Students Serve on Massachusetts Asian American and Pacific Islander Youth Council

A recent Northfield Mount Hermon graduate and a rising senior helped shape statewide policy discussions through a Massachusetts internship that amplifies the voices of Asian American and Pacific Islander youth.

Elianna Umana Kimura ’25 and Ying Kay Leung ’26 were among 10 students selected to serve on the Massachusetts AAPI Youth Council for the 2024-25 school year.

The Youth Council, launched in 2022, is a program of the Massachusetts Asian American and Pacific Islanders Commission, with the goal of uplifting the voices of young Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the state, said Youth Council Coordinator Ashley Shan.

Youth councilors participate in advocacy trainings, meet with elected officials, plan community events, and design projects that address challenges in their communities as part of their internship, Shan said. “This work amplifies youth perspectives in statewide policy discussions and ensures the Commission’s advocacy reflects the lived experiences of the next generation.”

Kimura’s work on the council focused on the AAPI literary community in Massachusetts and its impact in shaping cultural identity and dispelling stereotypes like the “model-minority myth.” She interviewed poets, authors, business owners, and nonprofit leaders in the AAPI community, including Oliver De La Paz, Tara Tai, and Shamim Padamsee, then developed a website featuring their profiles, aapivoicesinlit.com.

She also compiled her research into a paper documenting the history of the model-minority myth; its emotional, cultural, and economic effects on AAPI communities; and the role of literature in dispelling such stereotypes. Kimura presented her project to legislators at the Massachusetts State House in June.

The Youth Council offered Kimura an avenue to advocate for mental health, education, and economic policy reforms. “Working within the commission has given me the opportunity to take action and serve a voice for the AAPI community for these topics,” she said.

Leung worked on youth mental health, encouraging greater discussion about mental health issues within AAPI communities by hosting community meetings, disseminating educational materials, and advocating for community resources at the state level. He also compiled statistics on the economic contributions of immigrants to communities across the state and testified before lawmakers in support of a bill that would provide language support resources for immigrants and residents with limited English proficiency.

Leung’s time on the Youth Council helped him connect to AAPI and other immigrant communities across Massachusetts while bolstering his confidence and public speaking skills.

“At first, I was extremely uncomfortable with public speaking,” Leung said. “I still am, but it has improved significantly.”

Both students demonstrated the motivation, curiosity, and ability to collaborate and persevere that the Youth Council seeks in its members, Shan said.

“Elianna and Ying Kay stood out as dependable leaders with exceptional initiative,” she said. “They approached every project with creativity and care, actively engaged in council-wide discussions, and consistently sought ways to make our work more impactful. I’m confident Elianna and Ying Kay will carry these lessons forward as they continue to make meaningful contributions in their communities.”

Kimura, who graduated in May, will attend Bates College this fall. She credits NMH with developing her worldview and strengthening her commitment to community service and advocacy.

At NMH, “I was exposed to students and faculty from around the world, many of which have AAPI backgrounds,” Kimura said. The school’s learning environment and emphasis on student voices and cross-cultural connections, she added, “has given me confidence in honing my voice of advocacy” and thinking critically about societal power structures.

Leung intends to extend his internship with the AAPI Youth Council for another year to continue his advocacy work around mental health and supporting immigrant communities. He said NMH has taught him the importance of asking questions.

“Doing so helped me not just understand the community around me but also understand myself,” Leung said.