The identities of the women killed in Atlanta...

Karissa Chen: The identities of the women killed in Atlanta have begun to belie the suspect's stated motive. Creator: Megan Varner | Credit: Getty Images Copyright: 2021 Getty Images

Dear Friends,

This morning I signed a letter from Action Network [Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta & Georgia NAACP] called A Community-Centered Response to Violence Against Asian American Communities.

On March 16, eight people were killed at three different spas in North Georgia. Six of the people killed were Asian American and all but one were women.

We are heartbroken by these acts of violence, which come at a time when the AAPI community is already grappling with the trauma of increasing violence against Asian Americans nationwide, fueled by scapegoating around the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the United States’ long history of white supremacy and systemic racism.

By signing on to this letter you join us in decrying misogyny, white supremacy, systemic racism that is at the core of violence against Immigrant and Black communities.

As we collectively grieve, process, and respond to this tragedy, we must lead with the needs of those most directly impacted at the center: the victims and their families. And during this time of crisis for our AAPI community, we must be guided by a lens of community care that prioritizes coordinating resources to address those needs.

We thank you for your solidarity and patience as we investigate the best response for the victims and their families.

View the full letter here or copy and paste to your browser | http://bit.ly/gaAAPIstatementMar21?source=email&;

Can you join me and take action?

https://actionnetwork.org/forms/call-for-a-community-centered-response-to-violence-against-aapi-communities?source=email&; Thank you.