Professor D Dangaran ’11 returned to campus on Jan. 16, to speak with Academy students, faculty and staff in Luke Lecture Hall on “The Fight for Trans Justice and Prison Abolition.” The talk was part of the school’s Davis Democracy Initiative, which seeks to present students with diverse perspectives and engage thoughtfully with complex social issues.
An assistant professor of law at the University of Hawai’i William S. Richardson School of Law, Dangaran’s work focuses on constitutional law, civil rights and the experiences of transgender people in prison. Drawing from their legal career and lived experience, Dangaran framed trans people not as victims, but as agents of change, emphasizing that “when you center the most marginalized, the ripple effects create positive change for everyone.”
Dangaran reflected on growing up in Wahiawā in a low-income, Black and Filipino household, becoming the first in their family to attend college, and relying on programs such as Head Start, financial aid and affirmative action. They later went on to graduate from Yale University and Harvard Law School. They spoke candidly about feeling different in classrooms and encountering racial slurs, while crediting Punahou teachers and the school community for helping shape their path. “This institution helped get me to where I am today,” they said.
A central focus of the talk was the harm experienced by incarcerated transgender people, who face disproportionately high rates of sexual violence. Dangaran discussed landmark civil rights litigation that established prison officials’ constitutional duty to protect incarcerated individuals from known risks of harm – legal foundations that continue to inform prison reform efforts today.
Speaking through an abolitionist lens, Dangaran challenged audiences to imagine systems beyond punishment, advocating for rehabilitation, healthcare access, restorative justice and noncarceral alternatives that better support healing and community safety. “Abolition isn’t about removing systems without replacement,” they noted. “It’s about building better ones.”
The talk also addressed the current political climate, including backlash against trans rights, the targeting of trans athletes and the dangers faced by openly trans people – referencing the death of Nex Benedict as a moment of collective grief. Dangaran encouraged students to find joy amid despair, lean on community and recognize the power of allies. “We need each other,” they said. “Proximity matters. How you treat people matters.”
The event concluded with a wide-ranging Q&A, where students raised questions about faith and gender, prison reform and the fear of speaking out. Dangaran urged students to stand alongside one another, drown out hate with more speech and remember that trans joy – and trans liberation – can be transformative for everyone.