Solidarity Statement
In response to the shooting in the Atlanta area earlier this March which claimed eight victims, six of Asian descent, and seven women and the anti-Asian sentiments that have increased both nationally and internationally due to unfounded blame for COVID-19, we at GRuB strongly oppose anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate and violence.
We are reminded of our solidarity statement written less than a year ago in support of people protesting police killings of black people.
“GRuB’s vision is an equitable world where we are all nourished by healthy relationships, resilient community, and good food. Our food system creates unequal access to nourishing and culturally appropriate food and is based on unfair wages and working conditions for farmworkers and food service workers. This is the violence of racism in another form. It is the legacy of a food system built on the backs of enslaved Africans, the removal of Indigenous people from their land, and the exploitation of immigrant and migrant laborers in service of capitalism. We cannot address health and food justice without taking a firm and active stance for racial justice.”
At its foundation, the mass shooting of the women in Georgia reflects the intersection of racist and sexist oppression that Asian women have faced throughout this country’s history. Coupled with its identification as a mass shooting, the event once again illustrates the country’s legacy of using extreme force to maintain its hold on white supremacy, whether done by a single perpetrator, groups of people, or institutions.
We stand alongside families that have lost loved ones to senseless mass shootings and those who experience ongoing racist and sexist violence in the United States. We will continue with others to strive for justice, dignity, and healing in this time. We will persevere in GRuB's mission to build a stronger community not only through connection to food, skills, and land, but also as a place of welcome and healing to all cultures and lived experiences.
