The corrosive combination of coronavirus and capitalism is tearing through our communities to underscore the deepest divide between us, that of the haves and the have-nots. The most egregious assault lands where it always does, in the most marginalized communities among us: the poor, with multi-generational (often multiple) families living together; black and brown communities, who were discarded by society long before coronavirus; single mothers, who are forced into the impossible choice between rent and food for their children; immigrants, who are deprived of any safety nets and devoid of rights; the unhoused, for whom the phrase “stay at home” is cruel and absurd; the out-of-work breadwinners who can no longer provide for their families; domestic abuse victims who are pressed to “shelter” in place with their abusers; the newly unemployed masses now frequenting foodbanks; the imprisoned, detained, or institutionalized; and the anti-stay-at-home protesters, who assert “my job is essential too.” The middle and impoverished classes lack the privilege of escaping to the Hamptons, to their personal island, or to their well-stocked yachts. In many cases, they lack the “luxuries” of running water, the room to socially distance, paid leave when they or their family members are sick, and personal protective gear for their jobs, which – in an act of cruel irony – have now been heralded as “essential.” A contagion of greed infected our society long before the arrival of coronavirus. Lulled into complacency by sleek models, shiny gadgets, and digitized entertainment, we became prime targets for hungry overlords, who amassed their spoils off our labor and consumption. Nursing at the teat of consumption, we became “unpaid data laborers,” while gaping maws scrambled to exploit our data for profit. These titans of industry filled their own pockets on the backs of their workers – fellow humans who markets invisibilized and rendered disposable. This colossal corporate greed is what informs our “Democracy.” Those who usurp our power leave us begging for scraps or working in unsafe conditions, and these immoral deficits have never been more evident than with four rounds of coronavirus stimulus packages. Profiteers advance on the imperiled masses with glee, hoarding the lion’s share of the stimulus and pillaging the coffers designated for the poor. Our representatives listen to the lobbyists in DC, where they’re plied with sweet deals and lavish funds for special interests. The lobbyists work to promote the corporate agendas of those who have money and those who will do anything to protect that money. Whether Democrat or Republican, our representatives evidently and appallingly need greater incentives to look out for the common good and essential needs of the citizens. It is up to us to demand that they do. In a world cracked open by COVID-19, it’s time for the masses to assert their own power – they and we matter. We are not dispensable. We are not disposable. We are not invisible. It is time NOW for the PEOPLE to use the powers that they still have – the powers of their vote, their voice, their pen, their labor, and their consumption. VOTE, WRITE, STRIKE, BOYCOTT together while apart like your life – and the lives of all those you love – depends on it. Because it does. At the nexus of coronavirus and runaway capitalism, it is imperative that we untangle the essential rights of citizens from profit. This is a moral choice. We must IMAGINE a better world where all are deserving of conditions that will enable us to not only survive, but thrive. The time is now for Medicare for All, for a guaranteed basic income, for housing standards that ensure shelter for all, for green jobs with livable wages, with paid sick leave, healthcare that’s not tied to our paychecks, and where workers own the rights of production. While our citizens suffer a devastating mix of uncertainty, isolation, grief, and economic despair, the richest people on the planet are poised to determine our fate. We shelter on this globe together, and the time is ripe for demanding fundamental and lasting improvements to our social safety net. Our top-heavy society is fragile in ways that leave us increasingly vulnerable to coronavirus and future pandemics. We must build resiliency from the bottom up, collaborating with our communities, and honoring the diversity therein to protect us all. We’re riding a slow train of uncertainty amidst an amorphous viral threat. If quarantine teaches us anything, it brings home the truth that the health and wellbeing of ONE is intimately connected to the health and wellbeing of ALL.

The future of our country and American Democracy where reason prevails and there are not supposed to be autocratic dictators (if it's not already too late) is at stake.

Because just as those who have been out of work are at risk and need help, so are the people who still have to go to work every day...

