For others, it’s a harsh reality, layoffs or reduced hours, lower to non-existent paychecks, and uncertainty about how to pay rent, putting food on the table, and surviving. Among those who are not as able to avoid illness are the thousands of local rideshare and taxi drivers, service workers, and other hourly workers.
How are we going to do our part, now and when the pandemic begins to subside? If anything, the dramatic change in all our lives in the past several weeks has shown us that change is possible with enough social and political willpower. Do we accept the disparities that this situation has laid bare, and will we send these workers back to their marginalized lives?
My vote is for investing in our community and assisting these workers to skill-up during this down time so that they can come out strong. As I write this from the comfort of my home, my heart yearns to take bolder action collectively with tech companies and community organizations to make a change for the better. As community-based organizations scramble to help, their focus should be on retraining and helping marginalized groups to a “secure” a job.