Denver mayoral challenger Jamie Giellis has responded to a letter from the Asian American community, asking for information about a 2009 tweet.

The since-deleted post said:  “Why do so many cities feel it necessary to have a ‘Chinatown’?”

In a message to prominent members of Denver’s Asian American community, Giellis said her 2009 tweet lacked context.

“I recognize that my 2009 social media post about Chinatowns as a tweet in isolation was

insensitive, and I apologize,” she said in the message. “I shouldn’t have tweeted it without the full context. In its brevity, it was poorly worded.”

She added: “… I was asking if it’s right for a city government to promote a Chinatown district, using its original name and culture, for the city’s commercial or economic purposes while ignoring displacement of the people themselves.”

Her letter was in response to a written request made Tuesday, asking for an explanation of a tweet that resurfaced last week.

About three dozen Asian American leaders signed the request, which expressed “grave concerns” about the comment.

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