Our final episode focuses on Inwood, one of the last affordable neighborhoods in Manhattan. The Inwood rezoning has faced community scrutiny and legal challenge since it was proposed in 2018, and its future remains uncertain. When a city with a scarcity of housing can’t build more, what happens? How can communities ensure their neighborhoods will stay affordable if wealthier households will move in regardless of whether or not there is new development?

Additional Reading:

• Does gentrification displace poor children and their families? (Kacie Dragan, Ingrid Gould Ellen, Sherry Glied)
• Do New Housing Units in Your Backyard Raise Your Rents? (Xiaodi Li)
• The Effect of New Market-Rate Housing Construction on the Low-Income Housing Market (Evan Mast, Upjohn Institute)

Homepage photo courtesy of AMNY

The post Inwood appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

But this April, families celebrated the tradition while isolated inside of their homes. 

Because of the coronavirus pandemic that has overwhelmed the nation, households have been observing long-established traditions through computer screens. Families are using platforms like Zoom to celebrate in isolation. 

Rabbi Gavriel Bellino, the rabbi of Sixth Street Community Synagogue in the East Village, experienced the struggle of families who yearned to celebrate but couldn’t risk contamination. 

“Because you know, people are used to these big family meals. They’re used to grandparents with their grandchildren,” he said. “It was like ‘your grandchildren are going to kill you.’ It became the inverse of the normal Passover, and we define it by community and we think about multi-generational, and it’s precisely those things that you couldn’t experience.” 

Synagogues across New York have closed their doors in fear of spreading coronavirus, and at a press conference on March 27, Mr. De Blasio said that synagogues holding in person services would be met with enforcement agents.

“I want to say to all those who are preparing for the potential of religious services this weekend: If you go to your synagogue, if you go to your church, and attempt to hold services after having been told so often not to, our enforcement agents will have no choice but to shut down those services,” he said. 

But in late April, mourners gathered in Brooklyn for a funeral to honor a prominent rabbi who died of coronavirus. It was held by Hasidic and Orthodox communities of Williamsburg, and over 2,500 people attended. According to Yeshiva World, the funeral was for Rabbi Chaim Mertz, and was the first event in which Mr. De Blasio personally participated in dispersing crowds, and posted on his Twitter page. 

“My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed,” he said. “I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.”

Rabbi Bellino, who struggled with the closure of his own synagogue, said that generalizations about a group can be harmful even if the mayor is trying to protect them. 

“I understand the desperation, when you’re trying your best to keep people safe, and you see people flagrantly violating that you lose your mind,” he said. “No good can come of broad stroking a whole group of people. Even if he just said the ‘Hasidic’ community, it would have been offensive because a lot of the Hasidic community is taking this very seriously.” 

Like other traditions, synagogues have been organizing memorials at home to grieve through Zoom. 

For Rabbi Bellino, his synagogue wanted to honor the death of their music teacher and conducted the memorial online. 

“He had passed away last year and they had planned this memorial event, to remember him and honor him on the anniversary of his passing and so they did that on Zoom,” he said. “They’ve limited the number of people that can attend a funeral. There are no funerals being held, or the burial event is limited to two or three people and the rabbi.”

Because of the restrictions on holding funerals, Rabbi Bellino said that people are holding “Zoom Shivas.” “Shiva” is where families mourn together after the burial of the deceased. 

But for many people, Shiva hasn’t been the same in isolation. 

“Obviously part of the tragedy is either people being taken away from us way too quickly, suddenly, but also to lose people that just died because people die who then can’t be mourned according to these traditions, these ways that people find meaning in,” he said. “They can’t do that or they can’t have that connection and next thing you know, they’re gone and there hasn’t been that system of dealing with them.”

But he said that Zoom Shiva has been an alternative for people who have no other way to honor the deceased. He said that his friend had a Shiva for his father. 

