Local 121RN stands in solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families around the world to condemn the recent terrorist attacks aimed at our Asian-American brothers and sisters. Xenophobia has no place in our society and must be rooted out and stopped.

The recent violence in Atlanta is another instance of the rising anti-Asian violence that has swept over this country in the last year. It is particularly disheartening to learn of the senseless killings of these Asian-American women during a month when we celebrate women’s contributions.

We are living in unprecedented times. The pain and suffering brought on by the global pandemic has been exacerbated by racist rhetoric that has proven harmful and even deadly to the Asian-American community.  Stop AAPI Hate, a group that tracks anti-Asian violence, recently disclosed it has received some 3,800 reports of hate crimes since mid-March 2020 when the COVID-19 Pandemic was declared. More than 500 of those reports came in the first two months of 2021.

Join me in a moment of silence for the AAPI community, including the families of our Asian-American brothers and sisters who lost their lives because of these unthinkable acts. We will continue to call for an end to racism and violence towards women and our communities of color.

Yours in Solidarity,

Dr. Nina Wells, RN, DNP SEIU 121RN President