WhenDaniel Dae Kimwatched a Georgia Sheriff’s spokesman describe a gunman — one who had allegedly justkilled six Asian spa workers— as having"a very bad day"earlier this year, it touched a nerve. Six years ago, Kim saw law enforcement seemingly downplay an attack on his younger sister Connie.
Connie, an avid runner, was out on her daily workout, Kim tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, when a man yelled at her to get out of the way, which she did.
“This man specifically targeted her because of her race and tried to run her over with his car repeatedly,” says Kim, 53. The driver struck Connie twice, knocking her to the ground. Now, says Kim, “Because of the injuries sustained in that attack, she is not able to run anymore.”
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Courtesy Daniel Dae Kim
Even worse, Kim says, when Connie reported the attack to law enforcement, officials told her it wasn’t worth it to try for hate crime charges, because proving intent is too high a bar. Instead, prosecutors said, “You should just hope for whatever you can get,” Kim toldCNNin March. The Kims said they later discovered that the man, who was convicted of reckless driving, a misdemeanor, allegedly had a history of violence against Asian women.
Connie says her brother has been her rock. “I know that Dan always has my back, and that gives me a feeling of stability and security that is invaluable,” she says.
In addition to his sister, Kim has been speaking out on behalf of the thousands of victims ofanti-Asian hate, teaming upwith actor Daniel Wu to offer $25,000to find the suspect who assaulted a 91-year-old man in Oakland’s Chinatown, andtestifying to Congressabout the need for anti-hate legislation.
“I think of my efforts as one of a collective,” he says. “The Asian-American community as a whole started standing up and speaking out in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time.”
Yuri Hasegawa
Next month, he takes on hisfirst leading roleinThe Hot Zone: Anthrax, the second season of the National Geographic anthology series, which follows the manhunt for the person who sent anthrax-laced letters to members of Congress and the media.
Peter Stranks/National Geographic
The Hot Zone: Anthraxpremieres Nov. 28 at 9 p.m. ET on Nat Geo and will stream on Hulu.
source: people.com
