On March 2, 2026, AABANY’s Solo & Small Firm Practice Committee and Prosecutors Committee hosted a book reading and discussion featuring Strangers in the Land, the critically acclaimed 2025 book by Michael Luo, Executive Editor at The New Yorker. The event was moderated by the Honorable Marilyn Go (Ret.), the first Asian American woman to serve as a federal judge in the United States, and was hosted by Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP.
During the event, Luo shared stories from his book, tracing various aspects of Chinese and Chinese-American history from the Gold Rush era to the rise in anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic. One story described an early Chinese immigrant who came to America after attending a missionary school in China, where the head of the school invited students to accompany him back to the United States. The individual later faced the harsh effects of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which barred Chinese immigrants from naturalization, and his citizenship was revoked. Despite these barriers, he managed to reenter the United States and even attempted to volunteer for the Union Army during the Civil War, though he was turned away.
Reflecting on the broader themes of the book, Luo noted, “This question of who gets to be an American is one that is going on right now – who belongs in America. I don’t know what it would take for this representation to reach that tipping point.”
During the audience Q&A, attendees raised questions about the absence of Asian American history in mainstream education and discussed how recent anti-Asian hate and geopolitical tensions continue to shape perceptions of Asian Americans today, focusing on how the People’s Republic of China is an increasingly powerful country and enemy to the United States. Luo shared similar concerns, highlighting how the history recounted in his book was during a period of weakness for China and that the historical developments are likely to impact the law dealing with the social issues raised by the audience.
We thank Michael Luo for sharing his work and insights, and the Honorable Marilyn Go (Ret.) for moderating the discussion. Please visit AABANY’s website for more upcoming events like this one, such as AABANY’s first book club meeting on March 19, 2026. To learn more about the Solo & Small Firms Practice Committee click here. To learn more about the Prosecutors Committee, click here.
