YW Boston’s Response to the Christchurch Tragedy
In the wake of the mass shooting in New Zealand on March 15th, YW Boston sends our condolences and support to the Muslim community of Christchurch, New Zealand and to Muslims around the world. YW Boston condemns all forms of hate, terrorism, and Islamophobia.
This act of violence, which killed fifty worshippers and injured thirty more, was a clear and intentional act of white supremacy. Through violence and racist rhetoric, Islamophobia and anti-immigrant hatred attempt to spread fear and deafen calls for solidarity. We must not shy away from our duty to speak out against racism and all intersections of oppression. Only by working together and standing up against these senseless acts can we create inclusive communities that celebrate difference.
As with all YWCAs in the United States, YW Boston’s mission is to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. We seek to bring people together across difference to identify and address barriers to equity within institutions and communities. Through our Dialogues on Race and Ethnicity program, YW Boston helps organizations create the necessary cultural shift that will support inclusion and drive organizational change. Our Advocacy work also seeks to eliminate institutional barriers for women, people of color, and women of color by striving to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and support women’s leadership. We believe it is as important as ever to come together to find solutions to all forms of prejudice in our society.
A number of crowdfunding campaigns are raising money to support Christchurch victims and their families. Find and support these campaigns here and here.
You can also show your support to the Muslim community in Boston. On March 18 at 7 pm, the Islamic Society of Boston University is holding a vigil in support of all Muslims.
Islamophobia and racist fears of immigrants sustain each other. Consider learning about and supporting immigrant aid organizations in Boston, such as the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project, The Refugee & Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC), and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA).