Category: social issues

Black health professionals, pastors talk COVID-19 racial disparities

Back in April 13, I covered a panel that tackled how the COVID-19 pandemic affected majority-black communities. This was around the time that the broader Chicago was starting to catch on to the fact that African-Americans were getting sick and dying at larger rates. As someone who’s written at length about issues with access to healthcare on Chicago’s West Side, how the fact that the area has several hospitals but not much in the way of doctors who can treat patients on day-to-day basis, how shortage of grocery stores makes it harder to get fruits and vegetables, how greater stress and less access to healthcare make for a terrible combination, how people who have to choose between going to work and going to a doctor would usually choose work, the not entirely unwarranted belief that white doctors don’t take them seriously….For me, the fact that COVID-19 was hurting those communities more wasn’t really a surprise, but apparently, it surprised a lot of people.

The article was supposed to go into the April 22 issue of Austin Weekly News. As of this writing, it hasn’t been published, and I’m not sure it ever will be – so I decided to put in here, while it’s still relevant.

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“American Dirt” – a Book Review

I have to admit I decided to read this book after I saw a sharp criticism of it in the media (which means, it was in the beginning of March, so this is yet another very belated review). I was struggling to give this book a low rating because the book is very well written, and I could not pause until I reached the end of the audiobook. However, I have to agree with those who say the book misrepresents the issue of illegal immigration. Granted, stories like the one described in the book happen. But the author is trying to convince the readers that most of the immigrants are in a death-threatening situation. I think that the idea is that those who are unaware of the hardships the illegal immigrants are going through will understand that they have no other choices. I believe that such a presumption will lead to the conclusion, that if the crime rate in Mexica and Central America’s countries will go down, there will be no reason for people to try to immigrate illegally.

I disagree with that. There are economic reasons for illegal immigration, and they are present on both sides of the border. There is nothing wrong with people looking for better lives. They should not face death threats to justify their decisions. It’s legislation problems which make the current situation illegal, although there is a willingness to work, and a need for work. That’s what should be addressed.

So Proud of Our School District!

This is our school district – Community Consolidated District 15, and I am so proud of the work of its’ staff! It is not just in Chicago, but in Palatine as well, that lots of children depend on breakfasts and lunches at school. And when schools are closed, the school district delivers!

About Politics

First, I hope that all the recent tragic events will help the people of the United States to understand that Universal Health Care is the only solution to our health care crisis. Nothing partial will work. Any other system will lead to a situation when either a doctor will need to play God and decide who is worth living, or to the situation which we have now when people are not left to die on the streets. Still, society as a whole pays for the care for non-insured, and it pays more than it would if Universal Health Care would be officially on place. 

I hope this will indeed happen. I recall that my republican friends would suddenly become proponents of Universal Health care the moment they lose their jobs. Now I hope that the twenty-two million newly unemployed people will finally realize that “keeping their insurance” does not work as well as they wished.  

Second, I find it ironic how Trump had to revert to the UBI at the time of crisis, and how for several weeks, some tried to explain that it is not a PBI :). 

Third, I am mad that the payroll credits for small businesses were rolled out so late after millions of people were laid off already. Probably the most important part of COVID stimulus, it was open for applications way too late, and it ran out of money way too soon… We are promised that more money will be distributed soon, but for now – twenty-two million. 

The rest of my complaints are minor 🙂

My Personal Donation List

No pressure:). Just wanted to share the list of fundraising efforts/organizations which I support during these difficult times.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Chicago’s bars were hit hard from day one, because they can’t even switch to the carry-out/delivery. I’ve already posted this fundraiser:

US Beverage Group : https://www.usbgfoundation.org/covid-19-response

And here are two more, for those people who’ve been in Chicago, been there with me, and might remember the people behind the names of the places.

Elixer/Replay Andersonville: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-replay-andersonville?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet

The Gage: https://www.gofundme.com/f/gage-hospitality-group-emloyee-relief-fund?utm_medium=email&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_email%2B5102-48hr-donor-share

Both of those are relief funds, not to support the business itself, but to give directly to all these people who greeted you with a smile and sent to your tables “desserts on the house.”

And now about most vulnerable people.

I made an additional donation to the Night Ministry. Volunteers can’t help anymore, and you can (or can’t!) imagine what Chicago’s homeless population is experiencing these days.

And also to the Greater Chicago Food depository: https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/

Their situation was far from perfect even before the current events, and now it is worse than ever.

Also, all of the museums where I am a member promise to extend the membership to the duration of time they are going to stay close. I am planning to renew at my regular time and donate the unused money. And I think I will do the same with my CSO subscription and with Whenever Goodman.

That might be a very egotistical list, but I wanted to share.

If You Want to Help …

I wrote a couple of days ago, that tipped workers are in my list of the categories I worry most. In normal life, you could hardly think that bartenders and homeless have something in common, but not these days. Both of these categories of people were hurt the most by all the dining establishments being closed.  

Today, I asked Vlad how I can help. One thing he pointed out (and he already posted it earlier on his Facebook) – you could donate to the USBG COVID-19 Relief Effort. First, I wanted to write – if you want to have any of that industry alive when life gets back to normal. But you know – it does not really matter. Just donate. If you can.

The State of the United States

I don’t understand how officials of all ranks issue their orders without even thinking about the consequences—both for the economy in general and for each person.

