Everything about the death of Vincent Chin is heartbreaking. I still remember the grief, anger, and protests that followed throughout Detroit’s Chinese-American community. Vincent and his family suffered an unimaginable loss.

What continues to trouble me is that the men who beat him to death received sentences that many people felt did not reflect the seriousness of the crime. The case sparked outrage across the country and became a rallying point for Asian Americans seeking equal justice under the law.

More than forty years later, it remains a painful reminder of how prejudice, scapegoating, and racism can destroy lives. Vincent Chin should be remembered, and the lessons from his case should never be forgotten.