bridging Engagement & Empowerment through Flexible Infrastructure) – A trauma-informed system of mobile pop-up stations - PODS (Pop-up Outreach Digital Stations) that offer tech access, youth stipends, mentorship, haircare, and more—connecting families to a growing Hive Network of support services. These pop-ups bridge high-risk spaces and trusted community organizations, forming a honeycomb of healing and connection.

• Rooted In Tech -  A delicate and powerful project working to build tech experiences for local indigenous communities. Respecting a diverse ancestoral heritage of our collective Native communities while remembering the roots of STEM to empower and drive a future designed by choice and not forced education. 

Each project is part of Benjamin’s broader vision: to create a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem where education, economic opportunity, and community healing are all within reach—starting from Day One.

Benjamin believes that collaboration is the key—that true change happens when leaders, educators, and community members work together to form a village of care, connection, and empowerment. His vision for the future centers on building Mini STEM Labs across East County—repurposed retail spaces, unused offices, and vacant storefronts transformed into neighborhood hubs of innovation, access, and growth.

These spaces aren’t just about learning technology—they're about teaching young people how to manage any technology. That means building critical thinking skills, informed decision-making, and the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing world. With the rise of artificial intelligence and emerging digital tools, 

Benjamin sees a future that can’t fully be predicted—but one that can be prepared for.

His ultimate goal is to build a world-class, OMSI-like facility in East County: a permanent, hands-on STEM discovery space rooted in equity, culture, and real-life application. This flagship space will serve as a launchpad for duplicating the structure and methodology in other cities across the country—bringing culturally grounded, trauma-informed STEM education to the youth who need it most, wherever they are.

Benjamin is a proud father of two sons who represent the next generation of thinkers and builders. His oldest, Benjamin Jr., is a Computer Scientist and programmer and a graduate of Portland State University. His youngest, Jalen, studies Architecture at the University of Oregon.

Their journeys reflect Benjamin’s personal mission—to ensure that the youth of today have the tools, support, and space to dream boldly and move forward with confidence.

Benjamin is also partnered with Chenara Johnson, MD, PhD, a key leader in Day One Tech’s vision and operations. She serves as the organization’s Wellness Director and Finance & Grants Auditor, helping to ensure that the programs are not only impactful, but sustainable and aligned with the well-being of staff, youth, and families. Together, Benjamin and Dr. Johnson model the power of partnership—merging wellness, structure, and innovation to build a future where whole communities can thrive.

"My living role models are my sons, whose grit, positivity, and vision have shown me that anything is possible. At their age, I was navigating a much different path, but watching them grow with purpose and passion has revealed possibilities I didn’t know existed until much later in life."

"I also draw deep inspiration from two powerful figures: Malcolm X, whose commitment to self-education, transformation, and community empowerment resonates deeply with my work in building systems of opportunity for underserved youth; and Fred Rogers, whose unwavering belief in the dignity of every child and his gentle, trauma-informed approach to education continue to influence the way I design programs rooted in compassion, healing, and imagination."

-Benjamin