The next speaker was Yoko Kato, a prominent spokesperson against domestic violence. On Jan. 11, 1993, Kato’s 23-year-old daughter, Sherry Morton, and 18-month-old grandson Cedric were brutally murdered by her daughter’s partner.

Kato works both in the United States and in Japan and recently received the Reverend Chang Imm Tan Award for Personal Courage. Kato has lectured at colleges including Smith, Amherst, Clark and Harvard, and has established a Memorial Scholarship Fund in her daughter’s name. She has also worked with the Japanese government, which has now recognized domestic violence as a crime of society.

After recounting the moving story of her daughter and grandson’s murders, Kato said that victims of domestic violence “have a voice to tell their stories now, looking at us from heaven. We are their voices and bodies.”

“This is a daily and silent terror that we shouldn’t keep silent anymore,” said Karen Guo of Harvard Law School, the community service chair of APALSA.

Sophia Lai ’04, of the Asian American Association, said many Asian groups on campus had chosen to sponsor this event because there was a “disconnect” between the Asian-American community and organizations that address social problems.

“[Asian-Americans] don’t share a lot of issues with the government and social workers,” she said.

Lai attributed this silence about domestic violence to the traditionally patriarchal Confucian culture.

After the vigil ended, people remained to talk in small groups, moved by what had been said.

“I’m so glad that people came despite the wind and cold. It’s very encouraging,” said Koko Oyama of the Asian Task Force.