Let's Do More Together
One woman’s quest to unite the diverse Hispanic community is also helping battling COVID-19
10.27.20
Photo courtesy of Claudia Romo Edelman
True
When the novel coronavirus hit the United States, life as we knew it quickly changed. As many people holed up in their homes, some essential workers had to make the impossible choice of going to work or quitting their jobs— a choice they continue to make each day.
Because over 80 percent of working Hispanic adults provide essential services for the U.S. economy, the Hispanic community is disproportionately affected. Hispanic families are also much more likely to live in multigenerational households, carrying the extra risk of infecting the most vulnerable. In fact, Hispanics are 20 times more likely than other patients to test positive for COVID-19.
Claudia Romo Edelman saw a community in desperate need of guidance and support. And she created Hispanic Star, a non-profit designed to help Hispanic people in the U.S. pull together as a proud, unified group and overcome barriers — the most pressing of which is the effects of the pandemic.
Because the Hispanic community is so diverse, unification is, and was, an enormous challenge.
<p>The Hispanic Star campaign is rooted in a firm belief that "we don't win until we all win," and is viewed as both a unifying symbol and a nonpartisan, inclusive, inspirational, and unifying footing in order for Hispanics living in the United States to view themselves and help them act as a unified force for good. Hispanics widely represent stories of migration, struggle, resilience and strong values: hard work, optimism, family and friends, and belonging. </p><p>"We wanted to bring these efforts together under the Hispanic Star, for everyone to realize that together, we're stronger. We wanted every Hispanic to feel heard and valued and we want our platform to become a source of pride.</p><p>"We just need to showcase our contributions to this country, so Hispanics feel proud of our culture and history, and for everyone else to know we're not takers, but makers," Edelman said.</p><p>However, before the community can move forward, they have to stop the spread of COVID-19. This staggering need is why P&G, a founding partner of Hispanic Star, pledged to donate personal protective equipment and critical products to Hispanic essential workers and families affected by the virus. If one household member can stop the spread by not bringing the virus home to their family, countless lives could be saved.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5NDI5Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1Mzk5NjM0MX0.0vHrGcxJF9rqL-lSl1MsdLW9gKlBdjLK-JTI0jDwVFU/img.jpg?width=980" id="92f8b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b29e233d3e223bcf301d05c0f2092428" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@rodlong?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rod Long</a> on Unsplash</small></p><p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/20_0165.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to the CDC</a>, Hispanics not only were being exposed because of the nature of their work and/or the number of people living in their households, but also because of language barriers and limited access to health care. The lack of reliable health information in Spanish has impeded efforts to combat the spread of the virus in Hispanic communities, making them more likely to be unaware of the importance of things like mask wearing. Additionally, "Hispanic people are also the largest population segment without health insurance coverage in the United States, leaving those with presumptive symptoms or with a positive COVID-19 test with limited access to needed health care," according to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/20_0165.htm" target="_blank">this report</a>.<br></p><p>Because of these unique challenges, Edelman says they launched the Hispanic Star "hubs"—regional groups of volunteers designed to bring people together and focus on each region and city's specific issues. They're also responsible for getting Family Support Packs, featuring critical home and personal care items provided by P&G, to families who need them most.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MzU2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDIwNTM4MX0.iowAnzNwR4I6YAOtyNAbXCB2ZpQCosqAe0OqRudXNR8/img.jpg?width=980" id="32923" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="931932d597518cda41257785cb03ac6c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Photo courtesy of P&G Good Everyday</small></p><p>"We managed to get over 1.2 million products and helped more than 200,000 families nationwide. And the support is still ongoing," Edelman said. Collaborations with companies like P&G have enabled them to reach an extraordinary number of people. Still, there is a lot of ground to cover, and Edelman encourages anyone who is able to get involved.<br></p><p>"You can join your local hub, and if there isn't one you can start your own!" Edelman said. "There are so many things the community needs...we need stars to step up and lead the charge."</p>Short on time? You can make a difference by simply joining the <a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/" target="_blank">P&G Good Everyday</a> rewards program. Pick the Hispanic Star as your cause and by taking a survey, answering a quiz or scanning a receipt with P&G products, you can earn rewards. And the best part? As you earn, P&G will automatically donate to a cause you care about—so you can turn your everyday actions into acts of good, <a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/hispanic-star/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/hispanic-star/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/hispanic-star/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/hispanic-star/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">helping organizations like Hispanic Star extend further and provide immediate help to more and more families in need.</a>
Keep Reading
Show less
popular
Making sure all votes are counted isn't 'a win for Democrats'—it's a win for all Americans
10.29.20
As I was doomscrolling through Twitter yesterday, the wording of an Associated Press post caught my eye. "The Supreme Court will allow absentee ballots in North Carolina to be received and counted up to 9 days after Election Day, in a win for Democrats," it read.
