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Statement

Moms Leader Reacts to Murders of Asian-American Women in Atlanta

March 17, 2021
Gun Control

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement from Gloria Pan, Vice President, Member Engagement, Campaign Innovations, and Gun Control at MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the horrific murders in Atlanta yesterday:

“The murders of eight people in Atlanta yesterday evening – seven of them women, six Asian Americans – are tragic, appalling and truly heartbreaking. America’s moms grieve for the families of the victims and for all those affected by this horrific violence.

“These brutal murders come at a time when our country’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is suffering a terrifying rise in hatred, harassment, discrimination and violence, caused by the structural racism we have failed to stop and by toxic politicians like former President Trump, who stoke hatred and division. Moms are deeply troubled that Stop AAPI Hate received 3,800 reports of anti-Asian hate from March 2020 to February 2021, with women reporting many more incidents than men. Asian-American women regularly experience racialized misogyny as well.

“The imperative to end racially motivated violence, violence against women, and gun violence has never been more urgent than it is today. We all lose when hatred, enmity and violence continue. We have the power to dismantle white supremacy, misogyny and interlocking systems of oppression. We must use that power to create a just society in which we are all safe. Violence against Asian Americans must end. Gun violence against all Americans must end.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.