Dear Friend,

Courage California is mourning the tragic loss of ten people in Monterey Park.

This weekend should have been a time of celebration of the Lunar New Year, but instead, our Asian American and Pacific Islander community is once again dealing with trauma. Our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured in the Star Ballroom Dance Studio.

The past few years have been particularly difficult for the California AAPI community. Hate crimes against AAPI individuals increased 339% since the pandemic began, and our community has experienced several mass shootings. Lunar New Year is usually when we gather with our loved ones to ring in the new year with hope and joy, and instead this attack provokes fear and serves as a harsh reminder to be vigilant.

Details about the shooter are still vague, but one thing is certain: The murderer should have never had access to a weapon capable of committing such a massacre.

We are only three weeks into 2023, and Monterey Park is the 36th mass shooting in the U.S. this year, and the deadliest since Uvalde last May. As we process yet another tragedy, one that hits so close to home, we must not pause in our work to stop assault weapons from tearing apart our families and communities. And I want to assure Courage California members that we are committed to continuing that work.

All communities deserve to live free from fear, and it will take courageous leadership to shift our political momentum back toward commonsense gun laws.

With heart and in solidarity,

–Irene Kao, for the entire Courage team

Donations go to support all of Courage California's work for a more progressive California and country. Follow us now on Facebook or Twitter!