Tattoo artists, body piercers, and shop owners are suffering due to these shutdowns. While some have financial help due to the COVID-19 relief bill, it’s still not enough to keep these businesses running and plenty are already going out of business due to these shutdowns. Families are in deep financial hardship, and $1200 is not enough for these shop owners to keep their business going as well as for their homes to be paid. Small business loans are available; however with the increase in these loans many are not getting the help they need, and paying back those loans will only make it worse for these businesses to thrive.

So that we can get the economy started again and so that hundreds of thousands of licenced professionals can get back to work and off unemployment. And to help with the emotional well being of individuals effected by this quarantine.

Our jobs are essential to our families and our clients with certain skin related conditions that which can be painful! It’s essential to keep small businesses going!

We're all self employed and NYS unemployment hasn't come through to help, nor has the US government.

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.

Stimulus Checks have not been received. Unemployment has not been received. When this income arrives our health insurance is late, car payments (not all able to defer), health insurance, we all need food, car insurance, phone and wifii bills, some of us have independent; rent for our studios and offices, heat, propane gas, electric, basic needs. With a rent freeze we will not have debt to our landlords.

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!

My fiance is incarcerated at MDC BROOKLYN Where they have been neglected from soap,hand sanitizer,masks,not being tested.Housed with other inmates who have tested positive for Covid-19.There is no communication from MDC,leaving family members not knowing the status of their loved ones.They are being treated like animals.THEY KEEP PUTTING OFF THE RELEASE OF INMATES.WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SAVING LIVES,NOT TAKING THEM.PLEASE SAVE THE INMATES

The survival of the independent beauty professionals is at risk. We are facing a grave financial hardship. Many will not be able to reopen if they are not able to earn income soon. Many are self employed have not received unemployment or stimulus checks.

This is important to be able to survive as a business owner and to take care of our families. There is little to no assistance for us small business owners, especially in this field... not to mention that the level of cleanliness that all shops have to follow should make everyone feel even safer then other places of business. We use medical grade disinfectants and cleaners that the normal public doesn't have access to or in some cases knowledge of.... We as people, mothers, fathers, Americans need to get back to work and by doing this (soft) open, I believe that we can make this work for everyone .... Thank you

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.

It is important for women and families all over America to have a voice in Washington. Stacey Abrams will be that voice to move forth good policies and advocate for initiatives to improve the quality of life for all Americans. She is our uniter. We need smart, strong and intentional leadership to bring us together more than ever to heal are bleeding nation.🇺🇸