Bethlehem’s Kim testifies at Congress on Asian hate crimes
Actor/producer and Freedom High School graduate Daniel Dae Kim testified Thursday before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties on the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans.
The testimony came in the wake of Tuesday’s slaying of eight people, six of them Asian women, in Atlanta as well as an exponential rise in hate crimes targeting Asian-Americans since the start of COVID-19 across the country.
Born in Busan, South Korea, Kim spent the better part of his early life growing up in the Lehigh Valley. He attended Palmer Elementary School and Easton Middle School, then East Hills and Freedom High School in Bethlehem.
Kim is one of Hollywood’s most powerful Asian American stars, having appeared in hit TV shows such as “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-O” and produced highly-successful TV series such as “The Good Doctor.”
Throughout his career, Kim has been a leading voice for diversity. And as hate crimes and discrimination against Asian Americans began to spike, Kim spoke out. He testified in September when the House was voting a resolution that condemned anti-Asian sentiment that arose since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Kim mentioned Thursday how that resolution passed on partisan lines.
“I was disheartened to find that for a bill that required no money or resources, just a simple condemnation of acts of hate ...164 members of Congress — all Republican — voted against it,” Kim said.
Kim was joined in speaking out Thursday by members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, including Rep. Judy Chu, caucus chairperson and the first Chinese American woman to serve in Congress.
Chu, who represents the 27th District in California, called for a national day to speak out against Asian hate March 26.
“Lives are at stake,” she said. In February, Kim and actor David Wu offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person who violently attacked a 91-year-old man in Oakland’s Chinatown district.
“The number of hate crimes against Asian Americans continues to skyrocket, despite our repeated pleas for help,” Kim wrote Friday on Instagram. “The crimes are too often ignored and even excused . ... #EnoughisEnough . ...
On Thursday, Kim reiterated the need for America to act against hate crimes.
“Here I am because as everyone witness in this hearing has pointed out the situation has gotten worse,” Kim said.