DONALD: FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM

For Konesavanh “Donald” Sirypangno, the fight for freedom is far from over. Although his charge was reduced from first-degree to second-degree murder, he remains behind bars—serving time for a crime he did not commit. Donald wasn’t the shooter. He didn’t know a friend planned to take a life. Yet for more than 20 years, he’s been caught in a system that too often punishes people of color for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In 2019, Donald filed petitions under SB 1437 and Penal Code 1170—laws designed to give individuals like him the chance to have their cases reviewed and sentences reconsidered. But the process has been anything but just. Despite legal reforms meant to correct decades of racial bias in sentencing, Donald’s hearing continues to be delayed.

Asian Solidarity Collective stands with Donald and others like him—people who have been silenced and left behind by a system that was never built for them. Through advocacy, storytelling, and re-entry support, ASC is working to dismantle the racist laws and practices that keep BIPOC communities overrepresented and underserved in the criminal legal system.

Donald’s story is not just about one man’s fight for justice—it’s a reflection of why ASC’s work matters. Every life kept behind bars unjustly is a reminder that change must continue. Donald deserves a fair hearing. He deserves to go home.