The Board of Directors of the CCBA has released this statement concerning the recent murders in Atlanta and the ongoing attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the past year. #StopAsianHate

March 18, 2021

The Augusta Chinese community was shocked and disturbed to hear about the killings of the eight people in Atlanta on March 16th and stunned to learn six were Asian women. For months we have heard of escalating incidents of verbal abuse and harassment against Asian Americans in Georgia, but in Augusta, we are not aware of any such occurrences; however, they may go unreported.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, over 3,000 acts of violence and discrimination against Asian Americans have been reported across the United States. It is estimated that only 40% of such acts have been reported, so the actual number is much higher. In previous years, about 400 acts were reported annually.

We want people to know that we are proud to be Americans and to live in the CSRA. The Chinese presence in Augusta dates back to 1873; many of our current families have lived here since the early 1900s and we have a long history of civic involvement in the community. We share with all Americans and ethnic groups in building prosperity in these difficult times for a better future.

The Pandemic has been a hardship for all of us and it is our hope that the nation will heal, and we can return to a sense of normalcy and see an end to the violent and discriminatory acts against Asian Americans. We are all human beings deserving dignity and respect.

Sincerely,

Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of Augusta