MassLive recently asked readers to identify people who are leaders from the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community throughout the state, working to make a difference in politics, education, business, the arts or another area of interest.
Profiles of these leaders will be published through AAPI Heritage Month in May. These are people our readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change.
Anna Yu (Courtesy Artists for Humanity)Artists for Humanity
Anna Yu
Age: 45
Community: Boston
Her story: Artists for Humanity Executive Director Anna Yu was born in China and raised in Brooklyn, New York, but has lived in Boston for the past 19 years. She worked for over two decades in branding, advertising and marketing before moving to the nonprofit world, serving as chief growth officer and vice president of operations at Citizens Schools, an education organization that works with middle school students to extend learning time on school days.
In 2022, Yu joined Artists for Humanity, which provides mentorship for teens through creative opportunities and professional experience. They work with corporate clients to develop creative projects, which teens in the program are paid to complete.
The organization is the largest worksite for teens in Boston, and has paid almost $1.5 million in total wages to teens annually.
About 90% of the teens that participate in Artists for Humanity’s programs are from low or extremely low income communities and 90% are people of color or multiracial. About 98% graduate high school in four years with tutoring, academic support and college preparation help from the organization.
Yu also serves on the boards of the Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology and Tomorrow’s Women TODAY.
She said she is passionate about creating opportunities for hands-on experiential learning, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion and workforce development. She said the most important factors to work toward those goals are empathy, listening and keeping a focus on the mission.
“The work we do is often challenging, so when times are unpredictable and the way forward is not always clear, I draw wisdom from listening to the people we serve, the teams that are at the front lines of doing the hard work, and all the partners involved,” Yu said.
In her words: “Art brings us together because it enriches our lives, our communities and our next generation of workforce. By valuing creative resilience, we are creating a powerful community, and I truly believe a more equitable world.”
We’re always open to hearing about more inspiring people. If you’d like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form.
