Yu-Li He
Indigenous youth empowered with the tools to tell their own stories are equipped to educate and lead others.
Yu-Li He (17), from Taiwan, comes from a modest background, and identifies closely with Indigenous communities like the Taokas, Saisyats, and Atayal, who were displaced toward Taiwan’s mountains as gentrification priced them out of their homes.
Inspired by his mother’s work as a teacher, Yu-Li organized weekly music workshops for elementary students in underserved rural Hsinchu County, teaching over 60 students rhythm, music theory, and ensemble playing over two semesters, while donating 60 instruments so they could keep practicing at home. He also led conversational English classes for Indigenous elementary and high school students, building their confidence through storytelling and public speaking—working with about 150 students over two years to prepare presentations and even organizing an English choir for local churches.
Through six years of social media outreach, Yu-Li has built a digital reach of over 185,000, amplifying causes like water-scarcity awareness and volunteer recruitment—showing how music and language can bridge divides created by rapid economic change.
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