A candlelight
vigil was held Sunday night in
Cranford to
pay respect to the victims after eight people were killed last week in
Atlanta.
The majority of the victims were Asian.
The victims were all memorialized by community members and a local organization
called the Cranford Unity Project.
"Our Asian community needs to feel supported, needs to feel heard
and know that other people are suffering for them and seeing what they are
going through and wanting to let them know that they are not alone,” says
Patricia Maclean, with the Cranford Unity Project.
The group called for support of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in light of recent
violence against Asian Americans that has continued to be seen throughout the
coronavirus pandemic, and put on display in Atlanta.
"We can't just be silent, we have to talk to not just crowds, but
we have to talk to one another we have to talk to our children,” says Mayor
Kathleen Prunty.
#StopAsianHate has become more than just a hashtag. The Cranford Unity
Project wanted to ensure the Asian American community feels the full weight of
their support. It’s been used
as Asian Americans have been victims of verbal and physical attacks, and wrongfully
associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.