Khue Tran

Growing up in East New Orleans, Louisiana, Khue Tran experienced first-hand the devastating effects of discriminatory policies after a landfill was built on top of her neighborhood following Hurricane Katrina. She knew then she wanted to pursue professional and academic experiences where she could learn how to best advocate for marginalized people who have been abandoned or discriminated against by local and federal policies. Khue graduated from Yale College in May 2022 as a Yale Journalism Scholar with Bachelor of Art degrees in Political Science and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration. After college, Khue focused on community organizing and policy development at Zealous, a nonprofit challenging carceral injustice and providing resources to address systemic traumas. She found that her efforts could only bring her so far, and that marginalized communities needed strategic impact litigation that promoted reintegration and safety. As a future lawyer, Khue will address the root causes of systemic issues by fighting on behalf of individuals through direct representation and to make structural change; for example, requiring city officials to consult residents before implementing cost-cutting measures, or addressing redlining and subsequent gun violence under fair housing laws. Khue Tran is a 1L at Berkeley Law.