Paul Kim
Paul Kim is an American activist and documentary filmmaker based in Missoula, Montana. He is best known for his work uncovering erased Chinese burial grounds and for leading advocacy in both historic justice and transgender rights. He co-directed the 2023 documentary The Bodies Beneath Us and has been active in protests, policy campaigns, and public education.
Education
Kim earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Geography from University College London. His honors thesis explored colonial discourses and spatial politics in Montana.[1]
Activism and career
Kim rose to prominence during the 2023 Montana Legislative Session with dual advocacy in historical justice and transgender rights:
Chinese cemetery project
In 2023, he co-directed The Bodies Beneath Us, a documentary about unmarked Chinese burial sites beneath two public spaces in Missoula. He testified before local authorities and helped pass a joint resolution on August 14, 2023, formally recognizing the cemetery and condemning historic discrimination. In June 2025, Kim helped unveil an interpretive panel at Gregory Park commemorating the site.[2][3][4][5]
Transgender rights advocacy
In April 2023, Kim was arrested during a protest in the Montana State Capitol gallery in support of transgender Representative Zooey Zephyr, who had been barred from speaking on the House floor. He was one of seven arrested, stating he refused to be "corralled" out by riot-gear police.[6][7][8] Charges were later dropped, with prosecutors deeming continued prosecution "not in the interest of justice."[9] Kim shouted "I love you!" to Zephyr as he was being arrested.[10]
In June 2023, Kim organized the **Pride & Determination rally** in Missoula, bringing together LGBTQ+ advocates and allies. The event was profiled in *The New Yorker*, which highlighted how it underscored grassroots momentum for transgender rights in conservative regions.[11]
Beyond grassroots work, Kim served as a Policy Associate at the ACLU of Montana and has worked on various state and federal political campaigns.[2]
Selected filmography
- The Bodies Beneath Us (2023) – Co‑director and producer
References
- ↑ "Paul Kim, BA Geography – UCL". University College London. 2022-09-26. Missing or empty
|url=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Paul Kim reveals the hidden history of Missoula's Chinese community". Big Sky Chat House. 2023-08-16.
- ↑ ""The violence of memory": Missoula's buried history". KPAX. 2023-08-/?. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ "City remembers 50 Chinese bodies buried beneath school". AsAmNews. 2023-09-18.
- ↑ "Rattlesnake neighborhood Interpretive panel commemorates Chinese cemetery". KPAX. 2025-06-06.
- ↑ "At least seven arrested after protest in gallery in support of Rep. Zephyr". Daily Montanan. 2023-04-24.
- ↑ "At least seven arrested after protest in Capitol gallery". Missoula Current. 2023-04-24.
- ↑ "Supporters of silenced Montana transgender lawmaker Zooey ...". AP News. 2023-08-23.
- ↑ "Prosecutors drop charges against 7 arrested in Zooey Zephyr protests". Montana Free Press. 2023-08-23.
- ↑ "'Let her speak': Protesters scream, arrests follow after Speaker ...". Daily Montanan. 2023-04-24.
- ↑ "Zooey Zephyr's Defense of Trans Lives in a Deep‑Red State". The New Yorker. 2024-10-02.
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