Om Vegesna is a sophomore at Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado, and a committed advocate for racial equity and cultural understanding. Living in a predominantly white area, he saw how South Asian culture was often misunderstood or stereotyped. As a leader of Fairview’s South Asian Student Organization (SASO), Om works to change that narrative by creating inclusive spaces where culture is celebrated and conversations about identity are welcomed. SASO has hosted school-wide events like Diwali and Holi, using these celebrations to educate peers and break down stereotypes. SASO facilitates conversations about race and identity with student panels and open forums where students share personal stories of navigating cultural bias and belonging. While researching stories on digital activism and online discrimination, Om noticed many hateful comments on social media going unfiltered. This inspired him to create BiasBlock, a tool that flags hate speech more accurately. He tested it in real-time on public forums and shared the findings with a diverse range of companies. As a member of the Colorado Student Leaders Institute, Om contributes to a statewide newsletter that reaches more than 10,000 readers. He writes and curates content focused on uplifting marginalized communities, sharing resources, highlighting stories and promoting mental health support. Om is committed to making equitable change throughout this life. He believes the racial divides we see today primarily stem from cultural differences and that we all have the power to change this narrative.