Recently, we saw the tragic and violent killings of members of the Asian community in Atlanta. Police say six women and two men were targeted and killed by a gunman who appears to be a white domestic terrorist.
This comes after other recent attacks on members of the Asian community in New York, California and other parts of the United States, as well as more than a year of scapegoating Asian communities for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Providers’ Council denounces the violence against members of the Asian community and on behalf of the community-based human services sector in Massachusetts, we are calling for a commitment to anti-racist practices, education and policies.
The Council’s Call to Action on Racial Equity, developed last year by our Race, Diversity & Inclusion Committee and supported by more than 80 member agencies, said: “As members of the human service community, an integral part of our nation, it is essential to have equity and justice for all people of color and for all people in need of support … We call on all providers, their staff members and supporters of the human services sector to action in working against oppression, being antiracist and bringing justice to our communities.”
“As change leaders we ask you to not only speak against racism, but also to be antiracist and actively work to combat racism and systemic inequality. It’s up to us to lead efforts to bring about social justice. We must act now. We don’t have any more time to wait.”
And as we commend the recent Boston Arts Commission’s approval advancing King Boston’s Embrace Memorial on the Boston Common, we must demand that racial respect, equity and justice remains an incontrovertible cornerstone of our humanity. We join together with President Biden and Vice President Harris and the many other Americans who stand in support of our sisters and brothers of Asian descent. The violence must end!
We wanted to share some helpful resources on anti-racism and combatting bigotry:
- Speak Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry (Southern Poverty Law Center)
- Anti-Asian Hate Resources (Massachusetts Asian American Commission)
- Resources for Combating Anti-Asian Racism (Asia Society)
Back to All News