I can’t imagine the impact on the entertainment/catering/restaurant business. All so sudden and so abrupt. I talked to Vlad yesterday; he said he would be fine, but he worries about other employees in the bar, people who are paid hourly wages, and who now will get no paid time off, and no tips. That is such a significant portion of the country’s population! They have no safety net, no savings. When I was talking to Vlad, just twenty hours ago, he was saying that the closing will only apply to bars and restaurants, that the fast-food cafes will stay open – not anymore!

I do not understand how people are expected to manage: schools are closed, daycare facilities closed, and you should not ask grandparents to babysit, and you are still supposed to work. And some are not even allowed to work from home.

Last week I was saying that the world is canceled. But I was optimistic – this week, it is even more so now. I could not even imagine how many things could be canceled. Most of my volunteering is canceled, including the youth shelter; they do not reply to my emails, although they sent a generic email about preventive measures. I do not want to think that I was the only person who answered that I could come. The Forest preserve volunteering was canceled last weekend, which made me mad – ten people outside – really? The weather was bad anyway, but I was still upset with the fact itself. The only volunteering which is keeping the schedule is Clinic escorts. I went to escort on Saturday. It was a bad idea because it was cold, and I do not tolerate the cold when I need to stand in one place. But I felt I needed to do at least something good.

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In Connection with School Closing

Yesterday, it happened that I was listening to Mayor Lori’s announcement of the city schools closing. Five minutes into her speech, she said: “We all know that school is not only about education but also about meals.” And it was so appropriate! In the Chicago Public Schools district in many schools, over 90% of students receive free or reduced meals (breakfast and lunch). During the teachers’ strikes, schools remained open from 8 to 12, to distribute reduced and free meals. And now, when schools will be closed, they will continue to serve as food distribution centers. Parents will be able to receive three days’ worth of food at any given time over the next two weeks. And if the parents won’t be able to collect the food, they can request delivery to their homes.

I am not sure why I am writing about this, but it was such a right thing to do!

I Voted!

I voted in the primaries last Sunday, March 8, the first day when I could early-vote.  

The Greater Palatine Area Democrats newsletter stated that in Palatine Township, we are seeing a 64% increase in Early Voting so far, over the first week of Early Voting in the 2016 Primary. And more than three-fourths (1,299) of those ballots are Democratic. And this is great!

It was tough for me to cast my vote after all of my favorite candidates dropped from the race, and I had difficult conversations with my children about the situation. They both decided to vote for Sanders; as for Vlad, he was going to vote for Sanders from the very beginning. When we talked with Vlad, I mentioned that I agree with 95% of what Sanders is saying, but… And Vlad interrupted me: what are the 5% you do not agree with? I stopped to think for a moment and realized that it’s not something on his agenda that I disagree with, but rather I do not like his personality. And when I realized that I thought that I should vote for ideas, not for a personality. 

And one more thing. When we talked with Vlad, he mentioned how many people got out to vote for the first time in their lives because of Sanders. And I thought that if each of us is thinking about “who is electable,” we all won’t vote for the candidate we prefer, because we all think they are not electable. But if we all would vote for the candidate of our choice, then they may become very electable. 

And that’s why I voted the way I voted 🙂

March for Life, and a Very Small Protest

It is hard for me to write about Saturday’s events because I feel like we (pro-choice activists) lost miserably. I am going to copy the summary of the even from Igor’s Flicker album: 

Album description

Every year, on the second Saturday of January, pro-life groups organize March for Life in downtown Chicago. This year, one new addition was a pro-life organizations convention and an evening banquet at Congress Hotel. (You had to pay to get into the banquet, but the convention was free, but you had to register ahead of time)

This year, the pro-life groups assembled at the Daley Plaza for a rally featuring several pro-life speakers. Then, they marched toward the Congress Hotel, where they had another rally and some prayer circles out front, even as some marchers slowly but surely headed out, and some groups boarded the buses to get to… whereever it was they came from.

There are usually counter-protesters, and, this time, they assembled at the southeast corner of Dearborn/Washington. My mom, who was there earlier, mentioned that there were speakers, and a number of pro-choice activists attended. But by the time I crossed to the pro-choice side after taking the photos at the Daley Plaza, most of them were gone, and Revolutionary Communist Party members and affiliates took the position. They mostly chanted about kicking out Trump and Pence, and about no war in Iran, with only occasional pro-choice chants. When the March for Life left the plaza, the pro-choice chanting (and some pro-choice taunting) started at its earnest. While a few pro-lifers did try to talk to the Communists, and some pro-lifers clearly wanted to shout at the Communists, it didn’t get beyond shouting.

Also, there was a “patriot” group at the southwest corner of Dearborn/Washington. While RevComm shouted some anti-war slogans, members of the group shouted something along the lines of “no war in Iran, save the babies!”

Igor

So – yes. I knew about the counter-protest, but the weather was miserable, actually, let me put it very miserable. For a moment, I was not sure whether I am going to go. Still, after all, I did, and I am glad I did! 

Yes, there were speeches, and I recorded a couple, but I was really upset with the low number of pro-choice activists that showed up. The picture looked horrific, and Igor’s pictures look even scarier… I can’t understand why so many people are … just not getting it! 

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