Parents, students, teachers and school employees want to be back in brick and mortar schools as soon as it is safely possible. We are calling on you, our county commissioners to shut down all non-essential businesses immediately to slow the community spread of COVID. We are calling for a substantial increase in testing and contract tracing. We are calling for maximum transparency on COVID data, including which local child care centers are dealing with a COVID outbreak. We are calling for a carefully measured reopening that does not begin until we have 14 days of declining cases in a row AND a positivity rate of 5% or less. We are calling for financial and community support for furloughed workers so they can continue to provide for their families during the necessary shut down. We are calling for a moratorium on evictions and rent relief for furloughed workers and affected businesses. We are calling for a county wide limit on all indoor gatherings to 10 people or less. We are calling for adequate PPE protection for our social services workers so that they can continue supporting families and investigating abuse allegations during the shut down. We are calling for adequate PPE for our front line healthcare workers so they can safely take care of our community.

It’s a matter of public health

The United States harbors an enduring legacy of anti-Asian racism, from the murderous violence of the so-called "Yellow Peril" in the 19th and 20th centuries to the surge in hate crimes committed against Asian Americans in the wake of COVID-19. The continued use of "oriental" in the profession of East Asian Medicine in the US perpetuates this injustice. In 2016, the term was removed from all US federal regulations through a bill authored by New York State Representatives Grace Meng (D) and Hakeem Jeffries (D). It received unanimous, bipartisan congressional support and was signed into law by President Obama. The bill also struck the terms “Negro,” “Eskimo,” and “Spanish surname” (to honor Latinx folks), which are the associates of "oriental." Our profession is dangerously out of step with what progress has been made outside our community. We will fail in our institutional anti-racism efforts before they begin if we persist in using this racist, obsolete term.

Currently, contact tracing is not required in Palm Beach County for those who test positive. Contact tracing is essential to stopping Coronavirus. In South Korea, where contact tracing is prioritized, the curve is nearly flat and the economy has not majorly suffered.

On campuses across the country—Maryland, Ohio State, Clemson, LSU, Kansas State, and more—dozens of student-athletes are testing positive for coronavirus as they begin training for Fall sports. It's becoming clear that in order to protect students and staff, Fall sports must be postponed. More and more college conferences and schools are postponing all Fall sports, and the NCAA needs to provide leadership to protect their students during this pandemic, instead of letting money drive their decision. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) generated $867 million in 2019, but it can't put profits ahead of the safety of their student-athletes. The major conferences that make up the NCAA are making plans to get football players and other student-athletes back on the field to make sure money from its lucrative television and marketing deals isn't lost. This is dangerous to the players who will have to come in close contact with their teammates and opponents at a time when American professional sports are struggling to start-up. Two teams from Major League Soccer had to drop out due to COVID outbreaks among players and paid professional players are deciding to opt-out of NBA and MLB seasons because of concern for catching the coronavirus. The National Junior College Athletic Association is expected to move its Fall sports to the Spring this week, and last week, The Ivy League canceled Fall sports. Colleges like Morehouse have done the same, canceling Fall sports to protect their students. It's clear that postponing Fall sports is the only responsible decision to make. As the U.S. continues to grapple with a pandemic that doesn't respect city or state borders, the NCAA needs to do what's right and make sure college athletes aren't put at risk so that NCAA and their partners can make millions. SOURCES: "National Junior College Athletic Association expected to move football season to spring," July 12, 2020, ESPN espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29452386/national-junior-college-athletic-association-expected-move-football-season-spring "Ivy League Places All Sports on Hold Until January," July 8, 2020, The New York Times nytimes.com/2020/07/08/sports/ncaafootball/ivy-league-fall-sports-football-coronavirus.html

