Diabolique Paris Johnson is charged with victimizing two men from Detroit.
Holden White, 19, had his wrists and throat cut in the attack last year.
Video surveillance showed someone hurling food from a truck.
“I just want to make sure that this doesn’t happen to anyone else or, if it already has, that they feel empowered enough to speak up about it."
"It's an act of violence, it's a threat," said Michele Fitzpatric.
The increase is documented in an FBI report, but there are many other hate crimes that go uncounted, activists say.