Hi there,
This afternoon, I went on MSNBC to talk about last night's mass shooting in Atlanta that resulted in the death of eight people, six of whom were women of AAPI descent. After such a horrible event, I wanted to check in with you and share some of what I've told people who have called and texted to check in on me.
As the son of immigrants, the husband of an immigrant, and the father of two Asian American baby boys, the past 24 hours have been challenging. I see my parents in the faces of our elders who have been targeted with violence over the past months. I see the concern in my own family's face as we watch this news together.
But I want to acknowledge how much it means to me and my family that so many of my friends, colleagues, and supporters have reached out to ask what they can do to help. First off, checking in on your friends in the AAPI community is a small but important gesture. Mental health should never be taken for granted, and the threat of physical violence takes its toll.
Second, you can join me in calling out hate. If you're on Twitter, I ask that you follow me at @AndyKimNJ and express your own support for the AAPI community by using the hashtags #StopAsianHate and #StopAAPIHate. >> [link removed]
Next, you can call on every level of government -- from your mayor to President Biden -- to take steps to address this crisis. President Biden has taken the very important step to call out anti-AAPI hate crimes and shine a light on this problem, but now it's time to take action. There are things the White House and the Department of Justice can do to make it easier to report hate crimes and bring the AAPI community together; those should be enacted now.
In Congress, I'm working with my colleagues to put forward bills that would address these hate crimes head-on. The NO HATE Act, which was introduced last Congress, could supercharge resources to address hate crimes. Earlier this month, I voted to pass gun control measures that could take deadly weapons out of the hands of those who hate in an effort to save lives.
Look, I know no single law can solve these problems, but that shouldn't stop us from trying, even when it's hard.
As an AAPI member of Congress representing a district that is 85% white and less than 3% AAPI, I've had people recommend that I not talk about my heritage or AAPI issues. I've been told to keep quiet and let others lead; but you know me, and you know that I will work as hard as I can to shine a light on these issues, lift up the voices of those who have been silenced, and be a better ally and empathetic person to fight for others as I would my own children.
Today, if you are looking for ways to be a better ally, I ask you to recognize the struggles of others. I ask you to reflect on how deep systemic racism is -- and then, I ask you to consider making a contribution to Stop AAPI Hate today. They are a group working to track and respond to the surge in racism and xenophobia in our country. Please take action today to support their work to provide resources to report hate incidents. >> [link removed]
Let us all commit to being vigilant and present in each other's struggles.
In solidarity,
Andy
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