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FOR MINA FEDOR, THERE WAS NO OPTION BUT TO
speak up. The preteen had witnessed a harrow-
ing rise in anti-Asian violence since the start of
the pandemic, including a troubling incident that
happened to her mother, who is Korean, near their
home in Oakland, Calif. Fedor started small, call-
ing out xenophobia during a virtual school assem-
bly in March 2020. But after seeing the organizing
around the Black Lives Matter movement and a
shooting in Atlanta that killed eight—six of them
women of Asian descent—nearly a year later, she
wanted to do more to stand up to racist hate.
In March 2021, she organized a rally to call for
a stop to racist violence toward Asian Americans,
hoping that at least 70 people would attend; the
rally drew a crowd of 1,200. “I really just wanted
to speak out for my community,” Fedor says.
Energized by the rally, Fedor launched AAPI
Youth Rising, a collective of middle- school activ-
ists who are devoted to uplifting their community
and stopping racist hate. In the fall of 2021, they
joined other student-led coalitions in demonstra-
tions of support for AB 101, an education bill that
would require every public high school student in
California to take an ethnic-studies course.
“Asian American history is American history,
and everyone’s history deserves to be taught and
represented,” Fedor says. “Histories that negatively
refl ect America tend to not be taught as much and
that’s very wrong, because we don’t learn about our
previous errors.” She thinks if more people were
aware of the long history of anti-Asian violence in
the U.S., there might not have been the current surge
in racist incidents toward the AAPI community—a
rise that was exacerbated by xenophobic comments
by former President Donald Trump.
The bill was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom
in October, and Fedor feels it will be key to stop-
ping racial discrimination and violence. Now, AAPI
Youth Rising has turned its sights to advocating for
ethnic-studies education for students in all states.
While Fedor believes “real change is in legisla-
tive action,” she is adamant that social change also
happens with small actions, from calling out racist
comments or bullying to committing to vote or help-
ing others register to vote. (AAPI voters have one of
the lowest registration rates among voter groups.)
“If there is one thing that anyone can do for
their community, it’s to treat everyone with respect
and kindness,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to stand
up to people who are harming you. Don’t be afraid
to speak out about things you feel are unjust, and
don’t be afraid to have opinions. You’re never too
young for anything.”
Age has never stopped Fedor from taking ac-
tion, and she credits her family with instilling the
values of justice and standing up for what you be-
lieve in. Her maternal great-grandfather, a political
activist in Korea during the Japanese occupation,
is her personal hero. Fedor also looks up to inter-
sectional feminist, activist, and journalist Helen
Zia; the activist, poet, and organizer Grace Lee
Boggs; and Vice President Kamala Harris; as well
as her parents, both immigrants to the U.S., and
her friends who fi ght for justice alongside her in
AAPI Youth Rising.
Now 13, Fedor knows her journey for racial jus-
tice will be lifelong. What excites her most about
the future, however, is all that her generation is
doing for a brighter world.
“Youth can make a diff erence,” Fedor says. “We
are the future.” —CADY LANG
Mina Fedor
Campaigning against anti-AAPI hate
OAKLAND, CALIF. / 13
Fedor hoped 70
people would
attend her rally
against anti-AAPI
hate in 2021;
more than 1,200
people showed up
Kai Shappley, 11
Shappley is a
trans activist and
testifi es regularly
against anti trans
legislation.
AUSTIN
Lujain Alqattawi, 13
Alqattawi created Sparkle,
an organization that offers
online English lessons for
children, especially those
living in refugee camps.
MILLERSVILLE, MD.
Sadie Keller, 14
After surviving cancer, Keller began
Sadie’s Sleigh, collecting toys for
childhood cancer patients. She has
collected over 600,000 tons of toys,
and raised $2 million for research.
LANTANA, TEXAS
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