“They did not Zoom the burial or funeral, but they did have a Zoom Shiva. It was a little strange, but it was also really nice.” 

But some people found it impersonal to be honoring a person through technology. Specifically, when a friend suddenly dies from COVID-19. 

“It was horrible that he died.  It was tough to attend his memorial service via zoom, rather than in person,” said Eric Morris, a synagogue member in Syracuse, New York. “It was really hard.” 

Morris said that he hadn’t seen his friend in a long time so it was difficult saying goodbye to him online, but he said that he enjoys continuing some traditions on Zoom.

“My wife attends Saturday morning service on Zoom with our synagogue,” he said. “We had a Friday night service. We meet people from our synagogue about two to three times per week online.” 

He said that Orthodox families are still holding funerals but are abiding by social distancing guidelines. 

“A friend called me and asked me to come. We were all six feet apart, everyone was wearing masks,” he said. “It was a regular funeral, less than 20 people attended.” 

He said that it was important for the family to commemorate death with an in-person ceremony. 

“Instead of a zoom, the Orthodox rabbi requested an in-person funeral. It was just immediate family, and they had to do it in-person.” 

But some synagogue members are embracing online resources, and are joining online clubs with Chabad groups to stay in communication.

“It’s a Jewish women’s group, it’s a book club, it’s for current events, and they talk about helping out people in the community,” said Robin Gersen, a native New Yorker. “I had this mahjong game I used to play periodically, and now they are playing online.” 

She said that her uncle died of coronavirus complications and her family had a Zoom memorial to honor him. 

“My uncle Al was 70, and he passed away in mid-April. He died in a nursing home in Queens,” she said. “No one was able to see him in the nursing home, so that was the hard part.” 

But she said that technology helped her family cope when it was all too clear that being together wouldn’t be safe. 

“In March, they wouldn’t allow any visitors. His wife and daughter weren’t able to go visit him for the last month of his life, but he was able to speak with his grandchildren on FaceTime.”  

The post Jewish traditions during a pandemic appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

The USNS  Comfort left New York City today, as hospitalization rates went down and deaths began to drop in the state. President  Donald Trump and Governor Andrew Cuomo decided Tuesday that the ship should be sent elsewhere. 

Cuomo said today that increase in contact tracing will determine when the state can begin to ease stay-at-home orders. 

He said that ‘New York State on Pause’ will likely continue after May 15 in some parts  of the state. 

There will be a contact tracing program led by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. But with people testing positive in the thousands, Cuomo said they will need to organize an army of tracers. 

“We are building a tracing army,” he said. “We will draw tracers from state, city, and county Health Departments and other employees.” 

He announced that Michael Bloomberg will team up with John Hopkins University in hiring contact tracers. They will be developing an online curriculum and training program, and to be a tracer you must pass an exam. 

Mayor Mike Bloomberg joined the press conference and said that Bloomberg Philanthropies, along with the New York State Department of Public Health, will be working with organizations to build the group of tracers. They are joining CUNY and SUNY schools to hire applicants in the medical field. Bloomberg announced that they will also build technology that can help people throughout the world increase contact tracing. 

“We will also use three smartphone apps, to help people report symptoms that people may be experiencing,” Bloomberg said. “That way the work we do here can help people globally.” 

 Cuomo also announced that the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority will close from 1 a.m and 5 a.m. to ensure that trains and buses are disinfected for essential workers. The MTA will also disinfect the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North but without service disruption. 

“We need our essential workers. But our obligation is to do everything to keep them safe,” he said. “Instead of just celebrating essential workers, we have to show them by our actions.” 

This is an unprecedented action by the New York State government that hasn’t closed the subway system since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The MTA will begin to close on May 6, but Governor Cuomo ensured they will provide bus services and rideshare programs for essential workers during the closures. 

“We thank essential workers. We are doing everything we can to keep you and your family safe. They are on those trains. They deserve to be kept safe,” Bloomberg said. “They deserve to have a clean, safe ride. We are gonna move heaven and earth to make sure that happens.” 

