Tag: Rachel Lee

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AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force Leads Fourth Anniversary Prayer Walk for Michelle Go

On the morning of Thursday, January 15, 2026, nearly 50 people braved the bone-chilling winds in Times Square to participate in a Prayer Walk commemorating the anniversary of Michelle Alyssa Go’s passing.

Four years ago, on an early Saturday morning, Michelle was standing near the edge of the downtown R subway platform at Times Square when Martial Simon charged at her and pushed her in front of an oncoming train, leading to her death.

Photo by Wellington Chen

Simon, then a 61-year-old homeless man with a history of schizophrenia and prior arrests, was later charged with second-degree murder in connection with Michelle’s death. This act of violence is a tragic example of the surge in anti-Asian hate incidents occurring in America during the COVID-19 pandemic. As noted by the Pew Research Center in 2023, anti-Asian sentiment rose following inflammatory political rhetoric, disinformation, and online extremism, specifically public officials’ use of terms like “Chinese Virus.” Though Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ) reported a slight decline in 2025 from 2023, anti-Asian hate crimes were still nearly triple pre-pandemic levels. California, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and Massachusetts reported the highest frequency.

Photo by Wellington Chen

During the Prayer Walk, Reverend Cristobal Tong led the group to four specific stops, following the routine route Michelle took that day. Justin Go, Michelle’s father, shared highlights of her tragically short life with the mourners. Born in Berkeley and raised in Fremont, California, Michelle earned a degree in economics from UCLA in 2002, an MBA from NYU in 2010, and later worked at Deloitte in mergers and acquisitions. Michelle was an avid traveler who had explored the Caribbean as a child and frequently traveled to visit friends. Justin highlighted Michelle’s selfless nature, noting that she spent her free time volunteering to help homeless people and assist low-income New Yorkers through the New York Junior League. Despite his grief, Justin emphasized the importance of celebrating Michelle’s life and encouraged loved ones to let their suffering be temporary, as Michelle would have wanted them to continue finding joy in life.

Photo by Wellington Chen

The Prayer Walk drew participation from a broad range of community figures and prominent Asian American New Yorkers. Notable attendees included attorney and activist Rockwell ‘Rocky’ Chin and retired U.S. Magistrate Judge Marilyn Go, both of whom are Co-Founders of AABANY. Additionally, Rachel Lee, President of Stand with Asian Americans and Co-Chair of AABANY’s Issues Committee, played a key role in organizing the walk.

I asked Elaine Chiu, a professor at St. John’s University School of Law, who attended the Prayer Walk, about the justice that may or may not be served for the Go family. Professor Chiu, who had previously chaired the Anti-Asian Violence Task Force, discussed the systemic failures surrounding this legal case. She emphasized that lawyers need to recognize that the justice system was not designed to effectively prosecute or assess individuals with severe and fluctuating mental instability. Furthermore, she lamented that the system is currently unequipped to provide defendant Martial Simon with adequate mental health care or to offer the Go family the justice they deserve.

Simon was initially deemed mentally unfit for trial and held at Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center. After treatment, he passed a mental health evaluation in April 2024 but stopped taking his medication upon being transferred to Rikers Island. His disruptive behavior during a court appearance on April 30 resulted in his return to Kirby.

In response to systemic mental health issues, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation on May 9, 2025, allocating over $196 million to improve statewide mental health care, including $160 million for 100 new forensic inpatient psychiatric beds in New York City, and strengthening involuntary commitment laws and Kendra’s Law, which allows judges to mandate Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) for individuals with severe mental illness who cannot safely live in the community without supervision. This law ultimately aims to prevent dangerous relapses while protecting both the public and the patient.

Photo by Wellington Chen

The Prayer Walk concluded at the R Times Square subway station, where the group stood on the platform to pray near the site where Michelle was murdered four years ago. Michelle was only 40 at the time of her death, and attendees who knew her remembered her as a bright and kind individual. Her death continues to fuel concerns regarding anti-Asian violence and the “revolving door” of psychiatric institutionalization. While the prosecution remains determined to bring Martial Simon to trial, the community continues to pray that lasting justice will finally be achieved.

