Friend,

I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area from Michigan over a decade ago
because, as a Chinese American woman, I wanted to live somewhere where I
would feel safer among greater numbers of Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders (AAPIs). But white supremacy, misogyny, and the violence they
fuel is everywhere. Today, I mourn the eight people -- six of whom were
Asian American women -- who were shot and killed by a white man who
targeted three Asian-run spas in the Atlanta area.

People like me and families like mine have experienced anti-Asian racism
in the United States for centuries, and especially now with the rise in
anti-Asian violence in the last year. The pandemic has become an excuse
for people to outwardly direct their racism and hate towards AAPI
communities, and it is a painful reminder that there is no amount of love
or education I can instill in my children to protect them from this kind
of harm or the reality of white supremacy.

So I dedicate myself to the fight for equity, justice, and accountability
alongside my AAPI, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other allies, like you.
The hope for better is sometimes about surviving the darkness of pain,
trauma, and fear. Sometimes it is about more, but today, surviving is
enough.

In the words of Grace Lee Boggs, the late Chinese American activist based
in Michigan, “Movements are born of critical connections rather than
critical mass.” I invite you to connect with some of our AAPI partner
groups doing important work today:

[ [link removed] ]18 Million Rising
[ [link removed] ]AAPIs for Civic Empowerment
[ [link removed] ]Asian Americans Advancing Justice
[ [link removed] ]Asian and Pacific Islander Equality - Los Angeles
[ [link removed] ]Asian and Pacific Islander Equality - Northern California
[ [link removed] ]Asian Pacific Environmental Network
[ [link removed] ]Filipino Advocates for Justice
[ [link removed] ]Hmong Innovating Politics
[ [link removed] ]Khmer Girls In Action

In solidarity,

Irene Kao, Executive Director



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Courage California (formerly Courage Campaign) makes sure our democracy works for ALL of us by fighting corruption in California politics. We believe the solution lies in exposing and solving systemic problems through strategic organizing, enhancing coordination between progressive organizations, and mobilizing civic engagement from our communities, particularly voters of color, young voters, and self-identified progressives.

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