On March 16, 2021, eight victims lost their lives in a mass shooting at three Atlanta area Asian-owned spas. Six were Asian females.  County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jay Baker stated in a press conference, referring to the 21-year old gunman, "Yesterday was a really bad day for him...”  It was soon discovered that Baker’s Facebook posted a photo of t-shirts that read, “Imported Virus from Chy-na.”  Subsequently, FBI Director Christopher Wray later concluded the shootings were not racially motivated.

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These senseless killings in combination with the disheartening attitudes of law enforcement officials were enough to motivate Dr. Brocade Wu Harmon, a retired biomedical researcher living in  Oceanside, CA to take action.  Just a few months later, Dr. Wu-Harmon founded the San Diego chapter.