Photo by Wellington Chen

The Prayer Walk was organized by AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force (AAVTF), established in response to the surge in anti-Asian hate during COVID-19. The Task Force, at its formation five years ago, included leadership from AABANY’s Issues, Pro Bono and Community Service, Prosecutors, Student Outreach, Legal Referral and Information Service, and Academic Committees. Partnering with AABANY’s affiliate, the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), the AAVTF launched the Turning the Tide (T3) Project, a comprehensive initiative focused on education, communication, advocacy, and research. After releasing two reports, the AAVTF produced a documentary, “Voices Against Anti-Asian Hate,” which humanized victims’ and survivors’ experiences and was nominated for best short documentary at the New York Independent Art Film Fest. Throughout 2025, the film was screened nineteen times for various groups. A notable screening at the Asia Society featured a moving panel with Justin Go, Michelle Go’s father, and Sungkon Lee, Christina Yuna Lee’s father.

To view more photos from the Prayer Walk, click this link to the photo album. To learn more about AAVTF, please email [email protected].

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AABANY Joins 14th Anniversary Commemoration of Pvt. Danny Chen’s Death

A photo of the street signs at Canal and Elizabeth in Manhattan Chinatown. This block of Elizabeth Street was named Private Danny Chen Way in 2014.

On October 3, 2025, community members gathered on the corner of Canal and Elizabeth Streets in Manhattan’s Chinatown to commemorate the life of U.S. Army Private (Pvt.) Danny Chen. Pvt. Chen was a Chinese American soldier who endured months of racial discrimination and severe physical abuse at the hands of his commanding officer and members of his unit while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. He later committed suicide while on duty. The commemoration was to remember his sacrifice, to bring attention to military hazing and the need for safety reforms, and to link his death to ongoing issues facing marginalized communities serving in the military.

The event was organized by the Committee to Keep Private Danny Chen’s Legacy Alive, a coalition of local and national organizations and community members, including family members of Private Danny Chen, activist Liz Ouyang, and organizations, such as OCA NY and NJ, Chinatown B.I.D., the American Legion Lt. B.R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post 1291, the Service Women’s Action Network, and Caribbean Equality Project, among others. 

Elizabeth Ouyang speaks in front of a group of community members commemorating Private Danny Chen

Renny Fong, Principal of PS 130, where Pvt. Chen attended elementary school described Pvt. Chen as a “son of Chinatown” who “carried joy wherever he went.” Principal Fong noted that while Pvt. Chen was offered a scholarship to attend Baruch College, Pvt. Chen chose to enlist in the U.S. Army.

After being assigned to his platoon in Afghanistan, Pvt. Chen was subjected to unrelenting abuse and hazing. He was physically abused, called racial slurs, and humiliated. He was assigned excessive guard duty to the point of exhaustion, made to do extreme physical training, and kicked and kneed by other soldiers while being forced to stay in a squatting stance. In a final instance of abuse and humiliation, Pvt. Chen was made to crawl across rugged terrain while other soldiers threw stones at him. A few hours later, Pvt. Chen took his own life while on duty in the guard tower. Pvt. Chen was 19 when he passed and was enlisted for only nine months.

Rosie Derong Li of Chinatown B.I.D. described the prosecution of the soldiers who abused Pvt. Chen. Seven enlisted soldiers and one commissioned officer were charged with the crimes of hazing, racial maltreatment, assault, and dereliction of duty. All were convicted. The commissioned officer agreed to resign from the military to avoid a general court martial.

Kenneth Wong, Commander of the American Legion Lt. B.R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post 1291, said of Pvt. Chen, “He endured weeks of brutal racist hazing and physical abuse, targeted for being Chinese American …. His death exposed the deeply rooted ugly culture of racism and hazing within the military.”

