Dear friends, members and supporters,
I’m sure you, like me, watched in horror last week as our nation’s Capitol Building was attacked by extremists intent on overturning the results of the presidential election. This wasn’t simply an assault on a building – it was an assault on our democracy. I know that free and fair elections and the peaceful transfer of power are what draw many immigrants, including myself, to this great nation and make us so proud to become citizens. It was a sad day to see those from within our own country try to tear down American democracy.
This was the culmination of four years of hateful rhetoric and relentless attacks on our communities, including on immigrants and refugees. When we allow racism and xenophobia to go unchecked for so long, extremists feel emboldened to turn their hate into action. We knew this was coming.
I also keep comparing the harsh treatment by law enforcement of those marching for racial justice – including many in the MIRA community – over the years to the way these insurrectionists were allowed to waltz right into our Capitol and then walk away free. There must be accountability for anyone involved in last week’s attack, as well as for the disproportionate response to Black Lives Matter protests.
So where do we go from here? Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn into office on January 20th. MIRA and our partners have already been working with the transition team and our allies in Congress to develop an agenda that seeks to repair the harm of the past four years and move us towards a more just and equitable nation where everyone – including immigrants and refugees – feel safe.
Last week, we saw in no uncertain terms how far our nation has fallen, but we are resilient. We’ve seen your resiliency every step of the way these past four years as you – our members, our partners, and our supporters – stood up to hate and injustice of all kinds and stepped up to serve your communities through the most challenging of circumstances. MIRA is so proud to be doing this work alongside you.
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With deep appreciation,
Eva Millona
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