We share the pain and outrage that many folks across the ROP network are feeling in response to the terrible murders targeting Asian American women in North Georgia this week. We gather together with our loved ones, whether physically or virtually in difficult times because we know that we are the ones who will keep each other safe. We have so much to grieve these days, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and stuck, especially when we face these huge challenges alone. We know and love our communities and will continue to show up and take care of each other again and again.
In the past year alone, nearly 3,800 hate incidents targeting Asian Americans were reported in the US. Anti-Asian, as well as gender-based violence, has been on the rise alongside other forms of white supremacist violence. These incidents have brought with them calls for increased policing, despite the fact that communities of color including the people murdered in North Georgia this week have been brutalized and discriminated against by law enforcement for centuries. We cannot forget the legacy in our country, and our own home state, of Japanese Americans losing their homes and businesses and being locked up during World War Two, or the more than 13,000 immigrants from all over the world currently held in immigrant detention facilities in the US.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta & the Georgia NAACP shared a powerful statement this week, including these words: “During this time of crisis for our AAPI [Asian American and Pacific Islander] community, we call on our local and state government to provide robust and responsive crisis intervention resources, including in-language support for mental health, legal, employment, and immigration services. It is time for Georgia to invest in transformative justice that begins with cross-racial dialogue and community-building that address the root causes of violence and hate.” Read the full statement here.
Below are some ways we at ROP are finding hope and offering support in these challenging times.
Support Local Organizing in North Georgia:
- Sign on to Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta & the Georgia NAACP’s powerful statement.
- Contribute to this support fund for the families of the people who were ruthlessly murdered, organized by Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta.
Connect with Your Group and Your Neighbors:
- Check-In: How are you doing? How are your friends and neighbors doing? Particularly if you aren’t Asian American, now is the time to reach out and offer support to your loved ones who are.
- Support your local Asian American-owned businesses.
- Make a Local Action Plan. Want to do more? Get your group together and make a plan to keep each other safe and challenge violence against Asian American people and all the ways white supremacy harms rural communities. Not sure where to start? Don’t hesitate to call up your local ROP organizer for support, or email us at emma@rop.org!
How else is your group grappling with this moment? Let us know and we would love to share your examples with the network! Email us at emma@rop.org.