Gibson refl ects on COVID-19 and women
BY JASON COHEN
COVID-19 has made women’s
history month obsolete,
yet on the last day of March,
elected offi cials are honoring
the female sex.
On March 31, the City
Council’s Women’s Caucus
and the Committee for Women
and Gender Equity will hold
the 14th annual National
Equal Pay Day Virtual Rally.
Typically the event is held on
the steps of city hall.
Through video and social
media, advocates, leaders and
the public will:
Spotlight past wage inequality
for women, especially
for women of color.
Highlight how the coronavirus
crisis exposes women’s
economic vulnerability, their
critical role in creating and
maintaining a healthy society
and the lack of workplace and
government support.
Call for passage of federal
and state legislation to create
economic parity for women.
Send messages of thanks
to the low-wage women workers
on the front line of the
COVID-19 crisis protecting
and caring for New Yorkers.
Councilwoman Vanessa
Gibson, who is the co-chair
of the Women’s Caucus, spoke
with the Bronx Times about
the coronavirus and its impact
on women, her constituents
and herself.
“It’s been hard. It’s been
really emotionally draining,”
Gibson said.
Gibson said never has she
experienced anything like this
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This Census Day,
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BRONX TIMES R 18 EPORTER, APRIL 3–9, 2020 BT
epidemic nor did she imagine
it would grow to be this bad.
The councilwoman explained
that COVID-19 will
affect the city budget. With
much of the funds being allocated
for medical supplies
and the Department of Health,
many cuts will likely be made,
including kids programs for
the summer.
Gibson said she would be
remiss to not touch on the
roles women have played during
this crisis. They are mothers
taking care of their kids
who are stuck at home, going
to work and sacrifi cing their
health or on the front lines in
hospitals trying to save lives.
She noted that doing her
job has been quite a challenge.
While she and her
staff are working remotely,
she has been communicating
non-stop, with constituents,
teachers, principals, organizations
and colleagues all via
phone, Skype or Zoom. On
Monday, she handed out food
with Fresh Direct and later
this week plans to visit a hospital.
Not being able to meet
with people is disheartening,
she said.
Seeing empty parks, lifeless
streets and shuttered schools
and stores is quite upsetting,
she remarked. The councilwoman
told the Bronx Times
many people have been calling
about the lack of access to
food and unsafe living conditions
in shelters in the wake of
social distancing.
“It’s like the twilight zone,”
she said.
But, she stressed hospitals
need beds, ventilators and
masks and anyone that isn’t
sick should stay home.
“We need to concentrate
on the people that are hospitalized
with coronavirus,”
Gibson stated. People are dying
out here and we are struggling.
This is really unbelievable.
Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson speaks about COVID-19 and women
Photo courtesy of Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson’s offi ce
By Julie Menin, Director of NYC Census
2020.
Don’t be fooled — April 1st may have
a reputation for pranks, but it’s also one
of the most important dates for the 2020
Census. Why? Because April 1st is Census
Day.C
ontrary to popular belief, Census
Day is not the final day (or the only day)
that you can respond to the census. If you
haven’t filled it out yet, don’t worry, you
still have time (although there’s no time
like the present).
So what is Census Day? It actually
serves a practical purpose. To make sure
all our census data has a standard reference
point, everyone is asked to fill out the
census with information that reflects their
households at the same moment, April 1st.
This is why we can say the census is like a
snapshot of our communities.
But this Census Day, we’re also taking
time to recognize the importance of
the census. In these difficult times, many
of us are looking for ways that we can help
support our communities, and filling out
the census is one of the most vital ways to
help shape our future for the better. Now
more than ever, as we face the COVID-19
pandemic, we need a complete count so our
communities can get the funding we need
for hospitals & healthcare, as well as the
data we need to respond to emergencies.
And since we can do the census online, by
phone, or by mail, we can get counted while
practicing social distancing.
Join us and spread the word. New Yorkers
will be posting the Census Day challenge
online — and we need you involved.
It’s as easy as sharing your census story or
a picture on social media and tagging three
friends, challenging them to complete the
2020 Census and pass the challenge along
to another three people. (Visit nyc.gov/census
to learn more and follow the conversation
via the hashtag #GetcountedNYC). So
if you’ve been putting off any texts or meaning
to check in with anyone, let Census Day
be your push to reach out. Your community
will thank you for it.
So get counted, challenge your friends,
and let’s make it count.
“Making Sense of the Census” is a
weekly column from Julie Menin, Director
of NYC Census 2020. Every week we
will be publishing pieces from Julie and
guest authors laying out the facts and
answering tough questions about this
year’s census. Fill out the census now at
my2020census.gov.
Sign Up Now!
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and more.
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