As you know, an outbreak of Coronavirus/COVID-19 has been declared here in the U.S. It is clear that the current federal government has neither the competence nor concern for human life necessary to be trusted to properly address this issue.

We recognize the concerns, challenges, and anxieties this is causing. We also acknowledge the many ways our fears are exploited and used against us.

This outbreak reveals the interconnectedness of our world in a very personal way. It is showing, conclusively, that the health and well being of one is intimately bound to the health and well being of all. We must take action to protect the most vulnerable who will be hit hardest: those whose health is already compromised, those who are denied access to medical care, those who bear great risk in asking for help and those on the frontlines of poverty and pollution.

We stand with the immigrants who are demonized, and the people in prison who are denied the tools to protect their health. We stand with our elders and neighbors with compromised immune systems. We stand with the workers in healthcare and service industries, who are at the front line of financial and health risks.

We stand in solidarity with the movements fighting for safety and human rights amidst this crisis. Now, more than ever, the need for free, equitable and universal healthcare is clear, as is the need for workers’ rights enforced by workers themselves.

In the meantime, please take care of yourselves and your community as best you are able, paying particular attention to those who are most at risk, including our elders and those with pre-existing health conditions.