[[link removed]]Dear John,
After 100 days, some of the hardest our city has seen, with ERs overflowing with dying loved ones, with the constant sound of sirens, with our favorite small businesses closed, with hundreds of thousands of people losing their jobs, we are starting, at last, to open back up. About 400,000 New Yorkers are returning to work in construction, manufacturing, and retail (curbside only) today. I’m a long-time fan of manufacturing in NYC, but I’m not sure I’ve ever been so excited about it.
We got here because we adopted social distancing practices together, and now we have to keep it up, even as that gets more challenging, in order to prevent a spike in infections. As more activities and spaces open up, it will be harder for many of us (including me) to hold off from more risky group activities, and harder to distinguish what is safe and not safe.
Like many of you, I’ve been out protesting a lot this past week, saying the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others. Now, outdoor activity is less risky, and almost all of the protestors have been wearing masks (though I’ve heard troubling stories that many of the 2,500 demonstrators arrested by police were locked in crowded cells without masks, hand sanitizer, or adequate space; Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Council Member Keith Powers and I are following up [[link removed]] with the NYPD about these reports). But still, we know there is some increased risk of spread here. I made the decision that joining this movement for racial justice and the transformation of policing was worth that risk, and was the right thing for me to do. That helped me to have more sympathy for those who feel compelled to go back to in-person religious services, or the other group activities.
As we have been saying since the beginning of this ordeal, we have to take a harm reduction approach to minimize spread of the virus and keep our communities safe. My colleague Mark Levine, Chair of the Council’s Health Committee, created a helpful guide [[link removed]] to how to think about and minimize the risk in various types of situations.
Walking or running with a friend outside carries low risk. Wear masks and try to keep some distance still.
A playdate with kids in the park carries medium risk. To minimize it, don’t share food or drink, bring hand sanitizer, keep the group small, wear masks and wash hands when you get home.
A house party indoors, with lots of people standing close together talking is high risk. Go outside, create some space, lower the music so people don’t have to talk so loud (and inadvertently spread the virus through airborne droplets).
If you are going out, for protest or worship or work or recreation, please stay vigilant about wearing masks, and washing your hands frequently. Get tested for the virus (even if you don't have symptoms, we now have enough testing capacity for that). If possible, avoid contact with people who are at higher risk from the virus.
In two major areas central to reopening our economy, we still have a long way to go.
With hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers going back to work, we don’t yet have a full transportation plan for how they can safely commute. Today, the Mayor announced 20 miles of new bus ways, which will help get buses moving quicker so that they can be a good alternative to enclosed subways but will still take some time to implement. It’s better than nothing, but the MTA called for 60 miles, and Paris is creating 650 kilometers [[link removed]] (which Google tells me is 400 miles).
Meanwhile, MTA is continuing to rigorously clean subways during the overnight shutdown between 1 and 5 am, and riders are required to wear masks. But the Mayor, the Governor, and the MTA have still not agreed on other approaches, like a plan to reduce overcrowding by mandating staggered work schedules, as I and others have suggested [[link removed]] . And while the NYPD have been largely removed from social distancing enforcement, the MTA still plans to hire 500 new police officers to enforce social distancing rules, despite all the cries of protestors over the past two weeks and so much evidence of racist enforcement of fare evasion. Transit advocates [[link removed]] have renewed their opposition to this plan. Let’s cut the 500 officers, and spend the money improving transit service.
Second, parents are simply not going to be able to return to work as usual while center-based child care and schools remain closed. Child care centers remain closed to children of non-essential workers, and centers are still awaiting DOHMH guidance on when and how they can reopen. The months of closure have left child care centers, mostly small businesses, the majority of which are run by women, often women of color, financially on the brink. As I wrote last week, Governor Cuomo has the ability to put $134 million in federal funding to work to stabilize the child care industry and support working families. Thank you to those of you who joined me in urging him to do so.
We are all looking forward to regaining some access to friends, family, work, and the places and activities that make New York City so special. I’m looking so forward to the open air dining in Phase 2, hopefully just a few weeks away, which will help our local restaurants regain revenue, and all of us feel like our city is coming back to life.
Let’s work diligently to be smart about the risks, so that together we can look out for each other.
Brad
In this email:
City and State Updates
Upcoming Events
City and State Updates
Latest impacts: The city has lost 17,169 people tested for COVID-19, and another 4,708 presumed from the virus. We’ve seen 52,920 people hospitalized, and 204,253 confirmed cases of the virus.
No curfew: After days of police aggression against protesters in the streets facilitated by an arbitrary and ill-advised curfew, the curfew was lifted a day early and peaceful protests continued all across the city all weekend and late into the night.
Testing and Contact Tracing: NYC is now able to test large numbers of people, both for the virus and for antibodies. 33,000 people were tested on a recent day. And new infections are now down to around 500 a day, half of what they were a few weeks ago. You can find a testing center here. 2,500 contact tracers have been hired and are getting to work. If you have been tested positive for the virus you can expect a call, please be as helpful as possible to contact tracers to help slow the spread.
Voting: Absentee ballots are beginning to arrive in the mail. Gotham Gazette released a helpful guide for how to properly fill them out to ensure your vote will be counted. Early voting at select poll sites (find yours here) around the city will open on June 13, and polls will also be open on election day June 23.
Alternate side-parking suspended: Currently suspended until June 21.
Special education in person?: Governor Cuomo has given the go-ahead for schools to provide services to special education students in person, but it is unclear as of now whether NYC will opt-in. More details in Chalkbeat.
Zero interest loans still available: We are still taking applications for the zero interest loan for small businesses and independent contractors in District 39. Application information is available here.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, June 9 at 7 PM: Community Forum on Taking Action for Black Lives. Register here. [[link removed]]
Come hear from Assemblymember Diana Richardson and Brooklyn Movement Center, learn about ways to take action, and participate in discussions facilitated by Racial Justice BK of how best to show up as an ally.
Thursday, June 11 at 6:30 PM: Housing Justice Discussion and Fundraiser
Join me for a conversation about housing justice and tenants rights with leading housing advocates and fundraiser for my campaign on Thursday evening. Tickets here [[link removed]] .
Lander for NYC
456 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor, Suite 2
Brooklyn, NY 11215
[email protected]
[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]
unsubscribe: [link removed]
Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here [[link removed]] .