There are over 306,000 cases in New York State, and almost 24,000 deaths, but the death rate is decreasing. 

New Jersey 

President Donald Trump met with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to expand coronavirus testing and create a plan to recover the economy. Murphy unveiled ‘The Road Back’, a six-pronged plan to relieve New Jersey’s economy through public health which will be dependent on contact tracing. 

 Murphy also announced on Twitter that New Jersey will be receiving 550,000 coronavirus testing kits and 750,000 testing swabs from the Trump Administration. 

The number of cases in New Jersey is second to New York, with nearly 119,000 confirmed cases, and almost 8,000 deaths. 

“We need the federal government as a partner in our restart and recovery, just as they have been in our mitigation,” Murphy said on  Twitter. “I look forward to our continued partnership.” 

California

Governor Gavin Newsom will be closing beaches in Orange County, in Southern California, because of residents crowding its beaches. 

Since the surge of beachgoers, the cases in Orange County have risen to nearly 2,400. In Los Angeles County, the cases have risen to a whopping 23,000. In response, Governor Newsom reacted strongly with new regulations. 

“This virus doesn’t take the weekends off,” Newsom said to the Los Angeles Times. “The only thing that will set us back is people (not practicing) physical distancing. … That’s the only thing that’s going to slow down our ability to reopen this economy.”

In the Bay Area, six counties plan to keep the stay-at-home orders until the end of May, but officials may ease some restrictions. 

California has the fifth highest number of cases in the US, with almost 50,000 cases and almost 2,100 deaths.

The post News from New York, New Jersey and California in today’s coronavirus roundup appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

It began with tweets stoking the flames of protest against stay at home orders.

“LIBERATE MINNESOTA”, “LIBERATE MICHIGAN” “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!” Trump  blasted on twitter siding with protestors who have demanded the end of restrictions to battle the deadly virus.

But the governors  are following the White House guidelines released last month and called, “The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines For America.”

Trump then got into a war of words with Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose state is the epicenter of the virus.

He  accused Cuomo on Twitter of complaining and not taking action after  Cuomo said the government should assist in large-scale testing.

Governor Cuomo should spend more time “doing” and less time “complaining”. Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking! We built you thousands of hospital beds that you didn’t need or use, gave large numbers of Ventilators that you should have had, and helped you with….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020

Trump continued with his tweets. 

….testing that you should be doing. We have given New York far more money, help and equipment than any other state, by far, & these great men & women who did the job never hear you say thanks. Your numbers are not good. Less talk and more action!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020

During his press conference Cuomo said that New York has applauded the government for their aid. 

“I have said repeatedly that the president moved very quickly,” he said. “He brought the engineers to build the Javits Center. He’s wrong that it hasn’t been used, about 800 people have gone through Javits. To dismiss 800 people, is disrespectful.”  

The number of hospitalized virus patients has fallen by 1,500 statewide, but the number of people entering the hospital is still high. In New York, almost 33,000 people have been hospitalized and a total of 16,000 deaths. Nearly 700,000 coronavirus cases have been identified in the US. 

Cuomo announced an executive order directing public and private labs in New York to coordinate with the State Department of Health to prioritize coronavirus testing. This allows laboratories and hospitals in the state to coordinate and overcome testing challenges that the rest of the nation is facing. 

Cuomo repeated that reopening the economy safely is dependent on help from the federal government and an increase in testing. 

“We need a federal partnership to ramp up the testing,” he said. “The federal government can’t wipe their hands of this and say states are responsible for testing.” 

Cuomo has extended PAUSE for New York until May 15. Cuomo said that reopening the economy, referencing Trump’s initiative “Opening Up America Again”, will not work in states that still have large rates of infection. 

“You will see the states that have less of a problem opening sooner,” he said. “The states that open first will have much lower infection rates than we do.” 

