Committee of 100 Statement on the Death of George Floyd
New York, NY (May 31, 2020) – In recent days, we at the Committee of 100 (C100) have been deeply disturbed by the events that led to the tragic and unnecessary death of George Floyd. The members of C100 mourn Mr. Floyd’s senseless death and our hearts go out to his loved ones and members of his community. We, alongside millions of Americans, again find ourselves watching yet another Black American die as the result of violence and unfair treatment based on the color of his skin. We are especially troubled by the callous and criminal actions of police officers involved in the incident, who neglected their basic responsibility to uphold the law and protect citizens, regardless of race or background.
As members of the Chinese American community—and by extension members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community—we have experienced increasing levels of discrimination, racism and violence towards people of Chinese and Asian ethnicity over the past few months. These acts of hate have no place in America, whether directed against Asian Americans, Black Americans, or anyone else based on the color of their skin.
We call on our national, state, and local elected officials to urgently address racism, discrimination and violence against all Americans of color and to deliver concrete solutions. We support the vigorous exercise of our constitutionally-protected right of free expression, but condemn acts of violence and destruction in our communities.
As a leadership organization aimed at promoting greater inclusion for Chinese Americans in American society, we at C100 join with our friends in the Black American community and other communities to seek a better America. C100 is ready to work with our elected officials, partner organizations, and local community leaders around the country to prevent further acts of racially-charged ignorance, hate and injustice, and to build a more perfect union for all Americans.
About Committee of 100
Committee of 100 (C100) is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent and extraordinary Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts. Founded by the late world-renowned architect I.M. Pei and internationally acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, among others, it is an institution of U.S. citizens of Chinese heritage. For over 30 years, C100 has served as a preeminent organization committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and Greater China. www.committee100.org. Please follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for updates.
