Black Community COVID-19 Response
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Governor Pritzker
Link to Full Petition: Full Petition
Link to scripts for contacting elected officials: Scripts for Elected Officials
Link to Black Community COVID-19 Needs Survey: Please circulate!
Addressed to: Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Dr. Allison Arwady, and Candace Moore (Citywide Demands)
Governor J.B. Pritzker, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, and James L. Bennett (Statewide Demands)
As the coronavirus has a devastating impact throughout the nation, we are finding that this public health catastrophe has a particularly detrimental impact on black communities. It is time for our elected officials to take action in order to mitigate this crisis.
WHEREAS 72% of those dying from COVID-19 in the City of Chicago are black folks, despite making up only 30% of the population;
WHEREAS the zip codes that are bearing the heaviest burden of this crisis in the City of Chicago are specifically ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery, meaning Black Americans that were descended from the institution of chattel slavery here in the United States ) communities that were historically redlined and divested of city resources;
WHEREAS 42.8% of those dying from COVID-19 in the State of Illinois are black folks, despite making up only 14% of the population;
BWOP Chicago, along with our partners, demand the following actions be taken by the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois.
Demands for the City of Chicago
Demand a Black COVID-19 Digital Resource Hub and Hotline to be set up specifically for Black Chicagoans, which includes a dedicated line for black Chicagoans to report barriers to testing.
Demand that the City of Chicago, under the leadership of Candace Moore (Chief Equity Officer) and Dr. Allison Arwady (Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner) release a detailed Black Disaster Relief plan that includes funding for medical care facilities and widespread distribution of PPE in majority-black black communities, as well as the immediate housing of all unhoused people (75% of which are black men).
Demand that $6 million of the $8.7 million in federal funding received by the Chicago Department of Public Health be designated for black communities, making sure to include the establishment of new testing sites throughout the majority-ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) zip codes that are facing the heaviest burden: 60620, 60619, 60617, and 60628.
Demand the City of Chicago set up handwashing stations in busy corridors in majority-black communities.
Demand the city provide a monthly Quarantine Allowance and Hazard Pay (similar to overtime pay structure) to those who are diagnosed and essential workers, in which black folks are disproportionately represented.
Demands for the State of Illinois
Demand that $6 million of the $14.6 million in federal funding received by the Illinois Department of Public Health funding be designated for black community triage statewide
Demand that $2 billion of the $4.91 billion in federal funding received by the state of Illinois be designated for black communities statewide.
Demand that Dr. Ngozi Ezike (Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health) and James L. Bennett (Director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights) release a detailed Black Illinois Disaster Plan of how IDPH is specifically allocating resources to deal with the crisis in black communities.
Ensure that socioeconomic safety nets are strengthened for black people throughout the state, including, but not limited to mandating that SNAP/WIC benefits can be used to purchase food online, making sure that folks who are food-insecure are able to access food safely during quarantine, particularly those who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Endorsed by:
Alderman Jeannette Taylor, 20th Ward
Alderman Matt Martin, 47th Ward
Indivisible Chicago South Side
National Lawyers Guild Chicago
Sponsored by
To:
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Governor Pritzker
From:
[Your Name]
Addressed to: Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Dr. Allison Arwady, and Candace Moore (Citywide Demands)
Governor J.B. Pritzker, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, and James L. Bennett (Statewide Demands)
As the coronavirus has a devastating impact throughout the nation, we are finding that this public health catastrophe has a particularly detrimental impact on black communities. It is time for our elected officials to take action in order to mitigate this crisis.
WHEREAS 72% of those dying from COVID-19 in the City of Chicago are black folks, despite making up only 30% of the population;
WHEREAS the zip codes that are bearing the heaviest burden of this crisis in the City of Chicago are specifically ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery, meaning Black Americans that were descended from the institution of chattel slavery here in the United States ) communities that were historically redlined and divested of city resources;
WHEREAS 42.8% of those dying from COVID-19 in the State of Illinois are black folks, despite making up only 14% of the population;
BWOP Chicago, along with our partners, demand the following actions be taken by the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois.
Demands for the City of Chicago
Demand a Black COVID-19 Digital Resource Hub and Hotline to be set up specifically for Black Chicagoans, which includes a dedicated line for black Chicagoans to report barriers to testing.
Demand that the City of Chicago, under the leadership of Candace Moore (Chief Equity Officer) and Dr. Allison Arwady (Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner) release a detailed Black Disaster Relief plan that includes funding for medical care facilities and widespread distribution of PPE in majority-black black communities, as well as the immediate housing of all unhoused people (75% of which are black men).
Demand that $6 million of the $8.7 million in federal funding received by the Chicago Department of Public Health be designated for black communities, making sure to include the establishment of new testing sites throughout the majority-ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) zip codes that are facing the heaviest burden: 60620, 60619, 60617, and 60628.
Demand the city provide a monthly Quarantine Allowance and Hazard Pay (similar to overtime pay structure) to those who are diagnosed and essential workers, in which black folks are disproportionately represented.
Demands for the State of Illinois
Demand that $6 million of the $14.6 million in federal funding received by the Illinois Department of Public Health funding be designated for black community triage statewide
Demand that $2 billion of the $4.91 billion in federal funding received by the state of Illinois be designated for black communities statewide.
Demand that Dr. Ngozi Ezike (Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health) and James L. Bennett (Director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights) release a detailed Black Illinois Disaster Plan of how IDPH is specifically allocating resources to deal with the crisis in black communities.
Ensure that socioeconomic safety nets are strengthened for black people throughout the state, including, but not limited to mandating that SNAP/WIC benefits can be used to purchase food online, making sure that folks who are food-insecure are able to access food safely during quarantine, particularly those who have tested positive for COVID-19.