Angela Lee, President of the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) New York, highlighted ongoing issues in the military facing marginalized communities. She noted that this year’s commemoration of Pvt. Chen comes as the U.S. military banned all affinity groups at West Point Academy. Affinity groups offer a place where service members of different backgrounds can come together for support, mentorship, and solidarity and to help educate their peers on the culture and contributions of a diverse force. 

Kathy Graham, volunteer with the Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), talked about the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in military service and the importance of affinity groups in supporting the first generation of women serving in combat roles. Ms. Graham noted that her daughter was not able to celebrate her Harvard graduation with military peers because anti-DEI executive orders cancelled their graduation ceremony.

Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker, a trans veteran from the Caribbean Equality Project, spoke about her traumatic sexual abuse experience as a pre-transition trans person in the 1980s U.S. military and the important role LGBTQ+ affinity groups could have played in her military career had they existed at that time. 

Community leaders pushed for concrete steps to prevent harassment and hazing in the military. They noted that restoring affinity and peer support groups, strengthening DEI initiatives, and accountable leadership are essential to safeguarding a culture of dignity and belonging so that what happened to Pvt. Chen never happens again.

Rachel Lee, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Issues Committee and President & General Counsel of Stand with Asian Americans, attended the commemoration. She reflected, “I appreciated that many speakers highlighted the importance of DEI and affinity groups, not only as measures that could have helped prevent tragic incidents like this for our service members but also as essential resources to cultivate a sense of belonging for underrepresented individuals more broadly today and to hopefully protect them from systemic hate.”

Principal Fong stated, “His story is one of heartbreaking loss, not only for his family, but for this entire beloved community. We will always remember Danny Chen, his life, his smile, and his sacrifice.”

AABANY was privileged to stand alongside many community groups and community leaders at this annual commemoration. Thanks to the Committee to Keep Private Danny Chen’s Legacy Alive for their continued dedication to this cause.

– written by Vishal Chander, AABANY Issues Committee Co-Chair and Board Director

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AABANY’s Labor & Employment Law Committee and Women’s Committee Co-Host “From Pregnancy to Parenthood: Legal Rights and Protections in the Workplace” CLE Event

Getting ahead of Women’s History Month in March, AABANY’s Labor & Employment (“L&E”) Law Committee and Women’s Committee co-hosted a CLE event on Thursday, February 20, 2025, on the recent federal and New York state laws related to pregnant workers and new mothers at the workplace. The CLE panel consisted of Samantha Hunt, Equal Justice Works Fellow from A Better Balance; Rachel Lee, Associate from A&O Shearman; and Vilda Vera Mayuga, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Jennifer Kim from Littler & Mendelson, P.C. moderated the event, which was held at the beautiful office of Robins Kaplan LLP in midtown.

The panelists provided an overview of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”), the Providing Urgent Maternal Protection for Nursing Mothers (“PUMP”) Act, New York’s lactation break law, and New York’s prenatal leave law. Samantha Hunt started the discussion with a summary of PWFA and the types of claims she has handled related to these laws. Rachel Lee provided best practices for employers when complying with the PWFA and the lactation break law. Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga discussed the New York sick leave and the prenatal leave requirements along with an explanation of the type of enforcement her department handles. The attendees walked away with a strong understanding of the rights afforded under these new laws and tips for employers on how to best comply with these changing laws.

Thank you to the panelists for sharing their expertise. Thank you to the Professional Development Committee for assisting with the accreditation of the CLE as well as the L&E Law and Women’s Committees for co-hosting this insightful event.  

If you are interested in attending future L&E Law or Women’s Committee events, please check the AABANY calendar. We hope to see you at our future event!

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AABANY Members Visit Capitol Hill During NAPABA Lobby Day

AABANY members pose in front of the U.S. Capitol at NAPABA Lobby Day 2024.

On May 22, 2024, AABANY members met with the staff of New York Senate and Congressional representatives in Washinton, D.C. at this year’s NAPABA Lobby Day. Each year, members of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) travel from across the United States to Washington D.C. and advocate on critical issues facing the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community.

