A month dedicated to celebrating women turns deadly. On Tuesday, March 16, a white gunman targeted spas in Atlanta, Georgia leaving eight civilians and workers dead, six of them women of Asian descent.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Anti-Asian violence, racism, misogyny, and xenophobia have risen against AAPI communities. This violence continues to dangerously impact workers in high-risk industries who must choose between their lives and livelihood. Essential workers have carried us through this pandemic – putting them at higher risk for contracting coronavirus while also confronting various forms of racism, sexism, and classism.

We at UCLA LOSH hold the victims and victims’ families in our hearts as we mourn this tragedy. We recognize that white supremacy manifests itself in many forms of oppression, one being workplace violence. We uphold our commitment to improving the health & safety working conditions of working-class, minority, and immigrant communities.

As a larger community, we must do our part to ensure we emerge with a more just society. The AAPI community, women, immigrants, and workers deserve to feel safe across the communities they belong to and in every aspect of their lives: at home, work, school, and every space.

The future depends on ensuring that everyone is safe, regardless of race, gender, immigration status, and occupation. As vulnerable communities continue to struggle against various forms of violence, building community and solidarity is necessary to protect and support one another.

In Memory Of:

Delaina Ashley Yaun
Paul Andre Michels
Xiaojie Tan
Daoyou Feng
Soon Chung Park
Hyun Jung Grant
Sun Cha Kim
Yong Ae Yue

#StopAsianHate