API Mobilize Scholarship Recipient Spotlight on Maggie Xie

APISBMA is pleased to partner with API Mobilize, an organization APIs Mobilize empowers the next generation of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) leaders to take active roles in their communities through leadership development, college and career access pathways, and civic engagement in their student scholarship program. This year APISBMA sponsored scholarships for two students. Meet Maggie Xie, a dynamic young leader who has made a big impact in her community. APISBMA is proud to have her as our scholarship recipient!

Tell us a little about yourself

Hello! My name is Maggie, and I am currently a senior attending Castro Valley High School in the East Bay Area. As a Chinese American student and community advocate, I strive to weave underrepresented narratives into the American tapestry and communicate our untold narratives through education. Outside of grassroots organizing, you can find me trying out new latte recipes, journaling, or hiking! 

How are you making an impact in your community and in the API community?

Red Envelope Collective serves as a catalyst for me and other fellow students to initiate change -- specifically, to tell our stories through education. Education helps us communicate the importance of diversity, inclusion, and representation, and comes in the form of curriculum work and community organizing at REC. Alongside my talented team of peers, I've created and edited 45+ resources for K-5 in-classroom use, published 30+ resources for our regional leads to use in executing community events, and arranged 25+ events across the East Bay -- with many more to come! I hope that my work within REC empowers other students to take initiative within their own communities, alongside transforming what representation within education looks like for our next generation of students.

Why is learning Ethnic Studies so important for both API and non-API communities?

Ethnic Studies recognizes the stories, contributions, and systems that have shaped diverse communities within the U.S. to how they are today. The course acts as a catalyst for cross-cultural understanding, empathy, and self-identity, shaping the way in which our next generation approaches our institutions and the longstanding oppression that has been instilled within them. When students learn about their histories, it transforms their views on their own identity and how they fit into a larger system. 

Why did you apply to the API Mobilize scholarship and what does it mean to you to receive this scholarship from APISBMA and API Mobilize?

Receiving this scholarship from APISBMA and APIs Mobilize serves as a reflection to me that my story -- my voice, my culture, and my background -- is recognized and important within our community spaces. As a first-generation low-income female student, I've constantly felt a sense of imposter syndrome when sharing my work and story within certain spaces. I am truly honored to have been nominated -- to have my story and the narrative of our Asian diaspora shared and recognized. 

As a high school student, what do you want educators and school board members to know about your experience that can help us better serve all students?

Youth voices are valuable, and representation can be powerful. The other day, I was talking to a school principal where she told me her first grade daughter had said, "Wow! I can't believe we read a book about someone who looked like me at school!" upon learning about Fred Korematsu. I hope that educators can include youth voices in conversations and decisions. Youth are a key stakeholder within education, and we can provide powerful insight about our experiences in this system, to help shape a better one for everyone. 

What are your future plans?

I hope to attend a 4-year university as a first-generation college student and continue my community organizing work at a national level! I envision Red Envelope Collective to continue empowering youth voices and leaders across the world, and be an accessible platform that educators, school districts, and libraries from across the U.S. can refer to. I hope that REC can be pivotal to reconstructing our narratives within education; working alongside state departments, county districts, and other passionate organizations to tell our stories. Lastly, one of my brightest goals for the future is to learn more home-cooked Cantonese meals from my mom!