---
title: HR 1700. Cho, Stephanie; Sonjui Kumar, Sarah Park, Victoria Huynh, and Aparna Bhattacharyya; extraordinary leadership following the Atlanta-area spa shootings and their ongoing commitment to justice, healing, and the safety of Asian American communities; commend
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1700
cite_as: HR 1700, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1700
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1700.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1700/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74083
date: 2026-03-12
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1700.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1700
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-12
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Samuel Park
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1700/2025
upstream_id: 2133304
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - Atlanta spa shootings
  - AAPI community
  - Women's History Month
  - community leadership recognition
  - anti-Asian hate
---

# HR 1700. Cho, Stephanie; Sonjui Kumar, Sarah Park, Victoria Huynh, and Aparna Bhattacharyya; extraordinary leadership following the Atlanta-area spa shootings and their ongoing commitment to justice, healing, and the safety of Asian American communities; commend

## Text

House Resolution 1700
By: Representative Park of the 107th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing and honoring Stephanie Cho, Sonjui Kumar, Sarah Park, Victoria Huynh, and
Aparna Bhattacharyya for their extraordinary leadership following the Atlanta-area spa
shootings and their ongoing commitment to justice, healing, and the safety of Asian
American communities in Georgia; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, on March 16, 2021, the State of Georgia and the nation were shaken by the
tragic shootings at three Atlanta-area spas that claimed eight lives, including six women of
Asian descent, devastating families and communities as well as profoundly impacting the
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community; and
WHEREAS, the tragedy highlighted the rise in anti-Asian violence and the intersection of
racial bias, gender-based violence, and vulnerabilities faced by immigrant women in
marginalized industries; and
WHEREAS, the AAPI community in metro Atlanta, one of the fastest-growing and most
vibrant in the nation, demonstrated resilience, unity, and compassion by supporting grieving
families, advocating for justice, and reaffirming its commitment to dignity, safety, and
belonging; and
WHEREAS, the event underscored the critical need for culturally and linguistically
responsive services for immigrant communities, especially immigrant women who face
barriers related to language, economic vulnerability, and fear of seeking help; and
WHEREAS, community leaders across Georgia mobilized in the immediate aftermath and
in subsequent years to support victims' families, ensure culturally responsive services, and
amplify the voices of those most affected; and
WHEREAS, Stephanie Cho, then executive director of Asian Americans Advancing
Justice-Atlanta and now executive director of Demo Lab South, led a culturally and
trauma-informed rapid response, mobilized local and national partners, established and
managed a victims' fund, and advanced policy and media engagement to address anti-Asian
hate and systemic inequities; and
WHEREAS, Sonjui Kumar, board chair of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta and
founding member of KPPB Law, provided leadership in the organization's
community-centered response, supported the victims' fund, offered probate services to the
victims, and strengthened coalitions advocating for civil rights and community protections;
and
WHEREAS, Sarah Park, president of the Korean American Coalition - Metro Atlanta and
the first Korean American elected to the Duluth City Council, served as a strong voice for
the Korean American community, mobilizing outreach, multilingual direct services,
advocacy, and public awareness to ensure the experiences of Asian American women and
immigrant workers were recognized; and
WHEREAS, Victoria Huynh, longtime advocate for Asian American communities, former
vice president of a local Asian nonprofit, and founder of the Georgia AAPI Hub, coordinated
advocacy, remembrance events, engaging community grassroots organizations and leaders
through the Georgia Stop AAPI Hate Coalition, and collective responses that honored the
victims while strengthening community solidarity and resilience; and
WHEREAS, Aparna Bhattacharyya, executive director of Raksha Inc., served as a bridge to
victim advocates and mass violence response professionals, connecting the community
response to leaders experienced in administering victim funds and providing culturally
responsive trauma-informed services while elevating the intersection of gender-based
violence and anti-Asian hate; and
WHEREAS, the leadership of these women exemplifies the critical role Asian American
women play in advocating for justice, healing, and safety, particularly in moments of crisis;
and
WHEREAS, it is fitting during Women's History Month to recognize their courage,
compassion, and determination in organizing rapid community responses, honoring victims,
supporting families, and empowering communities to seek justice and healing; and
WHEREAS, through collaboration with organizations, faith leaders, advocates, and
policymakers, these leaders coordinated vigils, provided culturally competent resources,
advocated for victims' families, and elevated discussions on community safety, racial justice,
and the dignity of Asian American women; and
WHEREAS, as Georgia marks the fifth anniversary of the Atlanta-area spa shootings, it is
proper to recognize the individuals whose compassion, leadership, and tireless advocacy
continue to guide communities toward justice, healing, and unity; and
WHEREAS, the dedication and service of Stephanie Cho, Sonjui Kumar, Sarah Park,
Victoria Huynh, and Aparna Bhattacharyya reflect the highest ideals of leadership and civic
engagement, strengthening Georgia's commitment to dignity, respect, and safety for all
communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize and honor Stephanie Cho, Sonjui Kumar, Sarah Park,
Victoria Huynh, and Aparna Bhattacharyya for their extraordinary leadership, unwavering
commitment to victims, and dedication to strengthening communities following the
Atlanta-area spa shootings.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to
Stephanie Cho, Sonjui Kumar, Sarah Park, Victoria Huynh, and Aparna Bhattacharyya.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution honors five community leaders, Stephanie Cho, Sonjui Kumar, Sarah Park, Victoria Huynh, and Aparna Bhattacharyya, for their response to the 2021 Atlanta-area spa shootings.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives commends five women for their leadership following the March 16, 2021 shootings at three Atlanta-area spas that killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent. It describes each woman's specific work: Stephanie Cho led a trauma-informed rapid response and managed a victims' fund, Sonjui Kumar supported the fund and offered probate services, Sarah Park mobilized Korean American community outreach, Victoria Huynh organized advocacy and remembrance events through the Georgia Stop AAPI Hate Coalition, and Aparna Bhattacharyya connected victim advocacy with trauma-informed services.
The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally recognizes these five individuals timed to the fifth anniversary of the shootings and during Women's History Month, and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to each honoree.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes and honors five named individuals for their community leadership after the 2021 Atlanta-area spa shootings.
- States the House's recognition of each woman's specific contributions, including managing a victims' fund and coordinating advocacy coalitions.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to the five honorees.
- Creates no new law, funding, or enforceable requirement; it is a commendation, not a change to the Georgia Code.

### Who it affects

The five named honorees (Stephanie Cho, Sonjui Kumar, Sarah Park, Victoria Huynh, and Aparna Bhattacharyya), the organizations they lead or led, and the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander community in metro Atlanta referenced throughout the resolution's findings.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries no legal or funding effect but serves as an official public acknowledgment by the Georgia House of specific individuals' community response work, timed to the fifth anniversary of the shootings and Women's History Month.

### Key provisions

- The preamble recounts the March 16, 2021 shootings at three Atlanta-area spas that killed eight people, six of Asian descent.
- Individual whereas clauses detail each honoree's specific role, including fund management, probate services, coalition building, and trauma-informed advocacy.
- The resolving clause formally states the House's recognition and honor of the five named women.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to make copies available for distribution to the honorees.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-12)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-12)
- Sponsors: Samuel Park
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74083

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1700.md?full=1