A win for Democrats? Surely they meant a win for Americans? For voters? For democracy?
<div id="7fd95" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f27dd54b320615f123eea9f36480fd8e"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1321602291561074688" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The Supreme Court will allow absentee ballots in North Carolina to be received and counted up to 9 days after Elect… https://t.co/YqxuEB0yFB</div> — The Associated Press (@The Associated Press)<a href="https://twitter.com/AP/statuses/1321602291561074688">1603929515.0</a></blockquote></div><p>I wasn't the only one who noticed that phrase, as comment after comment expressed the same reaction. What the heck, AP?</p><p>A follow-up tweet gave some context to the AP's share text on the original article, as the outlet explained, "The Supreme Court justices, by a 5-3 vote, refused a request from Republicans to disturb a decision by North Carolina's State Board of Elections to push back the deadline for ballots postmarked on or before Election Day to be received by Nov. 12."</p><p>Since it was a request from Republicans that was denied, I suppose one could argue that it's a win for Democrats. But is that really where we are? Where one party's request being denied by the courts is automatically a "win" for the opposing party? Have we just completely internalized a binary, partisan world where anything that's a loss for one "side" is good for the other? </p><p>At the same time, it's hard to completely argue with the AP's statement when Republicans actually <em>are</em> beating the "let's figure out every way we can to make it harder for people's votes to count" drum.<br></p><p>It sure seems that way, anyway. </p><p>And what's really sad is that it's not even like not wanting the largest number of Americans possible voting is a secret. Influential conservative activist Paul Weyrich famously said in 1980, "I don't want everybody to vote. As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4bbc6b2eef44b113b92109d5f6e812df"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8GBAsFwPglw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Paul Weyrich - "I don't want everybody to vote" (Goo Goo)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GBAsFwPglw&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p><br></p><p>President Trump <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/30/trump-republican-party-voting-reform-coronavirus" target="_blank">himself said </a>that Republicans would "never" win an election again if it were easier to vote, such as by implementing all mail-in voting. Though he was likely implying that Democrats would cheat—as if Democrats somehow have a corner on the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-voter-fraud-facts-explai/explainer-despite-trump-claims-voter-fraud-is-extremely-rare-here-is-how-u-s-states-keep-it-that-way-idUSKBN2601HG" target="_blank">statistically miniscule</a> issue of voter fraud or magically know how to game a mail-in system—the reality is that neither thing is true.</p><p>Bernie Sanders also tried to say that Democrats win more elections when voter turnout is higher, but again, it's just not true. There actually <a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2016/06/sanders-shaky-turnout-claim/" target="_blank">is no clear correlation</a> between voter turnout and partisan wins. </p><p>In reality, every American should want as many of their fellow citizens to vote, because that's how free elections are supposed to work—with the majority of Americans expressing with their vote who they want to rule for a while. We can't know what the majority prefers if only half the electorate shows up at the ballot box. Even in an easily won election—say 60% or 70% of actual voters voting for one candidate—if only half of eligible voters show up, the candidate that got the majority of the vote might still represent a minority of the electorate. We simply have no way of knowing the preferences of the majority unless the vast majority shows up.