March 19, 2021
Dear Community,
Along with so many others across the country, we are horrified by the racist violence that claimed the lives of eight people, six of whom are Asian American women. We mourn their loss.
We will not be fooled by the system trying to deny culpability and mislabel racism as the result of something else. That too is racism at work – its insidious nature attempts to masquerade in various ways. Instead, we must be resolute in calling out this act for what it is: racist, misogynistic violence designed to scare and silence us.
We will not be silenced.
We join in calling for an end to anti-Asian hate. Violence has been used throughout our nation’s history to threaten and control people of color and women. This week’s massacre is the latest in a long history of violence against Asians, especially against Asian women who are fetishized, sexualized and victimized. In the past year alone, there have been 3,800 anti-Asian racist incidents, most of them against women.
We join with the Asian American community in Atlanta and communities across the country to call for protection and safety for Asian Americans. Together, we will show that white supremacist racist terror against Asian, Black, Indigenous and other communities of color will not stand. We will not be deterred from working for justice and our collective freedom. Let’s join in solidarity, healing and power across communities to put an end to white supremacy once and for all.
In Solidarity,
Lateefah Simon
Akonadi Foundation President
