For Immediate Release: January 8, 2021
Contact: Ellen Lu, Program Coordinator, contacts@vayla-no.org

New Orleans, Louisiana – We collectively witnessed white rage on our Capitol on Wednesday, after four years of steadily fueled racism, xenophobia, anti-semitism and white nationalism. It can no longer be business as usual. This is a call for our community to witness this American moment with our eyes wide open. As a BIPOC led team, VAYLA feels the familiar shock and hypocrisy while witnessing the riots in the capitol. As an AAPI community, many of us are first generation and second generation Americans—reliving the political traumas of our ancestors before our very eyes.

“Democracy is a threat to white supremacy. Solidarity is a threat to white nationalism. And as children of immigrants and refugees, as Asian Americans, we must ask — who bears the burden of cleaning up after white rage? This is our notice that WE must practice HOPE fortified with TRUTH. VAYLA remains steadfast in our community and our power. We the People will prevail—​to create a future for all,” says Jacqueline Thanh, Executive Director of VAYLA New Orleans.

Black, Latinx, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders, American Indian and Alaska Native communities led us to historic voter turnout and participation in our democratic process. The American people voted for President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris to lead our nation for the next four years.

VAYLA is committed to upholding the democratic process and those in power accountable now and into our collective futures. Democracy will prevail because our communities hold the power to create a radical future for us all.

Support local mutual aid efforts in D.C. at bit.ly/dcrelief

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VAYLA is an intersectional AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) nonprofit organization based in New Orleans focused on advocacy through providing climate and reproductive justice education, community organizing education, and comprehensive civic engagement.