</p><p>Voting matters. And we know that it matters because partisans have worked hard to skew voting processes to benefit their own side. Both parties <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/03/28/marylands-redistricting-case-reminds-us-both-parties-gerrymander-a-lot/" target="_blank">engage in gerrymandering</a>, which I still can't believe is allowed. And various forms of <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/13/912519039/a-look-at-voter-suppression-tactics-ahead-of-the-election" target="_blank">voter suppression</a>, especially of minorities, have long been a problem, from the racist Southern Democrats of the pre-Civil Rights era to the <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/10/historic-voter-turnout-trump-voter-suppression.html" target="_blank">current GOP</a>. </p><p>And a lot of voter suppression is blatant. I live in a town of less than 35,000 people and we have several ballot drop boxes—and this is in a state with universal mail-in voting. While our county has actually added <em>more </em>drop boxes due to the pandemic, the governor of Texas worked hard to <em>remove </em>drop boxes from Texas counties this election, leaving just <em>one </em><em>single </em>drop box for all 4.5 million people in Harris county, home of Houston, when they previously had a dozen. </p><p>That's preposterous. There's no reason for that kind of voter suppression, except for fear of democracy working exactly the way it should.</p><p>Voting should be secure, but simple. It should be made as easy as possible for everyone. Enabling early voting has helped make voting easier in many states, as has implementing universal mail-in voting. There is simply zero reason that people should have to wait five, eight, 11 hours in line to vote. It's just ridiculous. Some have suggested making Election Day a national holiday so people don't have to get out of work to go to the polls. Let's open more polling places. Let's end partisan tricks to make voting harder.</p><p>Let's celebrate our representative government and treat voting like the sacred right that it is—by encouraging and enfranchising every eligible voter in America. </p>
From Your Site Articles
- Bill Moyers Makes It Clear: Requiring An ID Is Voter Suppression ... ›
- Voter fraud isn't the problem — voter suppression is. Meet the man ... ›
- Michael Jordan just donated $2.5 million to fight Black voter ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Let's Do More Together
One woman’s quest to unite the diverse Hispanic community is also helping battling COVID-19
10.27.20
Photo courtesy of Claudia Romo Edelman
True
When the novel coronavirus hit the United States, life as we knew it quickly changed. As many people holed up in their homes, some essential workers had to make the impossible choice of going to work or quitting their jobs— a choice they continue to make each day.
Because over 80 percent of working Hispanic adults provide essential services for the U.S. economy, the Hispanic community is disproportionately affected. Hispanic families are also much more likely to live in multigenerational households, carrying the extra risk of infecting the most vulnerable. In fact, Hispanics are 20 times more likely than other patients to test positive for COVID-19.
Claudia Romo Edelman saw a community in desperate need of guidance and support. And she created Hispanic Star, a non-profit designed to help Hispanic people in the U.S. pull together as a proud, unified group and overcome barriers — the most pressing of which is the effects of the pandemic.
Because the Hispanic community is so diverse, unification is, and was, an enormous challenge.
