Dear Friend,

While we’ve been collectively fighting to combat anti-Black racism, the virus has continued to take more and more Black and brown lives. Just last week, Gov. Newsom reversed phase two opening orders by specifying a shut down of counties that have seen an increase in COVID-19 cases. 

Our Black community members are four times more likely to die from coronavirus.(1) Racism in the health care system, economic inequality, and anti-Black sentiment that devalues Black lives all play a role in the racial disparities amongst coronavirus-related deaths.(2) 

Many essential workers, those on the frontlines and most at risk, are people of color. Yet at this pivotal moment, as the uprisings continue the critical work of propelling anti-racist action and education, companies -- such as Amazon, Starbucks, Ralphs, Whole Foods, Target, and many others -- are ending hazard pay.(3) 

Corporations are taking advantage of the false perception of security, as states begin to open up, and think they can use this opportunity to refuse workers hazard pay, despite the fact that the virus will continue to take lives well into next year and devastate families for many more years.(4) Black liberation includes economic justice. We must do what we can to ensure essential workers continue to receive hazard pay as they risk their lives to provide for us. That’s why it's important that the Senate make the Essential Workers Bill of Rights law as soon as possible.

Write to your Senator and ask them to pass the Essential Workers Bill of Rights to protect Black and brown workers and families.

While many of us are both struggling to survive and radically transform our world, Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, is on the verge of becoming the world’s first trillionaire.(5) At the same time, Amazon is canceling hazard pay and double overtime pay for its employees amid news of an outbreak that’s impacted 600 employees resulting in 6 deaths.(6)

Bezos makes $2,489 per second.(7) It takes the average US worker two weeks to make that. For many essential workers, it can take up to a month to make that. Bezos is worth more than the GDPs of Iceland, Luxembourg, and Cyprus combined. Iceland can afford universal health care, tuition-free education, subsidized child care, nine months of maternity/paternity leave, and a whole host of other social services. Yet somehow Amazon claims it can’t continue paying their essential and at-risk workers an additional $2 an hour.

The inequality working Americans -- especially working Americans of color -- face continues mounting, and the Essential Workers Bill of Rights would address some of those issues. It is a solution that would provide a model moving forward. A model that creates dignity for all workers even after we overcome this crisis -- a crisis where essential workers are at the helm.

We’ve gotten the bill through the House and now we face our biggest hurdle yet: a Republican-controlled Senate. This is an all-hands on deck moment. We need everyone to let their Senators know that we no longer want corporate bailouts where CEOs hoard billions. We want a people’s bailout where the average American no longer has to live in fear of losing their housing and income during a deadly pandemic.

Tell the Senate that essential workers deserve essential protections!

Yours in the fight for humanity,

Raquel, along with Angela, Annie, Brian, Caitlin, Deepthi, Gabby, Irene, Jay, Jen, Lindsay, Molly, and Scottie (the Courage team)

Footnotes:
1. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/05/14/jeff-bezos-worlds-first-trillionaire-sparks-heated-debate/5189161002/
2. https://www.the-sun.com/news/837669/amazon-ending-hero-pay-canada-coronavirus-outbreaks/ & https://www.democracynow.org/2020/5/15/headlines/amazon_to_end_2_an_hour_hazard_pay_as_ceo_jeff_bezos_gains_30_billion_during_pandemic
3. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-rich-is-jeff-bezos-mind-blowing-facts-net-worth-2019-4#9-according-to-the-social-security-administration-the-average-american-man-with-a-bachelors-degree-will-earn-about-22-million-in-his-lifetime-bezos-makes-that-in-just-under-15-minutes-9
4. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/05/9816819/grocery-stores-end-hazard-pay-essential-workers
5. https://www.livescience.com/covid-19-second-wave-flu-season.html