Cuomo repeated that it will be the decision of state governors as to when to reopen their economies. 

States like Minnesota, Texas, and Vermont have announced dates of easing restrictions. 

But in New York, Cuomo has extended stay-at-home orders. He has also ordered residents to wear masks in public starting tonight. This has also been initiated by other governors in states like California. 

At President Trump’s press conference today he said they will be increasing testing in order to begin phase 1 of opening the economy. He said they will be delivering tests to states in the upcoming weeks. 

“We have built sufficient testing capacity, nationwide. You will hear a lot about reopening in the coming weeks,” he said. “Earlier this week, the FDA announced new antibody tests. Bringing the total to four  antibody tests already, showing how we can get Americans back to work.” 

Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced the U.S. would need 3.8 million tests per week to handle the capacity but the U.S. has only conducted about 1 million tests per week. 

President Trump is pushing to reopen the economy since jobless claims have reached 4 million in the last month. 

But Cuomo said that it will be too soon for some states. 

“When this virus is totally controlled, that could be 12-18 months, maybe it will be sooner,” he said. “You open too fast, you bring people out too fast, we will get right back to where we started.”

The post Trump attacks governors again in the midst of the pandemic appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

But since the spread of coronavirus across the nation, people are in lockdown inside their homes to slow down the spread of COVID-19. An increased use of platforms like Zoom has allowed therapy to be accessible during the pandemic. In New York state, about 6,000 health professionals have volunteered at a hotline initiated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to support residents with their mental health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services waived penalties for violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, meaning healthcare providers can provide more telehealth services through remote communication without fear of violating privacy. 

But even with online resources, mental health issues are proven to be exacerbated by social isolation. The entire country has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and nearly half of Americans said their well being has been negatively impacted by the threat of coronavirus. 

When lockdown started in New York City, Armstrong felt her anxiety increasing. She said that it’s helpful to use remote communication, but that staying inside is still hurting her mental health. 

“I think of it as being the fact that I’m quarantined is like when you go to sleep at night and it’s quiet and the thoughts all race to your head,” she said. “That’s kind of how it is all day because you have nothing else to do and nowhere else to go. Nothing to do with that time.” 

She said that her anxiety is worse because she can’t go outside and see her friends. 

“With anxiety, when you’re quarantined things that you would normally do are a bit harder,” she said. “I’m going stir-crazy because even though I can walk on the beach I miss seeing my friends. I haven’t seen my friends in a while and we can skype and zoom, but I don’t think it’s the same.”

Since  March 22,  the beginning of New York on PAUSE, people have isolated themselves inside their homes.. According to a recent survey, 71 percent of Americans said they are worried that social isolation will harm people’s mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), anxiety worsens when there are factors of instability, lost income, or a loved one getting sick. Loneliness is also a trigger for anxious feelings. 

“I want to go outside and see my friends and not be in my house all the time, Armstrong said.“I am just trying to overcome everything, and not lose my mind. But it’s not the easiest when you’re stressed out.” 

Lisa Damour, a psychologist and practicing therapist, said that mental health issues can intensify during a global crisis. 

“People are feeling very isolated,” Damour said. “I think the problem is mostly self isolation. People want to connect with one another, and sometimes when people are left alone, their minds and their thoughts can get the best of them.”

She said mental health has worsened because people feel helpless and that they can’t do anything to change the situation. She said that distractions are helpful for people struggling with depression and anxiety. 

“Distractions like the show Tiger King can be good, cause it’s so distracting from the entire COVID-19 quarantine,” she said. “People should be using positive coping mechanisms, such as reaching out to other people, taking care of themselves, and finding happy distractions.” 

She said that even though teletherapy isn’t the same as a physical therapist, her clients are happy to have the option. 

“A lot of my clients appreciate Zoom therapy, because they are happy to have this connection rather than nothing,” Damour said.

And some New Yorkers are saying that their mental health has not been affected by isolation but by the sudden changes to their lives. 