<p>The Hispanic Star campaign is rooted in a firm belief that "we don't win until we all win," and is viewed as both a unifying symbol and a nonpartisan, inclusive, inspirational, and unifying footing in order for Hispanics living in the United States to view themselves and help them act as a unified force for good. Hispanics widely represent stories of migration, struggle, resilience and strong values: hard work, optimism, family and friends, and belonging. </p><p>"We wanted to bring these efforts together under the Hispanic Star, for everyone to realize that together, we're stronger. We wanted every Hispanic to feel heard and valued and we want our platform to become a source of pride.</p><p>"We just need to showcase our contributions to this country, so Hispanics feel proud of our culture and history, and for everyone else to know we're not takers, but makers," Edelman said.</p><p>However, before the community can move forward, they have to stop the spread of COVID-19. This staggering need is why P&G, a founding partner of Hispanic Star, pledged to donate personal protective equipment and critical products to Hispanic essential workers and families affected by the virus. If one household member can stop the spread by not bringing the virus home to their family, countless lives could be saved.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5NDI5Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1Mzk5NjM0MX0.0vHrGcxJF9rqL-lSl1MsdLW9gKlBdjLK-JTI0jDwVFU/img.jpg?width=980" id="92f8b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b29e233d3e223bcf301d05c0f2092428" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@rodlong?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rod Long</a> on Unsplash</small></p><p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/20_0165.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to the CDC</a>, Hispanics not only were being exposed because of the nature of their work and/or the number of people living in their households, but also because of language barriers and limited access to health care. The lack of reliable health information in Spanish has impeded efforts to combat the spread of the virus in Hispanic communities, making them more likely to be unaware of the importance of things like mask wearing. Additionally, "Hispanic people are also the largest population segment without health insurance coverage in the United States, leaving those with presumptive symptoms or with a positive COVID-19 test with limited access to needed health care," according to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/20_0165.htm" target="_blank">this report</a>.<br></p><p>Because of these unique challenges, Edelman says they launched the Hispanic Star "hubs"—regional groups of volunteers designed to bring people together and focus on each region and city's specific issues. They're also responsible for getting Family Support Packs, featuring critical home and personal care items provided by P&G, to families who need them most.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MzU2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDIwNTM4MX0.iowAnzNwR4I6YAOtyNAbXCB2ZpQCosqAe0OqRudXNR8/img.jpg?width=980" id="32923" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="931932d597518cda41257785cb03ac6c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Photo courtesy of P&G Good Everyday</small></p><p>"We managed to get over 1.2 million products and helped more than 200,000 families nationwide. And the support is still ongoing," Edelman said. Collaborations with companies like P&G have enabled them to reach an extraordinary number of people. Still, there is a lot of ground to cover, and Edelman encourages anyone who is able to get involved.<br></p><p>"You can join your local hub, and if there isn't one you can start your own!" Edelman said. "There are so many things the community needs...we need stars to step up and lead the charge."</p>Short on time? You can make a difference by simply joining the <a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/" target="_blank">P&G Good Everyday</a> rewards program. Pick the Hispanic Star as your cause and by taking a survey, answering a quiz or scanning a receipt with P&G products, you can earn rewards. And the best part? As you earn, P&G will automatically donate to a cause you care about—so you can turn your everyday actions into acts of good, <a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/hispanic-star/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/hispanic-star/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/hispanic-star/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/hispanic-star/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">helping organizations like Hispanic Star extend further and provide immediate help to more and more families in need.</a>
Keep Reading
Show less
popular
COVID-19 survivor Tom Hanks has some harsh words for people who refuse to wear a mask
07.01.20
Actor Tom Hanks is speaking out about Americans who can't manage to practice basic precautions to help stop the spread of the COVID-19.
Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, are in a unique position to talk about the virus, they were among the first major celebrities to announce they contracted the virus in March.
The couple recovered form the disease after self-isolating in Australia.
The "Forest Gump" and "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" star didn't mince words when speaking at a press conference for his upcoming film "Greyhound," which debuts July 10 on Apple TV+.
