RIP
Speaking to graduating seniors of the Benjamin Franklin High School in New
Orleans, Luke Z. Tang ’18 had a message for his classmates.
“There are no bad people in this world, only complex ones,” Tang said. “
Everyone has a story whether you know it or not ... everyone has the
capacity for good and evil.”
Tang, who was a sophomore in Lowell House, died on Saturday suddenly and
unexpectedly.
The message of empathy and faith that he delivered to his high school
classmates that spring day is one he lived throughout his time at Harvard. A
month into his freshman year, Memorial Church named Tang a Church School
teacher, describing him as “an avid teacher” who planned to study physics
and was “passionate about math and poetry.” In high school, Tang taught at
a summer Bible school for the Chinese Baptist Church of New Orleans,
according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
He was a member of the Asian American Christian Fellowship at Harvard,
according to an email sent to residents of Lowell House. He also served on
the board of the Harvard Interfaith Forum.
Prior to enrolling at Harvard, Tang was named his New Orleans school
district’s student of the year, a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent
Search, and a U.S. Presidential Scholar. He also taught violin to inner-city
New Orleans children and served as a concertmaster of the Greater New
Orleans Youth Orchestra, according to the Times-Picayune.
Tang’s parents, Wendell Tang and Christina Tang, came to the United States
in 1990, according to the Times-Picayune. He also has an older brother,
Richard.
In an interview, Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana said words could not
adequately describe the magnitude of the tragedy.
“My heart goes out to the family and the friends who are grieving and I
hope that everyone in our community knows that they don't have to travel on
this journey of grief alone,” Khurana said.
Lowell House Masters Dorothy A. Austin and Diana L. Eck will host students
and other College affiliates at their residence at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
