Rainbow PUSH Coalition Presents Combating COVID-19 VIRTUAL Town Hall

A Real-Time Conversation About the Coronavirus Pandemic and the African American Community

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Congressional Black Caucus Members, State Legislators, and other National, State and Local Leaders Set Agenda & Offer Solutions

News provided by

Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Apr 30, 2020, 17:49 ET

CHICAGO, April 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

WHAT: A National VIRTUAL Town Hall Addressing Our Response to COVID-19 and the African American Community

Health Access
Economic Effects of the Pandemic
Protecting of Vulnerable Populations
International and Global Concerns of the Pandemic
The CARES Act and Stimulus Packages I & II
Criminal Justice Project
Effect on other At-risk Communities and Communities of Color

WHO:

Convener: Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Founder and President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Moderator: Mark Thompson, veteran journalist, Host, Make It Plain

Panelists:
Hon. Bill de Blasio, Mayor New York City INVITED
Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, Pastor, Friendship-West Baptist Church, Dallas, TX
James Gomez MPA, Director of International Affairs, Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Attorney C. K. Hoffler, Partner & CEO, The Hoffler Firm/Chairwoman, Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Santita Jackson, Host, Santita Jackson Show; Exec. Producer, Keep Hope Alive with Rev. Jackson
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) House Armed Services Committee and Oversight Committee
Hon. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) United States Senate
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Chair, Bipartisan Congressional Coronavirus Task Force
Leon McDougle MD, MPH, President-elect of National Medical Association
Spencer Overton, Esq., President, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
Dr. Rashawn Ray, David M. Rubenstein Fellow, Brookings Institute
Chris Smalls, Former Amazon employee
Hon. Sylvester Turner, Mayor, Houston, Texas INVITED
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chair, House Financial Services Committee
Rev. S. Todd Yeary, J.D., Ph.D., SVP and Chief of Global Policy, Rainbow PUSH Coalition

WHEN: Thursday, April 30, 2020 | 7:00 – 8:30PM EST | 6:00 – 7:30PM CST | 4:00 – 5:30PM PST

WHERE: ZOOM
Webinar ID: 990 0535 8202 | Password: 731937
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/99005358202?pwd=bTlkZFVYVzBVazRyWWI4b3BlU2RaQT09

* MEDIA: If you have a question, please add it in the Q & A at the bottom of the screen on ZOOM once the Q & A starts. By your name add (MEDIA & your outlet).
You can also send your question to [email protected].

**Available upon request: DRAFT run of show (subject to change) for where guests will appear

PRESS: We are asking media to connect in ZOOM at 6:45PM EST | 5:45PMCST to hold your place. There are limited spots. To RSVP and if there are questions, please email [email protected]

BACKGROUND:

On April 15, 2020 the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, National Bar Association and the National Medical Association jointly released "Joint Statement on the Response to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic: A Public Health Manifesto." The strategy proposal outlines corrective action needed to address the national and global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with emphasis on the African American community and other communities of color.

The twelve-point strategy focuses on areas ranging from access to testing and care, to essential collection of public health data, to protecting vulnerable populations, and the ongoing global concerns surrounding COVID-19. Tonight's conversation speaks to many of these issues, particularly as they relate to the African American community. While not intended to be an exclusive conversation about the effects of the pandemic on one community, it is plainly obvious that the numbers of positive cases and deaths among African Americans is another troubling reminder of the disparities we continue to see in America.

In addition to the current public health crisis, these racial disparities are found in access to healthcare, education, housing, employment, voting rights, access to capital, and the criminal IN-justice system. While the reach of COVID-19 may not be discriminant, the inequality deeply embedded in the American landscape continues to reveal the persistence of race in America.

Our purpose, goal and mission for this evening's conversation is to engage in constructive dialogue, provide important information, and to explore ways to best move forward with an action plan for combatting the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, both medically and structurally. At the end of our conversation, we will collectively frame a proactive plan that we can all participate in, while answering the question, "What can I do now?"

SOURCE Rainbow PUSH Coalition