I Want to Share My History

Growing up, Mina Fedor never saw herself reflected in U.S. history textbooks. The absence of Asian Americans left the teen from Oakland, California, frustrated. Why wasn’t her heritage taught in schools? 

“I thought, ‘I guess history isn’t a place where I will see Asian Americans,’” recalls Mina, 16, whose mom was born in South Korea.   

Then in 2020, something happened that made Mina determined to speak up. The Covid-19 pandemic had generated fear in the United States. Because the virus was first identified in China, some people wrongly blamed individuals of Asian descent for spreading Covid-19. Anti-Asian discrimination and violence began to rise. 

One day, as Mina’s family walked in their neighborhood, a woman coughed loudly at Mina’s mom in a rude, mocking manner. It was the first time someone close to Mina had been targeted. “That really sparked me,” she says. 

Mina Fedor is from Oakland, California. Growing up, she never saw herself reflected in U.S. history textbooks. The absence of Asian Americans left the teen frustrated. Why was her heritage not taught in schools? Her mom was born in South Korea.

“I thought, ‘I guess history isn’t a place where I will see Asian Americans,’” recalls Mina, 16.

Then, in 2020, something happened that made Mina determined to speak up. The Covid-19 pandemic had set off fear in the United States. The virus was first identified in China. Because of that, some people wrongly blamed individuals of Asian descent for spreading Covid-19. Anti-Asian discrimination and violence began to rise.

One day, Mina’s family was walking in their neighborhood. A woman coughed at Mina’s mom in a rude, obviously fake way. It was the first time someone close to Mina had been targeted. “That really sparked me,” she says.

Mina, then 11, began by speaking out about anti-Asian violence at a school assembly. Then in 2021, she founded an organization called AAPI Youth Rising. (AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander.) The group’s goal is to take small actions to highlight issues affecting AAPI young people. 

In March 2021, Mina organized AAPI Youth Rising’s first rally. She expected 50 supporters to attend—but 1,200 showed up, including many teens. That’s when she knew AAPI Youth Rising had struck a chord. 

“We realized that we could actually get something done as a youth group,” Mina says. 

Mina was 11 at the time. She started by speaking out about anti-Asian violence at a school assembly. Then, in 2021, she founded an organization. It is called AAPI Youth Rising. (AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander.) The group’s goal is to take small actions to highlight issues that affect AAPI young people.

In March 2021, Mina organized AAPI Youth Rising’s first rally. She expected 50 supporters to attend. But 1,200 people showed up. The group included many teens. That is when she knew AAPI Youth Rising had struck a chord.

“We realized that we could actually get something done as a youth group,” Mina says.

Roughly 26 million people identify as AAPI in the U.S., according to recent census data. People of AAPI heritage have been part of the country for generations. Still, three in 10 Americans can’t name any historical event related to Asian Americans, a 2023 survey by the Asian American Foundation found. 

Mina decided that education was key to increasing awareness. She wanted people to know that AAPI history is an important part of the American story. So AAPI Youth Rising put together an online pledge asking schools across the country to teach one AAPI history lesson every year. 

According to recent census data, roughly 26 million people identify as AAPI in the U.S. People of AAPI heritage have been part of the country for generations. Still, 3 in 10 Americans cannot name any historical event related to Asian Americans. That was found by a 2023 survey by the Asian American Foundation.

Mina decided that education was key to increasing awareness. She wanted people to know that AAPI history is an important part of the American story. So AAPI Youth Rising put together an online pledge. It asks schools across the country to teach one AAPI history lesson every year.

Mina’s efforts are part of a growing movement. Recently, several states have taken steps to require AAPI studies in K-12 public schools. Illinois became the first to mandate Asian American history in schools in 2021. Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, and Rhode Island have passed similar laws. (The requirements have gone into effect in Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.) Other states have AAPI history bills in the pipeline.

