Dear Friends of Womankind,
Womankind is committed to eradicating cycles of violence and oppression. We condemn the most recent acts of injustice committed against the Black community, including the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade. All of us at Womankind stand against acts of violence and abuse of power and privilege rooted in a history of systemic oppression across America and her institutions.
Born from the genocide of Native Americans, built on the backs of Black slaves, nourished by the labor of Chinese immigrants building the Transcontinental Railroad, these systems of oppression and disenfranchisement are part of America, but they have no place in the country we aspire to be and the future we aim to build, together.
As an organization serving predominantly Asian survivors of gender-based violence, we seek justice, demand accountability, and advocate for transformational, systemic change. In this moment, we’re listening to the Black community and Black advocates. We’re examining our own actions and support. We will continue to listen and ask ourselves hard questions to ensure we stand on the side of progress: What can we do better? How can we align our words with our actions?
At Womankind, we know that true reflection and accountability is difficult, often painful, but necessary. We need to acknowledge how our different communities perpetuate anti-Black violence, and must work to challenge these ideas to enact change. Protests. Petitions. Advocacy. Voting. Donations. Conversations. These are tools we use to amplify the voices of the unheard.
History has shown that while the moment is important, the movement depends on continuous struggle and sacrifice from all. Womankind’s mission is rooted in the Asian community, and our staff and supporters are diverse in every way. As a team, we see this moment as a collective struggle in which we all have a meaningful role to play. With humility, we will step back and with courage, we will step up. Throughout this process, we will elevate Black voices and support the Black community in efforts to disrupt systems of violence and power, eradicate racism, and transform our society so that not another Black person says, “I can’t breathe.”
In solidarity,
Womankind
NB: For more information on different ways to show your support, click here.