My name is Magaly Licolli, and I am a grassroots organizer with Venceremos, an organization dedicated to protecting poultry workers against the injustices of companies like Tyson. Every day I speak to poultry workers who are terrified for their lives and the safety of their communities. They need your help now more than ever. In Arkansas alone, where Tyson is headquartered, there are over 30,000 workers producing the chicken that ends up on plates all across the country. These workers are immigrants, refugees, minoritized communities that are not afforded the opportunity to speak out against this injustice. We demand that Tyson give paid sick leave to employees in addition to providing safer, cleaner working conditions. Poultry workers must also be compensated for being quarantined to prevent further spread of the virus that can potentially harm more workers. Finally, they must receive generous hazard pay for risking their lives as COVID-19 rapidly spreads in our communities. Worker health is public health! Please sign and share this petition.

Truck drivers keep the country going; they are putting themselves at risk of contracting Covid-19 each and every day as they continue to do their jobs, delivering food, mail, paper items, cleaning supplies, clothing, along with every other product that keeps America from spiraling into chaos.

Dozens of grocery store workers have died from COVID-19, despite measures being put in place, such as masks, temperature checks, and limiting shopper capacity. This clearly isn't working. It's not safe for the workers and it's not safe for other shoppers. The aisles in any store are too small to allow social distancing to take effect. Shoppers meander about trying to figure out what to buy, sometimes reaching over one another. We need to eliminate the variables of people who cannot take precautions on behalf of public safety. We're in a time when we have the technology to reduce the interaction that we have with workers and each other while fighting the virus. Effectively, we can turn the grocery stores into warehouses, and keep shoppers contained within their own automobiles, minimizing almost all risk to everyone. This will not only alleviate the health risks, but the anxiety of everyone involved.

Covid-19 can spread so easily, AND WILL, and anyone can carry it anywhere. If states reopen without adequate testing and tracing for containment, outbreaks will occur all across the country as people move around again and contact others. For those of us who have been so responsible and careful, the last thing we want is for other states and their policies, and residents and visitors, to jeopardize our own health and families AND further jeopardize health care workers. That is just WRONG! WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

