Statement on Recent Mass Shootings and Hate Crimes Against the Asian-American Community

It has been 1 week since the horrendous murder of 7 people in Atlanta, GA including 6 Asian American Women and 1 Man. As we grieve this loss as a nation, on Monday 3/22 we learned of yet another shooting incident in Boulder, Colorado in which 10 people lost their lives.

The unfortunate reality is that as we continue to fight the pandemic, America is still plagued with an epidemic of mass shootings that happen in our country with stunning regularity. In the last week alone, the United States has seen at least seven shootings in each of which at least four people were injured or killed. After a year of so much loss we should not be forced to imagine returning to a sense of normalcy means a return to fearing for our lives from gun violence.

It is time that our leaders stand up and create solutions to combat gun violence. We can and must take action to ensure this doesn’t continue to happen in our country. Until we can root out the racism and misogyny that fuel the hatred at the core of mass shootings, we must pass sensible gun laws and increase background checks.

I stand in solidarity with the Asian American community to bring attention to this issue and stand against violence against women. My prayers go out to the families of the victims in these senseless tragedies.