<p>"There's really only three things we can do in order to get to tomorrow: Wear a mask, social distance, wash our hands," <a href="https://people.com/movies/tom-hanks-says-shame-on-you-to-those-who-dont-wear-a-mask-and-social-distance-do-your-part/?" target="_blank">he said according to People.</a> "Those things are so simple, so easy, if anybody cannot find it in themselves to practice those three very basic things -- I just think shame on you."</p><div id="e9641" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c7b7e4eed6814477bdbc9f91b8faf8ea"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9qBEyjJu4B/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Login • Instagram</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>He has had some harsh words for those who refuse to follow basic health precautions that have led to the spread of the virus.<br></p><p>"Don't be a prick, get on with it, do your part," he said. "It's very basic. If you're driving a car, you don't go too fast, you use your turn signal and you avoid hitting pedestrians. My Lord, it's common sense."</p><p>Hanks a great spokesperson for COVD-19 safety given his experience with the virus and his status as one of America's most beloved actors. Hanks has always excelled at representing the common man on screen, hopefully his message will resonate with Americans who have been unwilling to comply with basic social distancing protocols. </p><p>A "shame on you" from America's dad is what we definitely need right now. </p><p>During the press conference he also shared how he and his wife recovered from the disease.</p><p>"Oh, as the canaries in the coal mine for the COVID-19 experience, we are fine," he said. "We had about 10 days of very uncomfortable symptoms. Not life-threatening, we're happy to say. We were isolated in order to keep an eye on ourselves because if our temperatures had spiked, if our lungs had filled, if any number of things had gone wrong with this, we would have needed expert medical care."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzMDIxNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjkzODkyOH0.mnRlsm7uv_rGUtGbi08_PZKDmtuF_xlwuJOBYw8FmZA/img.jpg?width=980" id="4272c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1c755a55b9b3b7d64c07c22bc90d52bc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..."><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/deutschebank/10454216673/in/photolist-gVNAp4-4fGqmQ-4fCpKR-omwYC-2gfbrF7-2iaRfoQ-omwqc-7MvTEA-7MvKtJ-2jeeR85-7KTEbc-4a2CAc-4a7PWq-4a6GFJ-a5D22r-Nd5Mks-24TFiX2-3ANzY-AM377s-AM39v5-AM9n8B-BGfD4N-BhqDfN-AM38TJ-BJyLq2-BhqEnY-ByYFzE-2i8k4Uu-21H3X9f-5U9AmF-6nJEjo-AM3dUf-ByYDvj-AM37J9-ByYEwC-Bb3GgX-Bb3MN8-BhqCbo-dgB1LL-2hwSfjC-53wRfp-gKg1yU-gKfRgJ-gKgPP2-gKfRLG-gKg1oy-rT68Ax-4PYgNP-4oXWzY-7irc4" target="_blank">via Deutsche Bank / Flickr </a></small></p><p>Having experienced the disease first-hand, he and Wilson are adhering to strict social distancing protocols.<br></p><p>"I guess we were model recoverers from COVID-19, but we were also isolated so that we would not give it to anybody else that we came in contact with, and since then have been doing the same isolating, social distancing that is being asked of the world so, we are fine," he added.</p><p>The actor's words come as the U.S. cannot seem to get a handle on the spread of the virus. On Tuesday, new U.S. COVID-19 cases rose by more than 47,000, the biggest spike since the onset of the pandemic. In June, cases of the virus <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/us-coronavirus-cases-rise-by-47000-biggest-one-day-spike-of-pandemic-idUSKBN2412TA" target="_blank">doubled in at least ten states.</a></p><p>"Clearly we are not in total control right now," Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a U.S. Senate committee. "I am very concerned because it could get very bad."</p><p>COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 126,000 Americans. </p><p><br><br></p>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
popular
20-yr-old KJ Brooks named and shamed every official at a Kansas City police commissioner meeting
10.29.20
After years of advocating for racial justice and calling out police brutality and seeing little change in law enforcement and our justice system, some people are rightfully fed up. When complaints are met with inaction, protests are met with inaction, and direct action is met with inaction, maybe it's time to get specific in who needs to be held accountable for issues in law enforcement.
That's exactly what Keiajah (KJ) Brooks did at a Board of Police Commissioners meeting in her hometown of Kansas City this week. The 20-year-old used her approximately four minutes with the microphone—and with the commissioners' undivided attention—to unequivocally lay out her position to each and every one of the officials in that room.
"Fair warning, I'm not nice and I don't seek to be respectable," she began. "I'm not asking y'all for anything because y'all can't and won't be both my savior and my oppressor. I don't want reform. I want to turn this building into luxury low-cost housing. These would make some really nice apartments."
