On behalf of our Board of Directors and staff at The California Endowment, we add our collective voices to convey outrage regarding the recent and growing acts of violence in California and around the nation against our Asian American and Pacific Islander relatives.  The violent assault against the AAPI community is an assault on all of us.

We acknowledge the trauma and pain so many have endured and express our commitment to work with our colleagues in philanthropy to support the efforts of leaders, organizers, advocates, and activists in the AAPI community – and other allies  — who are working to protect the health, safety, and well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

The past year has been an extraordinarily difficult one for our nation, one that has featured a devastating pandemic, economic strife in vulnerable and working class communities, devasting loss in communities of color due to the COVID virus, and a resurgence of anti-black racism fueled by white supremacy ideology.   But the work of our foundation to support what civil rights icon John Lewis called “The Good Troublemakers” of social justice remind us that meaningful change is indeed possible.

Asian American social justice activist Grace Lee Boggs once described that “movements are born of critical connections rather than critical mass.” Thus as we challenge our nation to strive to create “The Beloved Community”, where mutuality, inclusion, and justice dominate our civic landscape—we also recommit ourselves to uplifting our shared humanity and reinforcing the critical bonds that make change possible.  We are morally and spiritually obligated to channel the outrage of anti-Asian hate in service of efforts to realize full inclusion belonging and justice for all.

On behalf of TCE, we condemn these violent acts, and will support the work of those fighting for dignity, justice, and full inclusion for all.

Dr. Robert K. Ross

President & CEO