Private Danny Chen was only nineteen years old when he was found dead on a U.S. Army base in Afghanistan. His non-combat death took place under “suspicious circumstances inside the wire.” The court martials revealed that Chen faced weeks of unrelenting hazing and racial harassment by his superiors. We Are Danny is both Elizabeth OuYang’s troubling and critical account of what transpired and her memoir of Chen’s death and life, starting with his funeral.

OuYang, who led the fight for justice, narrates Chen’s story in a personal style that speaks directly to him. We Are Danny chronicles the community-based efforts to stand up to injustice where young enlistees like Chen, who fight for their country, are met with bigotry. OuYang details organizing local and national campaigns to petition the Army for a timely and thorough investigation of Chen’s death. She describes an unprecedented group meeting with high-ranking officials from the Pentagon, and recounts candlelight vigils, community protests, and the naming of Pvt. Danny Chen Way in Manhattan’s Chinatown to honor him.  

There are, sadly, many Private Danny Chens. We Are Danny offers a valuable lesson on how community advocacy and demanding accountability can focus attention on needed military reforms.

Elizabeth R. OuYang is an advocate, civil rights attorney, and educator.