Kim Tran is doctoral candidate in the departments of Ethnic Studies and Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies at UC Berkeley where she researches cross-racial coalition. She is a collective member of Third Woman Press: Queer and Feminist of Color Publishing and a contributing writer for Everyday Feminism. Find more of her writing and workshops at www.kimthientran.com.
Asian Americans are in a moment of reckoning. In 2014 a bullet from the gun of NYPD rookie police officer Peter Liang ricocheted in a Brooklyn stairwell, killing Akai Gurley who was walking through with his girlfriend. Liang stood by as Gurly slowly died. In 2016, Liang became the first NYPD police officer convicted for killing a Black man in over a decade. His gross incompetence and recklessness ultimately earned him a slap on the wrist -- five years probation and 800 hours of community service.
Liang is of Chinese heritage. Gurly, Black American.