Kathy Zhao is a senior at George Washington High School in San Francisco and a force in restorative and transformative justice advocacy. While San Francisco is often praised for its progressive values and wealth, Kathy grew up next to billion-dollar tech companies as a low-income immigrant living in a cramped apartment shared by three families. This experience exposed her to redlining and economic inequalities that permeate the city and led her to become a staunch advocate for low-income communities like her own. As a leader within the Chinese Progressive Association's restorative justice sector, Kathy has spearheaded restorative circles and training, bringing together high-school students to discuss the punitive justice system and racial tension that plagues the city. Recognizing the history of division between the Asian, Black and Latinx communities, she developed, led and facilitated restorative justice training sessions with students of color in the city, providing youth with terminology and tools to think critically about police brutality and its effect on communities of color. Beyond local organizing, Kathy serves on the Beyond Differences National Teen Board, where she was chosen from activists across the nation to develop a national curriculum highlighting restorative justice practices and creating safety and belonging for immigrant/refugee students and families. Kathy’s curriculum has been particularly effective in Title 1 schools serving children from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds who see themselves in Kathy's story and her fight for justice and joy. She remains committed to ensuring that immigrant and low-income voices are not lost but centered in the fight for racial justice.