NAPABA and local bar association members discussed a number of issues with Congressional offices including legislation to address Anti-Asian Hate, Civil Rights, Immigration, and to support the confirmation of AANHPI judicial and executive nominees.

Wen Xue discusses alien land laws with Rebecca Lee, Legislative Assistant for Congresswoman Grace Meng.

Wen Xue, Associate at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, discussed state bills barring Chinese nationals from owning real property and a federal bill to preempt those laws.  She shared, “Lobby Day is a great opportunity to meet and connect with people. I enjoyed the opportunity to see my fellow NAPABA colleagues in action, hear their words, and be inspired.”

Sandy Chiu, intellectual property attorney at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, stated, “Lobby Day continues to inspire and reengage me in the civic process, reminding me of our power as a collective NAPABA voice in shaping policy.”

Michelle Lee, Counsel for Stand with Asian Americans which advocates against workplace discrimination, discussed legislation to ensure AANHPI history is taught as part of American history. She stated, “As a first-time attendee of Lobby Day, I experienced a sense of empowerment and relevance as we advocated on behalf of our AANHPI community directly with our Senators’ and Representatives’ offices. Every lawyer should take advantage of this privilege especially when NAPABA makes the experience so seamless and collaborative.”

Nandar Win Kerr, Human Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Consultant and Co-Chair of AABANY’s Professional Development Committee, stated, “For the past three years, I have participated in NAPABA Lobby Day, transitioning from grassroots activism to high-level policy advocacy, a journey that seemed intimidating at first…. Engaging in NAPABA Lobby Day has enriched my sense of community and empowered me to contribute to collective advocacy efforts. Together, we strive to foster a peaceful, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable democratic society where everyone feels they belong.”

Rachel Lee discusses civil rights legislation with Bre Sonnier-Thompson, Legislative Correspondent for New York Senator Chuck Schumer.

Rachel Lee, Associate at A&O Shearman, stated, “Lobby Day 2024 was another incredibly rewarding experience. Marching through the hallways of the House and Senate buildings with a team of like-minded AANHPI attorneys was a reminder that our democratic process requires hard work and advocacy and gave me hope that as a team we can serve as a voice on issues important to our often-forgotten community. Whether it’s an important election year or not, with or without prior lobbying experience, I strongly encourage our members to take part in this amazing program.”

NAPABA is the largest AANHPI grassroots membership association, representing the interests of over 80,000 lawyers, judges, law students and other legal professionals around the country. Approximately 90 local bar associations are affiliated with NAPABA.

Anna Mercado Clark, Partner at Phillips Lytle LLP, currently serves as President of NAPABA. She stated, “Lobby Day is the premier advocacy event for NAPABA and one of the most visible ways that we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We are proud to have gathered 150 members for a Congressional reception and 50 meetings with legislators from both sides of the aisle. It is so powerful to see so many AANHPIs roaming the halls of Congress. It sends the message that we are here, we matter, and we will not tire of pursuing issues of importance to our communities. Thank you, AABANY, for joining NAPABA and all you are doing to advocate for our communities and strengthen democracy. This work is more important now than ever.”

NAPABA President Anna Mercado Clark and Nandar Win Kerr attending the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Congressional Reception.
Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA), Senator Mazie Hirono (HI), and Director of Domestic Policy Counsel Neera Tanden speak at the AANHPI Congressional Reception.

NAPABA Lobby Day coincides with the annual Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Congressional Reception. Several AANHPI congressional and administration officials spoke including Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA), Senator Mazie Hirono (HI), and White House Director of the Domestic Policy Counsel Neera Tanden.

Thanks to all the AABANY members who participated in Lobby Day this year, especially Vishal Chander, Issues Committee Co-Chair and Board Director, who submitted this report.

