NOTE: Last year, after mass shootings in Buffalo, Texas, and California, we released a statement hoping lawmakers would prioritize gun control and pass gun safety policies. Sadly, that was not the case. So we find ourselves grieving the loss of many lives yet again. We demand gun control NOW! 

Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA) stands in solidarity with all the victims of the recent mass shootings and their families. We are heartbroken from the recent shooting of our Asian sisters and brothers during the Lunar New Year celebrations in Monterey Park, CA, resulting in the deaths of eleven people and injuring nine others, followed by another mass shooting in Half Moon Bay, CA, where seven more people, mostly Asian and Latino farmworkers, were killed.  And here in Oakland this week, 8 people were shot during the filming of a music video, and an 18 year old boy died. It is beyond frustrating that we can’t protect our loved ones from these acts of terror. We will continue to fight! We unify with diverse struggles, recognizing that when we unite we build power for everyone.

As an organization dedicated to the struggle of Latina and indigenous immigrant women to live free from violence, we are outraged and devastated to learn that just this month there have been at least 40 mass shootings across the country. Our hearts break for the 73 people killed and 165 people injured so far this year. It is important to recognize that this is not normal and we cannot allow it to continue to normalize. Polls show that at least 68% of voters support stricter gun control laws nationwide. And yet there are no federal laws banning semiautomatic assault weapons or military-style rifles.

There is a strong link between mass shootings and domestic violence, both part of a patriarchal system. A study conducted in 2021 showed that 60% of the 749 mass shootings from 2014 to 2020 in the U.S. were perpetrated by men with a history of domestic violence, and many of these were the deadliest incidents on record.  

The lack of political will to prevent terror like this in our communities with effective laws and action against gun violence reflects how corporate profit interests and political greed for power have taken a hold of our system of government and have rendered it incapable of building a healthy and safe society, where there is hope, joy, refuge and healing from trauma. The undemocratic state of our government is unacceptable, and we will not allow it to frustrate our efforts into inaction. People of color have been disproportionately impacted by the recent mass shootings, and we will not stay silent.  

The future of our peoples is worthy of our struggle. 

Let us honor the lives of these radiant souls with a commitment to unify in solidarity across racial, ethnic and other lines that seek to separate us. 

Let us work together to create a different world.

What you can do to help or receive support: *Repost from @Stopaapihate*

• Make a contribution to the officials Monterey Park Lunar New Year Victim’s Fund on Go Fund Me to support victims, survivors, and their families: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/monterey-park-shooting-help
• Call on your elected officials to invest in victim resources, including culturally-responsive care for limited-English proficient communities: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
• Use AAPI Equity Allience’s list of local, state, and nationwide mental health resources for impacted individuals, including non-English speakers:
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Vmqt_jqesWeqV24TDpZyDImecJerZm7/view