Our Statement on the Killing of Adam Toledo

Today, HANA Center joins the outcry against the senseless killing of Adam Toledo by the Chicago Police. Adam Toledo was a thirteen-year-old Latinx child from Little Village who was murdered on March 29th. Our hearts and condolences go out to Adam’s family and community.  

The release of the video showing Chicago police fatally shooting Adam, who had his hands up, has shaken the Black and Brown community, people of Little Village neighborhood, and beyond. And yet, this is also all too familiar. The police murder of Adam Toledo, countless killings of others like Daunte Wright, and the failure of the legal system to hold the police accountable across our city and this nation are not isolated events, but are instead part of a nefarious and continuing history of systemic violence against BIPOC communities. This cannot be our normal. We need fundamental changes to the system. These killings must stop.

As an immigrant justice organization made up of Korean, Asian American, Latinx and diverse multi-ethnic immigrants, HANA Center mourns the death of victims of mass shootings from Atlanta to Indianapolis. Four of the eight victims in Indianapolis were Sikh community members. Amidst rising Anti-Asian hate and violence, continued police killings of Black and Brown people, and deportation of immigrants, we are committed to examining the root causes of these inhumane atrocities and fighting to bring sustainable long-term solutions. 

We choose to reimagine what safety can be for our children and our communities. We call for increasing life-affirming programs, and we call for immediate and drastic changes, including defunding police. No amount of training or oversight can ultimately change the nature of a system designed to harm our communities. We call on Mayor Lori Lightfoot to listen to our communities’ demand for justice by taking immediate action to redirect funds from Chicago Police Department’s bloated $1.69 billion budget toward community-based mental health services, high-quality education, legal protections, and other supports our communities desperately need. 

We need long-term community-led solutions and expanding access to critical supports like Healthcare, Education, and Citizenship For All NOW!