Shortly after President Donald Trump’s controversial executive order on immigration came out, Mikala Teramoto reached out to the Islamic Center of Central Phoenix and asked if she could organize a solidarity rally.
Teramoto, 17, is a student at the Arizona School for the Arts. She's also Christian.
She expected 50-100 high school students to come — friends and friends of friends. But several hundred people gathered at the mosque to show their support for the local Muslim community — people of all religions, sexual identities and also some recent refugees.
Teramoto said she’s not old enough to vote, but she can still make a difference.
"No matter how young you are, no matter how small you are, if you shout loud enough you are going to be heard," she said.
Teramoto — who describes herself as an "accidental activist" — pointed out that, after all, revolutions are often fomented by youth.
A small group of students organized the event with Teramoto. Most particapants at the mosque did not know the event was the brainchild of a local high school student and were deeply moved when they found out.
The Islamic Center said its received hundreds of messages of support — emails, letters and voice mails, since the Trump ban was announced.