PRESS RELEASE
AAPCHO Mourns Victims of Atlanta Mass Shootings, Calls for Solidarity Against Rise of Anti-Asian Violence and Hate
March 17, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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WASHINGTON – The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) issued the following statement in response to the mass shootings of eight people, including six Asian women, in Atlanta. While the details of the shootings are still unfolding, they happened at a time of increasing anti-Asian violence and hate across the country.
Jeffrey B. Caballero, MPH, AAPCHO’s executive director, said,
“AAPCHO mourns with the families of these victims and stands with the Atlanta community as they grapple with these horrific acts of domestic terrorism. We condemn these senseless killings, and call for solidarity and action from allies across all communities and elected officials against all forms of racist violence and hate.
“While the investigation into these killings is ongoing, it is undeniable they occurred at a time when Asian Americans nationwide are increasingly targets of racism and xenophobia, already exacerbated by the pandemic. AAPCHO and our member community health centers are deeply concerned by the escalating rise in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans. We are committed to providing support to affected communities across the country and holding our elected leaders accountable to advancing public policies to address systemic racism affecting all communities of color.
“We recognize that words of comfort are important to supporting the families and loved ones of those killed last night, but we know that they are not enough. Meaningful action from our elected leaders is demanded to heal these wounds. We continue to acknowledge that racism is a public health crisis, affecting Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other communities of color. AAPCHO stands in solidarity with our community, our health centers, and other advocates in calling for immediate action and long-term investment into community-centered solutions to address and help heal from these and other acts of violence and hate.”
If you or someone you know have experienced xenophobia, discrimination, or harassment, please report the hate incident at https://stopaapihate.org/. Spread the word and encourage your organization to sign on to this statement http://bit.ly/gaAAPIorgsignon (individual sign-ons coming soon) and donate what you can to the Atlanta victims relief fund: https://bit.ly/DonateToGeorgiaAAPICommunity.
About AAPCHO
AAPCHO is a national association of community health organizations dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improves the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. For more information on AAPCHO, please visit www.aapcho.org.
Contact
Kristine Cecile Alarcon, (510) 671-5054, kalarcon@aapcho.org