HAYAT MUSE
UNITED STATES, 17
Project: Kow iyo Labo
Basic Human Needs: Education
Hayat grew up in a low-income, minority community in north Minneapolis, Minnesota. She and her peers dreaded attending their district’s public school, where the environment discouraged them from success. Hayat received the opportunity to attend school in the suburbs starting her freshman year. Her new school’s diverse extracurricular opportunities, high-quality amenities and encouraging atmosphere allowed her to thrive. Hayat thought of her peers at her former school, who weren’t any less deserving of a quality education, and cofounded Kow iyo Labo, an organization that works to achieve education equity and involve youth in education reform. They provide individual tutoring to students, personal and academic mentorships, and support workshops for parents and teachers. Since 2018, Kow iyo Labo has impacted 600+ students, parents and teachers, with a team of 60 mentors and tutors. Kow iyo Labo also advocates on the political front, from lobbying to fighting for diverse student representation on school boards to their advocacy initiative working alongside lawmakers. In October 2019, they established Minnesota’s first student education advisory board. One month later, Hayat’s team became the first youth member of Solutions Not Suspensions, a coalition comprised of Minnesota’s most powerful education nonprofits. By working within the coalition, Kow iyo Labo is presenting their student inclusion bill to the Minnesota House in 2020. Hayat is dedicated to growing the education equity movement until all students have equal access to opportunities.