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Allen & Overy Presents AABANY Trial Reenactment: Oyama v. State of California

On May 24, AABANY and Allen & Overy (A&O) presented a reenactment of the historic case Oyama v. State of California, in commemoration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This landmark case was reenacted by attorneys and law students to tell a captivating story involving AAPI litigants on an important constitutional case known to very few but which has resonance to the present day.

As described on the AABANY Trial Reenactments website:

Inspired by Prof. Rose Cuison Villazor’s law review article, “Rediscovering Oyama v. California: At the Intersection of Property, Race, and Citizenship,” 87 Wash. U. L. Rev. 979 (2010), the reenactment dealt with the California Alien Land Law which prevented “aliens ineligible from citizenship” – i.e., Japanese – from owning land. The case explored the ways in which denial of property rights also served to promote racial discrimination against the Japanese in California. In the case, Kajiro Oyama, a Japanese immigrant who was ineligible for United States citizenship at the time, bought a parcel of farmland which he deeded to his minor son Fred, who was born in the United States and was thus a citizen. Under the Alien Land Laws, this transaction was deemed a fraud and the State of California brought suit against Fred Oyama to escheat the property. The case went all the way up to the United States Supreme Court, where the statute’s constitutionality was placed before the Court for its review.

The in-person reenactment was followed by a lively panel discussion co-sponsored by A&O’s U.S. Asian Affinity Network. The discussion was led by A&O Partner John Hwang and Associate Rachel Lee and featuring guest speakers Professor Rose Cuison-Villazor and Shenyang Wu. As the Interim Co-Dean at Rutgers Law School, Professor Cuison-Villazor shared details of her personal discussion with the Oyama family in 2010 for her paper. Shenyang, a partner at Alpha Law NY PLLC and a co-founder of the Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA), reinforced that sentiments from legislation like the Alien Land Act of 1913 are still alive by noting Texas lawmakers’ recent decision to restrict Chinese foreign nationals’ land ownership.

A particularly poignant moment during the panel occurred when Rachel Lee conducted an informal survey of the number of lawyers who had heard of the Oyama v. California case prior to the reenactment. In a room of more than 50 attorneys and law students, less than 5 people raised their hands. This demonstrates how much more work needs to be done for AAPI and the law in legal education and highlights the importance of reenactments like this. The significance of the case for the AAPI community extends beyond issues of immigration, residency, and land ownership. It symbolizes the power of every voice that deserves to be heard and every story that needs to be told.

We thank Allen & Overy and all of the participants in the reenactment for giving their time to raise awareness of the Oyama family’s legacy. For more information about AABANY’s trial reenactment project, visit https://reenactments.aabany.org/.  

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AABANY Members Visit Capitol Hill for NAPABA Lobby Day

On May 22 and 23, 2023, AABANY members Yen-Yi Anderson, Vishal Chander, Chris Kwok, Rachel Lee, and Nandar Win Kerr converged on Washington D.C. for National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Lobby Day. Each year, NAPABA organizes the event to educate members of Congress on issues of importance to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. NAPABA Lobby Day is scheduled to coincide with AANHPI Heritage Month in May of each year.

AABANY members met with the legislative staff of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. They discussed issues such as support for the LGBTQ+ community, protection of the right to counsel in immigration, mental health support for AANHPI and other diverse communities, profiling persons of Chinese ancestry, state passage of alien land laws, and AANHPI judicial and executive nominees.

Rachel Lee, an associate at Allen & Overy LLP, shared, “I am happy to have participated in NAPABA Lobby Day this year. It was an educational and eye-opening experience to learn about different issues impacting the AANHPI community and be able to advocate for our community on Capitol Hill at various congressional offices with fellow NAPABA members. I highly recommend the program and would participate again in the future.”

NAPABA is the nation’s largest Asian Pacific American membership organization representing the interest of 60,000 attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA Lobby Day activities include a 3-Part Training Event, Congressional office visits, and an AANHPI Heritage Month Congressional Reception.

Written By: Vishal Chander, active AABANY member and Co-Chair, Solo & Small Firm Practice Committee

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