HYATTSVILLE, MD – CASA Executive Director Gustavo Torres issued the following statement in response to the deadly attack led by a white man who shot and killed 10 individuals in Buffalo, New York’s predominantly Black neighborhood.

“CASA’s heart is in Buffalo and with Black people everywhere who live under the constant threat of racist terrorism. This racially-motivated massacre is the latest in a pattern that puts historically marginalized communities in grave peril, motivating hate-filled violent acts of terrorism. With the continued radicalization of white supremacists, we look to Congress to protect communities of color from domestic terrorism and from dangerous conspiracy theories that target them. Rampant on social media are the spaces that let hate speech bubble and explode into action. We must hold right-wing media outlets like Fox News accountable for the narratives that dehumanize Black and brown people born here and in other countries, erasing our contributions to this country, our eternal fight for freedom, and worse our lives. It is there that we must commit each day to eradicating the white supremacy, from subtle to extreme, that results in massacres from El Paso to Orlando to Charleston to Buffalo. As the American electorate looks to electing our next round of leaders at the local, state, and federal levels, we need to know that Congress will move to wipe out these white supremacist attacks and hold accountable the people and spaces that foment white supremacist hate speech and violence.”

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With over 122,000 lifetime Latino, immigrant, and working-class members across 46 US states, CASA is the foremost immigrant organization in the mid-Atlantic region and a national leader in supporting immigrant families and ensuring that all individuals have the core support necessary for full participation in society. Now a national immigrant powerhouse, CASA creates change with its powerbuilding model blending human services, community organizing, and advocacy in order to serve the full spectrum of the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members. Visit us at www.wearecasa.org and follow us on Twitter at @CASAforall.