Journalist CeFaan Kim on Anti-Asian Violence

Chances are that if you’ve been paying attention to the alarming rise of anti-Asian violence in the U.S., you’ve heard of journalist CeFaan Kim. His reporting, and his Twitter and Instagram feeds, have become go-to sources for keeping up with updates of anti-Asian attacks in New York City and nationwide.

CeFaan Kim is a Korean American reporter at ABC News in New York City. Growing up in Philadelphia, CeFaan recognized from an early age that there was little representation of Asians in the media. And so he decided to embark on a career as a reporter. Now, two decades into his career, CeFaan has become known for his reporting on Asian American issues, specifically poverty within the community. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic happened, and CeFaan became a crucial voice in covering the rise of anti-Asian violence.

In an interview with Asia Society, CeFaan recounts what it was like to report stories of violence against Asian Americans during the height of the pandemic as an Asian American himself, the importance of journalism in the era of social media, and what kinds of changes he hopes to see going forward. 

He speaks about all of this and more with Asia Society’s Aalok Kanani.