"Firstly, stop using Black children as photo opportunities, 'cause they're cute now, but in 10 years, they're Black male suspects in red shirts and khaki shorts," she said. "Eating cookies and drinking milk with children does not absolve you of your complicity in their oppression and denigration..." she added, before looking directly at the police chief and pointedly calling him out by name, "...Rick Smith."
<p>She pointed out that Kansas City spends more on the police than on education, "and then try to encourage children to feast with their oppressors." </p><p>"Y'all are really weird," she added.</p><p>"It's asinine to be called radical or a homegrown terrorist for not wanting government employees to kill people in any instance," she went on. "So, I'm not here begging anything of soulless white folks and self-preserving Black folks. You get one life, and you all in this room have chosen profits over people. And that's pathetic. So, I'm going to spend the next two minutes reading y'all for filth, something I'm sure nobody has ever done."</p><p>And that's exactly what she did. One by one, Ms. Brooks named and shamed each member of the Board of Police Commissioners, in a dragging for the ages. </p><p>She addressed the "former FBI Agent who exudes white privilege and is the epitome of mediocrity" who "spent most of this meeting looking away and holding his head in his hands." She called out "another rich, and white, and out of touch, and disconnected old white person with nothing but pure apathy seeping through the bulging veins of his paper colored skin," adding, "You age like trash when you are racist and subject others to violence." She even took a pastor who preaches "a message of hope and faith through God's Holy word in the building" while "subjecting Black people to terrorism and un-Christ-like behavior at the hands of KCPD outside of the building" to church.</p><p>Ms. Brooks did not come to play.</p><div id="47a33" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2610ecfcfc6883931d3b3daba27a724a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1321201652297248768" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">It was the benediction for me https://t.co/uvws6RQqs6</div> — 🇳🇬E Soro Sókè #EndSars 🇳🇬 (@🇳🇬E Soro Sókè #EndSars 🇳🇬)<a href="https://twitter.com/Seytoven/statuses/1321201652297248768">1603833995.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Finally, to Police Chief Rick Smith, Brooks said, "I don't even care enough about you to start, but you will have to spend overtime in a chapel at the end of your life. You have blood on your hands, and while these idiots hold you on a pedestal, God does not honor injustice and murder."</p><p>After she finished with the individual verbal takedowns, Brooks left the board—whom she referred to as "soulless, profit-driven, avaricious, greedy, God-forsaken humans"—with a Bible verse. Claiming that Jesus himself was an "unarmed Black man murdered by authorities," she quoted Mark 8:36: "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?"</p><p>Well then.</p><p>Whether you agree with everything Ms. Brooks said or not, it takes a great deal of courage to speak truth to power. It's impressive to see a young woman speak her mind so clearly and boldly, not just publicly, but to the faces of the people she's addressing. Ms. Brooks has obviously done her homework on the individuals she's calling out, and while her speech may come across as harsh to some, her passion for and dedication to justice is palpable.</p><p>A video shared on Brooks' Instagram shows the reactions of the commissioners as she was speaking, if you want to see it from another angle. </p><div id="ca1b1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fb170beb2ed70e27b348f99a1d64718b"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CG2toQyHINU/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Login • Instagram</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>The video of her speech has been viewed more than seven million times on social media and has been met with resounding virtual applause from people who are tired of seeing calls for justice and action met with continuing injustice and inaction. </p><p>You can't change what you don't acknowledge, and Ms. Brooks is making sure acknowledgement is crystal clear.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Elijah McClain played violin for lonely kittens. His last words to ... ›
- Kwadwo was painting a tribute to victims of police brutality. Then he ... ›
- A teen took the stage with world leaders and unflinchingly spoke ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox
By signing up you agree to Upworthy's privacy policy.
Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox
By signing up you agree to Upworthy's privacy policy.
Trending Stories