Hello,

Tuesday night's mass shooting in Atlanta was the latest in a long line of recent attacks against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Eight people were killed during this hateful act — six of whom were Asian American women. My heart goes out to the victims' families, as well as the entire Asian American community.

We must stop the rise of violence against the AAPI community. And it's important we examine Washington State's own history of discrimination against the AAPI community.

From racist so-called "Alien Land Laws" which prohibited land ownership, to the Puyallup Assembly Center which interned Japanese Americans during World War II, our state — and nation — has a history of anti-AAPI policies and hatred we must reckon with.

The continued influence of these statewide policies, as well as country-wide policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, cannot be overlooked. Confronting the truth about our past is critical to building a just future.

AAPI racism didn't start with the COVID-19 pandemic. And it won't end with the pandemic, either. It ends with us, friend. If you are looking for the best ways to support women in the AAPI community right now, consider making a contribution to the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum. Your support will go a long way in their fight to empower and fight for Asian American women.

Thank you, and it's an honor to serve you,

Derek