Gun violence.
Your 285 South News Roundup
There have been two mass shootings since Saturday in California. 11 people - Asian Americans in their 50s, 60s, and 70s- were killed at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Bey. Two days later, 7 people were shot and killed in Half Moon Bay, a farmworker community near San Francisco. Since the start of this year, 70 people have been killed in 40 different mass shootings in the U.S.
The frequency of mass shootings have made them no less shocking, and all the more horrific.
I reached out to James Woo with Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta, to learn about resources and avenues of support for victims families, and anyone who is struggling right now.
Victims funds: Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Southern California has launched a fund to support the family members of those killed. Check out the Gofundme here.
Resource guide: The AAPI Equity Alliance compiled information on healthcare facilities to reach out to and mental health centered organizations people can contact. Many of the resources are California based, but some, like the Asian Mental Health Collective, are national (send an email to therapy@asianmhc.org if you need support or to therapy@asianmhc.org if you want to offer support). Access the full guide here.
Hotline: James also provided these numbers for safe confidential help in Asian languages: ENGLISH: 888.349.9695 | 普通话/广东话: 800.520.2356 | 한국어: 800.867.3640 | TAGALOG: 855.300.2552 | हिन्दी: 855.971.2552 |ภาษาไทย: 800.914.9583 | TIẾNG VIỆT: 714.477.2958
Gun Control Legislation in Georgia: Georgia’s Constitutional Carry Law went into effect this month, after Governor Kemp signed it into law last April. The law makes it permissible for gun owners who are not felons to carry a firearm without a permit.
State Senator Michelle Au reintroduced gun safety bills this legislative session, including HB44 which would require universal background checks for private gun sales and HB45 which would require a 3 day waiting period for the purchase of a firearm. You can follow the progress of the bills here: HB44 | HB 45
Asian activists in GA discuss “fear factor”: ""It's coming at a time where our communities are already traumatized by these highly visible acts of violence," said Phi Nguyen, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, told 11-Alive’s Gabriella Nunez in an interview about the recent shootings. Read the full article here.