Statements

Statement of Solidarity with AAPI Communities

March 2021

On March 16, a white man killed eight people, six of whom identified as Asian women, in 3 Atlanta-area spas. 

Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, and Daoyou Feng. We celebrate your lives and lift up your loved ones who grieve your deaths through targeted racialized violence.

This tragedy comes at a time when anti-Asian violence is on the rise. According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian incidents have increased by 150% since the beginning of COVID-19. Women are twice as likely to be targeted. Read full statement.

Statement of Solidarity with Black Lives Matter

June 2020

The Gender⁺ Justice Initiative is saddened and outraged by the systemic violence and police brutality that continue to ravage Black life. We stand in solidarity with those grieving and demanding justice for the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and the countless Black men, women, children/adolescents, transgender and gender non-conforming people who have died from racially-motivated violence.

As thinkers, educators, scholars, and students, we unequivocally support efforts to dismantle systemic racism and oppression. We condemn and deplore the use of tear gas, police violence and the deployment of military and unidentified federal police units against peaceful activists and protestors. These tragic events are unfolding as we are facing a pandemic that has taken over 110,000 lives, and has had disproportionate lethal and economic impacts on Black, Brown, Indigenous and other vulnerable and marginalized communities. Read full statement.