RebLaw keynote speakers stress the importance of intersectionality in combating injustices
On April 29, 1992, four Los Angeles police officers were acquitted of all charges in the beating of Rodney King. A couple of days later and nearly 3,000 miles away, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) organized a march at the U.S. Justice Department in Washington D.C. as its inaugural act demanding justice for King.
“When the media came up to us and asked ‘Why are 500 Asian American workers marching on the U.S. Justice Department?’ we replied, ‘We are marching for justice for Rodney King and to end police brutality in the black community,’” said Kent Wong, founding president of APALA. “That wasn’t the answer the media expected but I share this story with you today because we realized back then, as we realize now, that Asian American workers will never attain justice and equality in this society until workers of all colors attain justice and equality.”
Wong told his story of the march to over 800 law students from around the country at the Yale Law School’s 22nd annual Rebellious Lawyering (RebLaw) Conference on Feb. 19.
