Dear Ventura County Community Members,
We are grieving with the Asian American community and all of the victims of the horrific shootings in Atlanta Tuesday night that took eight lives, six of whom were women of Asian descent. This is the latest in a series of heinous attacks against Asian Americans across this nation, and sadly, these are not isolated events. Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen a disturbing rise in inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric, harassment, and violence against Asian American communities.
We will continue to ensure that our county is a place where all people are welcome and our diversity is celebrated. We stand in solidarity with members of the Asian American community and those facing discrimination, hate incidents, fear, and intimidation. We must do everything in our power to make their safety a priority and to stand against all forms of injustice.
There is never justification for such violence and there is no truth to any account that blames any particular group for COVID-19 or any of its variants.
We must do our part by continuing to encourage ongoing discussions around topics of race, and the longstanding history of racism in our country, to break down the barriers that separate us, no matter how uncomfortable these topics may be. Engaging in dialogue about these topics does not create divisiveness. Divisiveness already exists in our society, but through dialogue, even when uncomfortable, healing and change can begin.
We ask all to stand in solidarity with members of our community who are experiencing this and other forms of racism and xenophobia. We must remain vigilant and continue working as a community to identify effective and actionable ways to address this and all forms of prejudice, stigmatization, and racism.
Sincerely,
Mike Powers
County Executive Officer
