The Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council would like to extend their deepest sympathy to the families of the victims of the recent shootings in Atlanta. As of today, eight people have lost their lives because of these shootings, with the majority being Asian American women. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 4,000 reported crimes have been committed against members of the Asian American community because of inaccurate and racially motivated rhetoric that has been shared falsely implicating their communities with the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We must condemn misogyny, racism, and xenophobia in all their forms, most especially when they are perceived and reported by individuals and communities victimized by such hate. We cannot stand by as baseless claims and stereotypes are used to justify violence against an entire community. The state and nation have been focused on preventing the loss of life due to the COVID-19 and the shooting in Atlanta, serves as a reminder of the continued racism that the Asian American population has faced throughout the pandemic.
The Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council stand in solidarity with the Asian American community in condemning bias and violence against Asian Americans. We do not condone any crime that is committed against a person because of their race. There has been an increase in anti-Asian American sentiment, which is alarming and severely concerning. The problem is not just the widespread misinformation that vilifies Asians and scapegoats the Asian American community as the source of the COVID-19 virus. What also needs to be addressed very directly is the intellectual and moral malfeasance of racist discourse itself. It is in times like these that all communities of color need to stand in solidarity and come together and support each other. That support would also benefit our broader national community as our society works to overcome exclusionary tendencies and to leverage our collective strengths and values against major global economic and health challenges. To quote Sia Her, the executive director of the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, “A slight against one of us is a slight against all of us, and despite what many in our world are telling us, we are stronger together.”
Sincerely,
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