AACC Statement Condemning the Killings of Michelle Go and Christina Yuna Lee

By AACC

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he Asian American Christian Collaborative condemns the horrific killings of Michelle Go and Christina Yuna Lee. Michelle Go, a 40-year-old Chinese American, was pushed into the path of an oncoming subway train on January 15, 2022 in New York. 35-year-old Korean American, Christina Yuna Lee, was followed home on February 13, 2022 and stabbed 40 times in her New York apartment.

AACC stands for Asian lives and their dignity. Genesis 1:26 declares that every person is made in the image of God and, as such, is endowed with holistic worth and dignity. The life of every Asian man, woman, and child matters because they are God’s image bearers. Tragically, Michelle Go and Christina Yuna Lee were robbed of their lives and dignity. 

Go and Lee’s murders are also not isolated events. Since March 2020, there have been increased assaults against Asians with over 10,000 incidents of Asian hate crimes reported; 68% of which were against Asian women. We are alarmed and concerned by the number of Asian hate crimes committed in New York and other cities across the United States. The NYPD reported in December 2021 that anti-Asian incidents rose by 361% from the previous year. Currently, the Manhattan DAs Office is prosecuting 33 Asian hate crimes; its highest number of hate crime cases driven by anti-Asian bias since they were established ten years ago. The murders of Michelle Go and Christina Lee are but the most recent links in a long chain of anti-Asian racism in the US, and New York specifically.

Asian lives and dignity have equal value and worth because they are made in the image of God. We lament the death of these two Asian image bearers; for their lives cut short, and the grieving families they leave behind. Asian women must be protected and made safe as they walk their streets. We call on the church and elected officials to develop preemptive measures against anti-Asian racism. Each of us, in our own ways, must seek to wisely advocate for systemic changes that address racial justice, economic disparities, and mental health so that we can all better affirm and protect the dignity and lives of Asians near and far to us.