2024 Scholarship Winner: Jinyu Xu
How have you demonstrated leadership and commitment to serving your community?
Growing up, I often immersed myself in the stories of Asian American writers, activists, and dreamers. There were certain things about my identity that were predetermined by the eurocentric neighborhood I grew up in when I first moved to America. Now, I know them as stereotypes – like the Model Minority and Silent Minority myth. But before, it came by as seemingly insignificant gestures – from racist name-calling by my own peers at school to the mispronunciation of my translational name. However, I was able to find a space of solace and belonging by relating to the many Asian American authors and poets.
One book stuck with me to this day – This Bridge Called My Back. The collection of hundreds of testimonies written by radical women of color reflection on their experiences with racism, sexism, and classism. These memoirs equipped me with the strength to fight for justice in my own city. As I embarked on my activism journey, I relied on the words of Nellie Wong, Mitsuye Yamada, and Gloria E. Anzaldúa provided me with wisdom as I worked to bring recognition to issues impacting the Asian American community.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, I, like many others, faced xenophobic remarks from my own classmates at school to strangers on the Subway. Being labeled as “quiet” my entire life just because I was Asian American, I wanted to show my peers that we can use our voice as a collective power.
I joined Chinatown Youth Initiatives in 2022 as a coordinator for their iconic program – Chinatown Beautification Day (CBD) – which is an annual 2-day Youth Conference and Chinatown street clean-up focused on beautifying both the physical and social aspects of our beloved community. As a coordinator, I worked to plan both the 2022 & 2023 CBD events. In 2022, our theme for the year was Prevention, Protection, and Prosperity. These were all character traits that the Chinatown community has shown and advocated for throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
On social media, I witnessed the stories of Michelle Go, the victims of the Atlanta shooting, Vilma Kari, and other countless victims of anti-Asian hate crimes during the last few years. I took their stories into account when planning that year’s CBD because each one of these hate crimes have made a detrimental impact on the lives and families of Asian Americans across the country. Thus, I suggested inviting Soar Over Hate to host a workshop on personal safety and self-defense. Of the 250+ NYC high school students who attended the event from both days, I was truly inspired by the community coming together to learn about how xenophobia/sinophobia impacts themselves, others, and ways to combat anti-Asian hate.
Inspired by the outcomes of CBD 2022, later that year, I co-founded NYC’s first student-run online newspaper, Asian Youth for NYC News (AYNYC), written for the Asian community and by Asian youth through Dear Asian Youth’s Brooklyn Chapter. My goal through this project was to expand the reach of Asian American high school students who strive to become versions of themselves without the predetermined identity traits placed on them. From interviewing strangers first-hand as I helped cover a story on the banned use of self-protection devices in NYC public schools to speaking to each of the 20
Dear Asian Youth Brooklyn team members to learn more about their journeys, I allowed myself to find my own belonging through writing and youth activism.
I took inspiration from the AAPI leaders I’ve met to the words of comfort and wisdom from fellow Asian American students in my newfound community to coordinator Chinatown Beautification Day 2023 which focused on Roots & Resilience – in other words, reconnecting Asian American students post-pandemic with stories of their ancestors and older generations. Last year’s CBD included a book drive, sponsored by Project By Project (PBP) which gave all attendees options to choose from novels and graphic novels written by Asian/Asian American authors, including Trung Le Nguyen, Melissa Fu, and Jade Song. These novels explored topics from the pedagogies of growing up Asian American, personal identity, to sexuality.
Through my involvement in CYI, I was even more than inspired than ever to enact change globally through my position as West Regional Manager for Dear Asian Youth, which allowed me to peer-mentor a cluster of 10+ chapter leads in California as they started DAY chapters in their own neighborhoods. The Asian American community has allowed me to explore things like advocacy, leadership, and community service.
In college, I plan to minor in Asian American studies through the Asian American Studies Program (AASP) at Cornell University. By understanding the history and past of Asian Americans in America, I plan to apply the knowledge I gain in the classroom to apply to clubs and community organizations on campus. Additionally, I hope to develop as a leader through joining Asian American advocacy clubs and cultural clubs to further my involvement in my own community.