Thursday was a day of somber remembrance in Atlanta for the victims of a violent rampage two years ago that shook Asian American and immigrant communities across the city, state, and country. Six of the eight killed at three Atlanta-area spas on March 16, 2021, were Asian women. Among them was Yong Ae Yue, 63, a Korean immigrant who moved to the U.S. in the 1980s.

On Thursday, her son, Robert Peterson, was part of a group of advocates and lawmakers gathered at the Georgia State Capitol to mourn the victims and reflect on the battles and advocacy of the past two years.

“When a family member dies in a mass shooting, our families lose the right to grieve in privacy. But we are not alone. We are grieving together as a community,” he said.

“Today is a day to reimagine and redefine what it means to be Asian American. To show we are no longer invisible and quiet, but we are now … loud and proud.” He added: “We are no longer satisfied with thoughts and prayers.”


https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/its-still-painful-family-members-mourn-victims-of-spa-shootings/R7ITNA5SR5BYRLPFTXMP5SRCV4/