One year after the Atlanta-area spa shootings
On this day last year (March 16, 2021), eight people — six of them Asian women — were killed in the Atlanta-area spa shootings. The murders were trivialized and dismissed because the shooter was “having a bad day.” We promised to never forget their names while elected officials promised progress and change. But has there been?
74% of Asian American and Pacific Islander women have experienced racism or discrimination in the past year (Source: National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum).
Nearly 11,000 hate incidents were reported to Stop AAPI Hate between 3/19/20 - 12/31/21.
Anti-Asian hate crimes rose 339% in 2021 across major U.S. cities (Source: Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism).
Most recently in New York City: a man punched a 67-year-old woman more than 125 times because she was Asian. An Asian man was attacked with a hammer. One man physically attacked seven Asian women in the span of two hours. Christina Yuna Lee was stalked, followed home, and killed in her Chinatown apartment. Michelle Go was pushed to her death as a man shoved her off a Times Square subway platform.
Most days, it doesn’t feel like there’s been progress. Our community oscillates between fear/frustration and hope/joy on a daily basis. But one thing is for certain, our community has shown its strength, resilience, and bond like never before. Our voices and actions are louder than ever.
Thank you to everyone who has stepped up and out of their comfort zone to use their voice, time, and resources to effect the change we so desperately need.
🕊 Sending love and strength to all the family and friends of the Atlanta-area shooting victims. We have not forgotten.
