John,

Last night, eight people were murdered in racially motivated shootings at Asian-owned businesses in Georgia. Six of the victims were Asian women. And all of them were the victims of hate and white supremacy.

Like you, I am heartbroken by this senseless loss of life. But I am also angry. Asian Americans have a long history of facing violence in this country. Since the start of COVID-19, Asian American and Pacific Islanders have faced an explosive rise in xenophobic hatred, and this issue has been marginalized. The attacks continue to escalate, especially for AAPI women, and they will not stop without our collective action.

While law enforcement may not be calling this most recent tragedy a hate crime, we know that is exactly what it is. This horrific crime and the nearly 4,000 other reported incidents over the last year were driven by white supremacy, misogyny, and racism. As a community of New Americans and BIPOC leaders, we must turn our sadness and anger into action by speaking out against this growing anti-Asian hate. Here's how you can take action now:

• Join us tomorrow at 1:00PM ET to stand in solidarity with the AAPI community in Georgia and across the country. Using #NoAAPIHate and #StopAAPIHate, please share your statements of solidarity, stories, and speak out to end hate. 
• Support Georgia AAPI leaders and organizations working to stop hate and support the AAPI community after this attack. 
  • Georgia State Senator Michelle Au
  • Georgia State Representative Marvin Lim
  • Georgia State Representative Bee Nguyen
  • Georgia State Representative Sam Park
  • Georgia State Senator Sheikh Rahman
  • Stop AAPI Hate
  • Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta
  • Asian American Advocacy Fund
  • Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS)
  • National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum — Metro Atlanta Chapter
• Learn how you can be an ally against hate. Take a bystander intervention training with Asian Americans Advancing Justice to learn how you can help deescalate potentially dangerous situations.
• Call out racism, misogyny, and hate — in all forms — against all groups. Whether it is online, in our communities, or in public spaces, we cannot stand by and let hate go unchecked. What impacts one of us impacts all of us. We must all stand up, speak out, and take action. 

Together, we can support one another even in the midst of this grief, uniting to show that hate has no place in our country or democracy.

In Solidarity,

Sara Le Brusq

Interim President

New American Leaders