Make Us Visible (MUV), a nationwide coalition for the inclusion of AAPI history in schools, is among the groups leading the charge. Mimi Chan, head of MUV’s Florida chapter, says young people are especially effective at achieving change.

“Kids have the most power to make a difference,” says Chan. “The legislators enjoy hearing from middle schoolers way more than they like hearing from me.”

Mina’s efforts are part of a growing movement. Recently, several states have taken steps to require AAPI studies in K-12 public schools. In 2021, Illinois became the first to mandate Asian American history in schools. Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, and Rhode Island have passed similar laws. (The requirements are now in effect in Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.) Other states have AAPI history bills in the pipeline.

Make Us Visible (MUV) is a nationwide coalition. It supports the inclusion of AAPI history in schools. It is one of the groups leading the charge. Mimi Chan is head of MUV’s Florida chapter. She says young people are great at achieving change.

“Kids have the most power to make a difference,” says Chan. “The legislators enjoy hearing from middle schoolers way more than they like hearing from me.”

As Mina pushes for AAPI education, she has learned a lot herself. She has read about people like Grace Lee Boggs, a Chinese American activist (see "Mina's History Heroes" slideshow, below). In the 1950s and ’60s, Boggs worked to ensure fair housing and workers’ rights in Michigan. She also advocated for Black Americans, working closely with leaders like Malcolm X.

Mina has learned a lot as she pushes for AAPI education. She has read about people like Grace Lee Boggs. Boggs was a Chinese American activist (see sidebar, right). In the 1950s and ’60s, she worked to ensure fair housing and workers’ rights in Michigan. She also supported Black Americans, working closely with leaders like Malcolm X.

Reading about Boggs’s story awakened Mina to the role Asian Americans played in the civil rights movement. “There’s a lot of history there that I don’t think many people realize,” she says. 

Excited by what she was reading, Mina and AAPI Youth Rising created a lesson about key moments in AAPI history. It’s designed to help schools teach the material. 

Members of AAPI Youth Rising volunteer to lead the lesson in schools. The organization also offers it as a free video. The curriculum has reached more than 50,000 schools and community programs, Mina says. 

Reading about Boggs’s story showed Mina the role Asian Americans played in the civil rights movement. “There’s a lot of history there that I don’t think many people realize,” she says.

Mina was excited by what she was reading. So she and AAPI Youth Rising created a lesson about key moments in AAPI history. It is designed to help schools teach the material.

Members of AAPI Youth Rising volunteer to lead the lesson in schools. The organization also offers the lesson as a free video. Mina says the curriculum has reached more than 50,000 schools and community programs.

In the fall of 2022, Mina got the surprise of a lifetime: an email from the White House. In recognition of her work, she was invited to attend a special meeting of community “uniters” in Washington, D.C. 

At the event, Mina met other activists who are working to fight hate. She also met President Joe Biden. “I shook his hand,” she recalls. “It was quite the experience.”

Mina’s organization—which began at a middle school assembly—has grown to include 150 chapters in 35 states. In the process, she has learned more about her own history—as well as the difference that young people can make. 

Her advice to other teen activists is to keep an open mind about different perspectives, learn about your community, and believe in your own power. 

“Go for it,” she says. “This is such an important time for us to have our opinions out there.”

In the fall of 2022, Mina got the surprise of a lifetime. She received an email from the White House. To honor her work, she was invited to attend a special meeting of community “uniters” in Washington, D.C.

At the event, Mina met other activists. Like her, they are working to fight hate. She also met President Joe Biden. “I shook his hand,” she recalls. “It was quite the experience.”

Mina’s organization began at a middle school assembly. It has grown to include 150 chapters in 35 states. In the process, she has learned more about her own history. She also has seen the difference that young people can make.

Her advice to other teen activists is to keep an open mind about different perspectives. Learn about your community and believe in your own power.

“Go for it,” she says. “This is such an important time for us to have our opinions out there.”