As the Asian American community deals with Tuesday’s mass shootings in Atlanta that left eight dead, including six Asian women, World Savvy issued the following statement:
“World Savvy stands in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community during this painful time. In the last year, compounding the challenges facing immigrant and BIPOC community members during COVID, we have seen a dramatic escalation of targeted violence toward our Asian neighbors. We’ve seen COVID-19 referred to repeatedly by those in power with racial slurs, stoking these xenophobic fears and hatred and contributing to a climate of fear for Asian community members. This week, a gunman opened fire at three Asian-operated spas in Georgia, killing 8 people, six of whom were Asian women.
This unspeakable act is emblematic of the larger systemic issues we face as a nation struggling to build an inclusive society in our multi-ethnic democracy. We all must come together not only to condemn these acts, but to act swiftly to combat this rise in racial violence. The first step toward healing must be acknowledgement: both of the long history of discrimination against Asians and Asian Americans – and specifically the stereotyping and dehumanization of Asian women – in this country, as well as the underlying foundation of white supremacy that has allowed this to persist through generations.
Our hearts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives this week in Georgia. At World Savvy, we remain committed to moving forward with a mission to expand learning and understanding across cultures, build our collective capacity for inclusive dialogue and changemaking, and engage in deep reflection – and action – rooted in our understanding of how we unknowingly contribute to the systemic issues underlying these events. We stand with our neighbors, and remain hopeful for change.”
In solidarity,
World Savvy
