About
Danny Li, a peace activist and designer-builder, was a student striker in the Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) strike of 1969 at UC Berkeley. Having enrolled in the Fall of 1966, Li encountered a different worldview that prompted him to begin questioning the history taught to him growing up. His engagement at an Asian American experience symposium, conversations with students and faculty, and listening to speakers on the steps of Sproul Hall, expanded his consciousness. This expansion prompted Li to join the TWLF strike, instantly connecting with the movement motivated by his desire to expand his knowledge of his own history, which he realized had been framed largely by Western and Euro-centric views. As a TWLF striker and attendee of the Asian American Political Alliance’s (AAPA) evening meetings, Li maintains the strike profoundly changed his life’s trajectory.
After graduating from UC Berkeley in 1971, Li earned his Master of Arts Degree in Asian History from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. He decided to leave academia and transition into the construction industry. Li engaged in community and anti-war efforts in Hawaii, including opposing the Vietnam War and contributing to the peace movement. The alternative worldview that Li adopted during his time at UC Berkeley influenced him to a lifelong commitment to solidarity work. Today, Li continues to be a peace activist involved in the anti-imperialist Hawaiian sovereignty movement and advocates for designing and building eco-friendly bamboo structures. He believes that his life commitment to equality, peace, and sustainability was the outcome of the TWLF strike. Currently, Li is semi-retired and lives in Keaau, Hawaii.