Ever since COVID-19 it has been affecting us in major ways and forcing people to make tough decisions for their families. We are going through financial hardship. we were promised bail outs through small business loans or grants. Yet the government has made the stipulations on these grants nearly impossible for our type of business to qualify for the loan to become a grant. Most tattoo shops if not all tattoo shops have been/ will be denied . We have no help when we have been promised help. The Quarantine was implemented to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19 to assure that hospitals were not overwhelmed all the once in to help prevent such a rapid spread . The numbers of infected people is on the decline . We tattoo artists are trained and certified in blood-borne pathogen‘s and cross-contamination as well as many other medical safety and sterility procedures we are just as safe if not safer than most hospitals. tattoo shops are very clean we take this serious this is our livelihood if we do not return back to work by May 1st many small businesses will be lost . We will not be able to pay our bills, rents/mortgages, Insurances, we have the very potentially of losing everything. We still have to pay our mortgages/ rents and phone bills and gas and electric none of this has stopped for us . Yes, we can postpone them, but they’re not going away! Some of us can still sustain for a while, but that doesn’t mean that we are doing OK this is how we pay our bills this is how we feed our families and we are not getting any help from anyone, nor are we asking for it. We just want to be allowed to return to work in a safe manor

The survival of the independent beauty professionals is at risk. We are facing a grave financial hardship. Most of our licensed individuals are considered 1099 and are being denied unemployment and are not qualifying for SBA loans in NC.

The survival of the independent beauty professionals is at risk. We are facing grave financial hardship. It imperative that salons and spas are reinstated. Most of this industry is self-employed, in order to feed our families, pay our bills, and generally survive we need to work. We are not given Paid Time Off or Insurance Benefits.

For most of us, as bar and restaurant owners, our entire life's work is on the line. It's time to flatten the economic curve and get Iowans back to work and get our kids back to school. It's time to end the fear and end the hysteria. We are supposed to be a free state, a free nation. We want to put common sense back in place. Focus our time and money on protecting the vulnerable residents of our State and let the rest of us go back to work. WE ARE ESSENTIAL!

The survival of the independent beauty professionals are at risk. We are facing a grave financial hardship.

Small and private massage practices financial hardships, clients falling behind on pain management and therapy, servicemen on frontlines need pain relief and maintenance, reducing the number of clients relying on narcotics and otc pain medications. We are Essential.

Tattoo studios across the state of Colorado were ordered by the state health department to cease operations on March 19th, 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The state set a return to work date in that same email of May 1st, 2020. Reputable studios statewide complied and closed their doors. This is not a petition to open early. This is not a petition to bash a politician, governor or mayor. This is a petition to re-open tattoo studios as stated on May 1st, 2020. Sound silly? Asking that a governing body do what they said they would do? If you've not been under a rock for this "lock-down", and all of the crazy guess-work that's generated countless "guidelines" it's likely that you understand why we are asking this. Artists state-wide have found their breaking point, and whether or not some government classification agrees, to the families of these artists, their craft is essential. We will update the petition with more supporting evidence, but please consider the following:  - Unlike a large majority of "essential workers" Tattoo Artists are state certified to deal with contagion, contaminates, blood and airborne pathogens. We do this every single day.  - Reputable studios are building "new normal" safety standards for their staff and clients based upon their already above and beyond cleanliness standards.  - Artists across the nation are coming together to create a US standard for the craft and to remove state dependencies around regulation enforcement with groups such as Icons Of Ink.

Licensed Nail Technicians are independent; self employed as well as small businesses owners going unrecognized by the state and city officials. Some of us also are medically certified and our clients going without care are risking at home injuries and cross contamination.

Personal hygiene and grooming are critical to all essential workers at this time. Hospital staff, grocery store workers, restuarant employees, hardware stores, military personnel, and so many more are in desperate need to maintain appearance and hygiene during this crisis. The survival of these independent professionals (cosmetologist/barbers) is at risk. We are facing grave financial hardship, and are ready to be made available to service essential personnel safely.

Health and hygiene is important the general public. We have clients who aren’t able to wash their hair for various reasons. The long term effects of bad hygiene can become worse issues. Also mental health is important. So many people see their stylist to not just look good but feel good about themselves inside and out especially during hard times in a persons life. Our industry is facing a massive financial crisis that will be devastating to many men, women and families if we don’t do something about it now. Our industry is more than beauty. We are professionals, counselors, confidants, educators, friends and family. WE ARE ESSENTIAL!

Because we do not want to force this. It could have detrimental effects on our families and Communities .

The survival of the independent beauty professionals is at risk. We are facing a grave financial hardship.