During Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jashmina, a tenth grader at Cleveland School of Science and Medicine, proudly celebrates her Nepali heritage. But that pride came after a journey of self-discovery and resilience. 

In an essay that earned her top honors in the Stop the Hate writing contest, Jashmina shares a painful moment of cultural shame, an experience that once made her want to hide who she was. Now, she’s using that story to inspire others, turning a moment of exclusion into a message of empowerment. 

“I just threw myself out there,” Jashmina said. “I thought my essay was pretty good, but I didn’t expect to win.” 

Hosted by the Maltz Museum, the 17th annual Stop the Hate contest invites students to share personal stories confronting discrimination and promoting inclusion. Jashmina’s winning entry recounts a painful moment when classmates mocked her traditional Nepali food, calling it “maggots” and “mealworms.” The experience left her feeling ashamed of her culture. 

After that day, Jasmina stopped bringing her cultural food to school. She asked her parents to pack her more “American” lunches—anything that wouldn’t draw attention or ridicule. “I didn’t want to be made fun of again,” she said. “So, I just tried to blend in.” 

But Jashmina turned her shame into pride when she started attending the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine. She organized a South Asian food sale at her school, inviting classmates to try dishes from her heritage. “People came back for seconds,” she said. “It was the opposite of what I experienced in middle school.” 

She is planning another food sale this month in honor of AAPI Heritage Month.  

Born in a refugee camp in Nepal after her family was expelled from Bhutan, Jashmina’s story is one of resilience. “Even though we have our citizenship, we’re constantly scared,” she said, reflecting on her family’s journey to the U.S. 

Writing became her outlet. “I have ADHD, so I write to get everything out,” she said. Her courage and creativity paid off. Jashmina’s Youth Speak Out Essay earned her the top prize of $400. “I didn’t think I’d win anything. "I was just proud to share my story,” she said. 

 
Now, Jashmina hopes her story will encourage others to embrace their identity. “There are always going to be ignorant people,” she said. “But you need to push past them and believe in what you are proud of.”