By signing this petition we agree, though we may need the income, the risk is still too high and unknown. We are signing this petition to postpone the “Soft Opening”, "One Client at a Time", and to prolong the opening of any and all personal services to prevent spread and unsafe environments for the personal care service providers and clients. "Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others" - CDC How can we maintain the recommended safe distance of 6 foot while performing a service that requires direct physical contact with clients? Service providers and clients / guests are usually a maximum distance of one foot or less while performing / receiving these services. How can we guarantee safety and prevention of spreading the coronavirus in a salon when it is not currently guaranteed for those who are on the front-line in the medical field with proper PPE. If personal service providers had PPE how would this have an effect on the supplies for the medical professionals who need the PPE for patients and themselves? In the link above from The United States Department Of Labor for hazard recognition you will see these services would be defined as "HIGH EXPOSURE RISK" based off of the close proximity to perform personal services. Personal Services are not listed but the examples of exposure are. Personal care services are NOT essential services, as personal care services are a “LUXURY SERVICE”. No ones hair, nails, massages, facials, eyelashes, eyebrows, or other personal care service are above the risk of life lost. Personal care services do not provide BASIC HUMAN NEED. Personal care services are an important and unique services, but are not essential. Essential services should only include the well being of human health, safety, nutrition, utilities, home safety, and basic human needs or necessities. Personal Care services are not basic human needs nor necessary. If there are for health reasons then they should only be performed by the health care facilities. Opening these services may cause crowds and gatherings of more than 10 people at a time. This could also have more than 10 people in the same facility in a day which could cause potential spread. The Covid-19 is still very new, unpredictable, and still not fully understood. The CDC has yet to completely determine how to fully prevent spread, infection, a cure, or a vaccination to protect humanity as a whole. It would be best to remain closed temporarily and prolong the reopening of any and all personal care to reduce the chance of spreading the coronavirus and causing another spike or backpedal of all that has been accomplished by the social distancing. If and when we are deemed safe to re-open personal care services then we should be one of the last business types and services to open due to our need to be in close proximity of one another to perform such services. Many of us have clients with health issues like cancer, emphysema, diabetes, and more. If we are to re-open, how are we guaranteed that we will not be infected by a client and unknowingly spread the coronavirus to others? If we are to re-open, clients must trust that it is safe for them to come in for services. Even with adhering to a strict cleaning and decontamination policy, how can we guarantee that clients won’t contract the coronavirus? It is human nature to forget, get side tracked, and even skip a step unconsciously. What if our human nature can cause risk? What if a simple touch to an unsanitized surface causes a person to get sick? What if a simple sneeze while wearing a mask is not filtered enough as we stand / sit over one another? What if someone forgets a simple sanitation step? There are too many unknown variables and what if's to reopen at this time. As said above it is impossible to keep a safe social distance based off of the CDS's recommendation when we have to touch clients / guests to perform personal care services in less than a 6 foot distance even while wearing a mask. It is also almost impossible to follow the OSHA safety and sanitation guidelines as personal care service providers that do not have PPE attire. Personal Care Service providers would also need the proper training to learn all that these guidelines entail prior to opening which would not be possible in a short period of time. For the professionals in the personal care service industry, many have families that need to be protected as some are high risk to Covid-19. The business owners and service providers may have family members at home with underlying health issues. The service providers do not want to risk their own health or the health of their families by taking an unnecessary risk of bringing this virus home if the mandated orders are lifted prior to more facts of a guarantied safety or lower risk of spread. If personal care services are called to re-open the service providers will lose other financial aid and/or help from companies like the utilities, mortgage / rent, car payments, Unemployment, SBA loans, PPP loans, and more. These financial options are currently understanding of the pandemic and are willing to work with personal care providers. This is helping us stay home, safe, prevention of spread to high risk family members, high risk clients / guest, all while preventing the risk of losing their businesses and or job opportunities.

There are a lot of petitions going around asking you to let hair stylists, barbers, nail technicians, aestheticians, massage therapists, etc. go back to work. Even though they are suggesting using sanitation and proper cdc guidelines, this is in no way possible. Please understand we are touching everyone that walks in the door. Even if we limit it to one client at a time per service provider we are still putting ourselves and everyone that walks in at risk. Are aesthetics essential enough? It’s a NO from me!

As hair stylists we are trained in sanitation and keeping our tools and work stations clean. We need to be able to provide for ourselves and our family's.

Tattoo and body art professionals are trying to survive. These entrepreneurs are trained and skilled professionals who adhere to strict guidelines provided by the Board of Health and should be afforded the right to generate income. Our state is an anchor for many entrepreneurs to provide a home, safety, and nutritious food for their families, which is now being threatened by regulations that disproportionality impact tattoo artists and body art professionals. Poverty is a well known contributor to raise violence, addiction, homelessness, mental illness, and suicide. Continuing to restrict tattoo artists and body art professionals from generating income threatens the foundation of our community that has made great strides in reducing poverty, homelessness, and mental illness. Tattoo artists and body art professionals need to safely reopen their doors for business to allow Indiana to continue to make strides. Eric Holcomb proudly said "Indiana is ushering in an era of record job commitments, record infrastructure investments, and new career training opportunities, all while tackling our biggest issues head-on." Putting people first means allowing small shops and entrepreneurs to exercise their right to practice safely, which keeps Indiana as a leader in community growth.

Cigar stores in Dallas County are closed because the businesses are considered non essential. Like liquor, tobacco is a product people have legally used and enjoyed since before the founding of this Country. Curb side is safe for food and liquor, why not tobacco? It is nuance without a difference. When I see 80 cars at Loews and 50 cars at major liquor stores what is the impact of 1 or 2 cars at the cigar store? It is safer! Allowing a customer to order ahead and pick up on a couple of cigars at curb side at a Cigar store is safer than it is to go through the drive through at McDonalds.