President Terrence Clark: AAPI Message

“We must take action and live up to our ideals of liberty and justice for all.

Are you with me?”

On Tuesday, March 16, 2021, six Asian women and two others were killed in the Atlanta, Georgia suburbs. This tragic event has seemingly become part of a pattern of targeted racial bigotry in this country.

Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has seen a rise in prejudice and racism through hate crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander community. We as a country must stand up for our Asian American Pacific Islander brothers, sisters, family members, and friends.

Once again, I sit in front of my computer and write to you as a colleague, advisor, and friend with pain, hurt, and anguish filling my spirit. As president and CEO of The Council, one of the northeast region’s largest organizations committed to developing and sustaining diversity, equity, and inclusion for minority business enterprises, I urge everyone to figure out and learn how to coexist with people of color — as equal participants in life in this country — regardless of where we come from or what we look like.

Acknowledging these differences is essential, but we must also take meaningful action to dismantle systemic racism – all of the organizations, operations, and cultures that reinforce oppression.

May the eight (8) victims of these murders rest in peace. They will remain in our thoughts and prayers, and they will also guide our actions as we commit to take meaningful steps to ensure that everyone in this nation is afforded equal protection under the law. We must take action and live up to our ideals of liberty and justice for all.

Are you with me?

Sincerely,

Terrence Clark