My King Day Coronavirus outbreak
dream
Caribbean Life, January 24-30, 2020 11
ple during World War II, then traveled
together that afternoon to the African
Burial Ground National Monument to
learn about the atrocities committed
against African slaves and their descendants.
In between, we hosted the students
for lunch at City Hall, where they had
an illuminating discussion about stereotypes,
genocide and the importance of
diversity.
It has been my belief that these conversations
need to happen not only
amongst our youth — who continuously
need to be educated about our
shared histories — but between adults as
well. Four years ago, Councilman Brad
Lander and I co-hosted a racial justice
town hall at Congregation Beth Elohim
in Park Slope. Moderated by the Brooklyn
Movement Center and Showing Up
for Racial Justice, the forum fostered an
honest conversation about interpersonal
racism and privilege in our society.
We can’t hope to break the cycle of
hate that fosters these incidents unless
we are willing to have uncomfortable
discussions about the economic and
social ills behind them. We have to deal
with the truth if we are to have reconciliation.
This week, as we celebrate the memory
and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King,
I would ask all my fellow New Yorkers
to look beyond slogans and look to
have a conversation with someone from
another community outside their own
— to engage someone you wouldn’t normally
talk to. King and his legacy are too
often sanitized. His was a revolutionary
spirit, and the civil rights movement was
revolution that brought together fighters
from different backgrounds and communities,
like Chaney, Schwerner and
Goodman, toward common purpose. We
should carry forward with that same revolutionary
unity. Maybe in those small
conversations, at the water cooler or
on the subway, discussing the crazy
weather or our beloved Knicks, we can
become comfortable enough to begin to
have larger conversations.
Freedom Place is a stretch of four
New York City blocks in a neighborhood
where most New Yorkers couldn’t afford
to live. It is ironically hidden in the
shadow of some buildings once named
after Donald Trump, a quiet, ordinary
street commemorating the memory of
three young men who lost their lives to
hate and intolerance in a fight against
the same.
I’d imagine it would be the kind of
block where in a different time and place
Chaney, Schwerner and Goodman might
sit and have a conversation. They might
talk about love, sports or politics. They
might talk about racial injustice and
voting rights.
My sincere hope is that our generation
finds Freedom Place. And has a conversation
when we get there.
Continued from Page 10
is raging. People are scared and can easily
fall prey to fake news.
National public health institutes must
take charge and disseminate the right
information through different channels
including TV, radio, Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, WhatsApp and community
engagements.
The experience with the spread of
fake news during the Ebola outbreak
in Nigeria in 2015 led to people bathing
with salt water because they believed it
would stop them from getting infected
with Ebola. That fake news led to deaths
of two victims.
Third, governments in consultation
with national public health institutes
should designate specialized centers for
handling suspected cases. At the same
time, they should provide the necessary
drugs for treatment too.
These must be coordinated with staff
at ports of entry. There should be no
confusion about where to take a suspect
case. If a suspected case presents
at hospitals, there must be plans to
immediately direct the individual to the
right part of the hospital to prevent the
spread of the infection.
In 2015, while evaluating the African
Union response to Ebola in West Africa,
I heard firsthand the harmful effect of
having hospital security workers who
are not well informed. At Saint John
of God Hospital in Port Loko District,
Sierra Leone, the wrong handling of an
Ebola case by a security officer led to
deaths of 10 health workers.
Fourth, all governments must invest
in epidemic preparedness. Although it
is not cheap, it is cost effective. For
instance, Nigeria Centre for Disease
Control estimates that it would cost 40
cents per person for Nigeria to be prepared
for epidemics.
This amounts to $80 million for a
population of 200 million. Not doing
this and a pandemic occurs, Nigeria
would lose $9.6 billion in GDP annually,
according to the International Working
Group on Financing Preparedness.
Every country must have a financed
plan and ensure that their national
public health institute gets the required
funds to lead prevention, detection and
response to infectious diseases. Infectious
diseases spare no one.
As the World Economic Forum holds
in Davos, Switzerland, business leaders
must discuss ways of supporting governments
to fund epidemic preparedness.
It makes business sense and will
protect their investments.
This Corona virus outbreak is happening
during the Chinese Lunar New
Year holiday as millions travel to visit
with loved ones in country and travel
abroad, making the current threat a
global one. Most urgently, all countries
must collaborate to contain this outbreak
now.
Continued from Page 10
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