One Year After The Shooting In Atlanta, Asian Minnesotans Call For Reflection And Action
By Julia Gay
One year ago, on March 16, 2021, eight people, including six Asian women were killed at three spas in the Atlanta metro area. Since then, the #StopAsianHate movement across the nation has spurred thousands to combat the rising violence and racism directed towards Asian Americans.
Here in Minnesota, Asian Americans were not excluded from this violence as we saw property damage, verbal harassment, and physical violence on the rise. These incidents continue today.
As we mark the one-year anniversary of this tragedy, on March 15th, the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) invited our community, policy makers, and systems leaders to join together in honoring the victims, the survivors, and their families.
In the past year, we’ve continued to see increased violence towards Asian Americans, including violent attacks, verbal harassment, deportation, and attacks on our small businesses and nonprofits. This has been compounded with the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Hmong, Karen and Karenni Minnesotans in particular, who have higher rates of infection and mortality. CAAL, local organizations, and community leaders have worked tirelessly to support our communities and combat the rising hate and violence against Asian Americans here in Minnesota. Recently, we’ve seen record investments in Asian American communities nationally, including our neighboring state of Wisconsin. We call on Minnesota to follow suit.
With Minnesota’s $9 billion budget surplus, we call for bold leadership and historic investments in the health, safety, and economic well-being of Asian Minnesotans. With over 350,000 Asians in Minnesota, we are one of the fastest growing populations in the state. When we invest in Asian Minnesotans, we invest in a more just and thriving Minnesota for all of us.
About Coalition of Asian American Leaders:
The Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) envisions a just and joyful future where all Minnesotans, regardless of background, have the power to shape decisions that affect us and live with dignity in thriving and caring communities. Our mission is to harness our collective power to improve the lives of community by connecting, learning, and acting together.
To learn more, please visit www.caalmn.org.