This resolution would have Hamilton County to formally recognize racism as a public health crisis. Historically the health outcomes of minority populations, especially black people in the U.S. and locally in Hamilton County have been statistically lower than those of the white population. Black people die prematurely and are more susceptible to critical health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. These numbers are currently being increasingly exposed through data that is showing that black Americans are dying at disproportionately higher rates from the coronavirus than all other races. In addition to a lower life expectancy black Ohioans face higher rates of infant mortality where racism is a key driver in these cases. In Hamilton County the number of black babies who die before their first birthday is double compared to white babies. Furthermore, factors such as access to care, education level, income, race, and ethnicity, hinder black Ohioans from receiving the health care that they need, especially oral and dental health care. Other social determinants such as socioeconomic status, access to food, physical environment, education, and access to health care can further hinder positive health comes for black and minority populations in Hamilton County. This resolution would address these issues to ensure that the health of all residents is prioritized no matter their race. Here are a few ways racism in Hamilton County will be addressed through this resolution and improve the health outcomes for all people: ● The Hamilton County BOCC will support and collaborate with organizations that focus on black communities, in effort to eliminate health disparities. ● The Hamilton County Child Fatality Review and Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Processes will investigate child and infant deaths that were affected by racism. ● The Hamilton County Oral Health Coalition will advocate the oral health needs of all citizens of Hamilton County. ● Hamilton County BOCC will prioritize health for all races, issuing Health and Equity in All policies approach to decision making. ● The Office of the Hamilton County Sheriff will dedicate Active Bystander training for its officers in order to prevent wrong doings on the job. ● The Hamilton County BOCC will collaborate with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center to provide a curriculum for private, public and nonprofit entities to teach about the effect racism has on African-Americans and people of color. ● The Hamilton County BOCC encourages all community leaders and stakeholders to acknowledge racism as a public health crisis. To take action to advance equity in the community of Hamilton County. You can view the resolution at: https://www.hamiltoncountyohio.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3788196/File/Government/Board%20Of%20County%20Commissioners/Public%20Hearings/2020/BOCC.2020%20DECLARATION6.29PREFINAL%20(2).pdf

There is no way to keep students, teachers, staff, bus drivers and cafeteria workers safe if they report to school buildings. Until there is 100% assurance that children will not bring COVID-19 home from school, no school buildings should reopen in Florida. Remote instruction is feasible, and in cases where parents cannot handle instruction a tutoring program should be established to ensure that kids can keep learning. This can be accomplished state-wide or district by district. If families do not have computers or internet access, these resources should be provided by the Florida Department of Education, by federal funding, or by community foundations. Reevaluate this position in January 2021 and/or after an effective COVID-19 vaccine has been developed and tested and is widely available.

This is essential to maintain the health of our people and our economy during the corona virus pandemic.

I am an essential worker at a grocery store. Unlike those who have been able to work from home or have been furloughed and collect an extra $600 in unemployment, I have been showing up to work throughout the coronavirus pandemic. I provide an essential service to my community and, as such, should be paid accordingly, especially when I am putting my life at risk each and everyday I work. The risks involved in dealing with large groups of people indoors during a pandemic are high. Also, most essential workers have to travel long distances, many by public transportation, adding to their risk of becoming ill from COVID-19. Many of my fellow coworkers have gotten ill from COVID-19; some have been sick for months. At this time we don't know what long-lasting effects result from COVID-19, although evidence is starting to show even asymptomatic cases can cause lung damage. Aside from the trauma of working during the coronavirus pandemic, many grocery store workers rely on working several jobs at once and many of these jobs in the service industry are no longer available. Most of us live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have no real financial stability when we need it the most. The added stress and anxiety of trying to make ends meet at a time when our hours are being cut and other sources of income are not available takes a huge toll on us mentally and physically. Grocery store workers, truck drivers, doctors, and nurses have been the lifeline for communities, especially during this pandemic. We certainly appreciate all the thanks we have received, but it is time to show real appreciation by providing us with retroactive hazard pay. In this way, we can continue to serve the community knowing we are supported financially during this pandemic. I call on the US Congress to add retroactive hazard pay for essential workers into the new stimulus bill.

COVID19 numbers on the mainland are higher than they have ever been so we need access to much more accurate and reliable testing to safely welcome tourists back to Hawaii without a quarantine requirement. Also school starts August 4th and welcoming tourism at the same time is dangerous to teachers and students. We don't yet know what the effect of opening schools will be.

All black lives matter. No person shall be discriminated against based upon the color of their gender, sexual orientation, skin tone, economic status, social status, religious beliefs, or location. Everyone deserves adequate resources in order to live and thrive. Speaking out and standing against injustice is an essential human duty. There is a mutual duty to serve and protect between the community and its members. Acknowledge, respect, accept, and celebrate differences as well as commonalities. Believe in the power of words and their impact.

As of 2016, Norfolk police have killed twice as many people as any other agency in Virginia since 2010, according to a Virginian Pilot investigation. According to The Guardian newspaper, out of the 19 people shot and killed by police in the state of Virginia in 2016, seven of those were killed in the Hampton Roads area, with 5 of those deaths being in Norfolk alone. These issues are not "another place's problem." Members of Norfolk City Council have the ability to make concrete change and address the systematic abuse Black and Brown people experience everyday here in Norfolk.