Contact: adam.bingman@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the eve of Lunar New Year on January 21, 2023, a mass shooting occurred in Monterey Park, California that killed eleven people and injured another nine in a ballroom dance studio. This mass violence adds to the compounded trauma that our Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community has experienced with years of being scapegoated for the pandemic with hate crimes and violence. We recognize the APIDA community in Monterey Park, and across the country, are deeply impacted by this incident. Our heart goes out to everyone who is grieving loss and experiencing trauma.
In response, a member of Sierra Club’s Leadership, Hun Taing, released the following statement:
“Monterey Park holds a special place in my heart. My extended family lives there, two blocks away from where the shooting happened. My aunties frequent the same ballroom. It breaks my heart to know that the victims, survivors and their families consist of our elders who are simply trying to enjoy life and celebrate our Lunar New Year tradition.
“Growing up, we had a weekend ritual of visiting my grandmother in Monterey Park, taking her to eat noodle soup and grocery shopping. It is predominantly a Chinese and Taiwanese community. Many elders, like my grandmother, do not speak English. Monterey Park, California is one of the few, if not only places in the U.S., where they can live freely, speak our native tongue, and be in community without being ostracized as an outsider. As a peacebuilder and refugee, I am reminded of the importance of healing from our personal and collective trauma so we can live together in peace.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.