Durdona Melisova is a 16-year-old junior at Brooklyn Technical High School. There, she is a Law and Society major, focusing on her passion of making education more accessible and equitable. Born and raised in Central Asia, Durdona takes pride in her Uzbek heritage and identity as a fellow Asian American. However, growing up, she struggled to grapple with an identity that fit both societal expectations and Uzbek traditions. This prompted her interest in The Localized History Project and contributing to NYC’s first AAPI curriculum as a Youth Researcher. Her research is focusing on exploring Uzbek migration during the 21st century to address the gap between Uzbeks and their identity when it comes to understanding race and classification of Asian Americans. Through the Localized History Project, she hopes to uplift the stories of AAPI that often go overlooked throughout history. Outside of LHP,  her hobbies include reading, baking and learning to play the guitar. She also loves to spend her time playing the New York Times games on the daily and debate nationally.