AccessHealth MA stands against racism and hatred in all forms. We are outraged by the hate crime at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, NY. On May 14th, 2022, a violent and racist attack perpetrated by a domestic terrorist, shattered families and the entire community’s sense of safety. Just one day later, a hate crime shooting occurred at a California Taiwanese church. On 5/24/22, an 18-year-old gunman killed nineteen children and two teachers at a Texas elementary school in a predominately Latinx community. On June 1, 2022, another shooting took place killing four people at a medical building in Tulsa, OK. We acknowledge the anxiety, fear, and pain that many of our staff, family members, neighbors, colleagues, and clients are feeling right now, especially those in the Black, Asian, and Latinx communities.
The Buffalo attack is the result of hateful white supremacy that is far too pervasive in our US culture. These racist and hateful attacks make it clear that our leaders must do more to ensure anti-racism education in schools and workplaces, denounce white supremacy and hate speech especially on social media, and enact stronger gun laws to protect Americans against the threat of gun violence.
We abhor the long history and continued practice of extreme violence against Black Americans that is still happening today – the structural racism working in myriad ways against Black individuals, families and communities that has long been ingrained in our country. A racist attack on the Black community is an attack on all of us.
The Texas shooting marked the 212th mass shooting so far in 2022 in the U.S.; 2020 saw the highest spike in hate crimes since 2008. Gun violence became the leading cause of death among children and teens in 2020i.
Our collective action can take many forms, including speaking out against racism and hate, having more dialogue with people different from ourselves, as well as supporting families and groups helping the Buffalo and Uvalde communities in the wake of these tragedies.
We stand together against racism that pervades our institutions and communities.
We stand with the Black community and with the Black Lives Matter movement.
We stand with the Latinx community.
We stand with the Asian community.
We stand with other communities oppressed by violence and racism.
We stand against gun violence.
We stand against white supremacy.
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
Martin Luther King