Mina Fa
is a senior at Phillip and Sala Burton High School in Visitacion Valley. Mina and her family are Cham, an ethnic group from Southeast Asia that she credits for teaching her to treat everybody she meets equally. Mina says her Muslim background teaches her to be mindful of the impact of her words.
Through the support of Peer Resources, Mina has developed an array of conflict resolution and life skills based on these core beliefs.
Through her Peer Resources experience, she turned her life around. Now she not only mediates student disputes, but she also mentors first generation and struggling young women who remind her of herself. She helps them secure clothing, school supplies, and employment while boosting their self-esteem.
Taking honors and AP classes, Mina will graduate with a 4.0 GPA and will begin San Francisco State University in the fall.
Mina is a strong advocate for herself and others, and she never fails to do what she knows to be the right thing. One of her teachers shares, “Mina looks conflict straight in the eye, listens to all perspectives with empathy, and works with all involved to move forward.”
In her own words, “I create peace in my community to eradicate the stigma of poverty. Coming from adversity should not define you, it actually helps create you.”