“I had a lot of anxiety that first weekend of spring break,” said Isabelle Levy, a New York University graduate student. “During that time, I felt like the rug was just completely pulled out from under me. It was partly because at that point, there was so much that was unknown and there were all these big shifts happening. All of a sudden, we were pulled out of our internships and classes and nobody knew what that was going to look like.” 

She said that even though she has anxiety, she distracts herself by remembering that everyone else is going through the same global crisis.

“Having the outside worlds match the anxiety has allowed me to sort of decompress a little bit’” she said. “We all are separated, physically and we are all social distancing. This is a universal experience right now, we are all in this together. So there is a universal solidarity.” 

The post Mental health issues can soar in social isolation caused by pandemic appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Sometimes I feel so anxious it’s difficult for me to leave my room without a bit of panic. But when the beginning of the New York City lockdown began, I felt trapped inside my building. In the morning I would pace around my tiny living room looking for things to do. I began to frantically call my family at home. The only way for me to ease the anxiety is to see the faces of people that I know. When I realized I couldn’t see my friends, classmates, and teachers, the quarantine turned into a dark place. I felt the panic increase as my thoughts intensified. 

Will someone I love be contaminated? 

Since the spread of the virus throughout the US, New York City has become the epicenter of COVID-19. In New York state, more than  122,000 cases have been confirmed and almost  4,100 deaths. Last week my parents asked me if I would rather stay in the city or fly back to California where my family lives. While I knew that I didn’t want to leave, I felt that I needed to be closer to them. Considering that quarantine could last months to mitigate the virus, I wanted to be where I would feel safe. 

I was sad to leave and I am still torn by my decision. I have lived in New York for one year and right now it feels like home-where I have made friends and walked miles throughout each of the city’s boroughs. But the streets and cafes where I would take photos, study, and see my friends have closed down. It feels as though someone I know is sick, like New York City is slowly dying. 

I left my apartment at 5 a.m. Thursday morning after packing for hours the night before. My list of precautionary items was jammed into my suitcase. Latex gloves from the bodega, masks, hand sanitizer, and hospital grade wipes that my mom told me to buy. I was prepared for a short flight back to California. 

I called an Uber driver because I was afraid to take the subway, considering the possible contamination. I walked my suitcase down my four flights of stairs, with no sleep under my belt due to the long night of packing. 

As I was about to leave the building and wave down the Uber, the zipper on my suitcase broke. A series of clothes and books fell out of my luggage, spreading across my building’s lobby. I started to panic. 

The older driver helped me put my broken suitcase into his car. “They may have something for you at the airport,” he said skeptically. I was worried I wouldn’t make my flight back home. 

He hastily drove the Long-Island Expressway, and a little too fast for my comfort, leaving me at the airport two hours before my flight.

I was worried. I didn’t know if the airport had a way for me to fix my broken suitcase and I couldn’t afford to miss my flight. But when I ran inside the airport to check into my flight at Delta Airlines, a repair shop appeared in the corner. A man was standing there selling large bags to enclose broken suitcases. Shortly after I met him, he became my hero. 

I thanked the man for helping me secure my luggage and I checked into my flight leaving for San Francisco. My anxious thoughts were under control at least for the moment. 

My flight from John F. Kennedy International to San Francisco International was eerie, and almost empty. JFK typically has at least 130,000 travelers, but when I went to board my plane at Terminal 4, the airport was completely deserted.

I arrived at my gate with time to buy breakfast and coffee before I began my journey back home. Six hours is the amount of time it takes to fly to California, but it’s usually under different circumstances. 

My time at home is normally spent with family. My mother welcomes me with hugs and laughter, and we drive a couple hours to the northern tip of California to visit my father. These visits usually ease my mental health, and calm my mind as I soak in the familiarity of the Golden State. They consist of warm embraces from my family and hikes in the redwoods with my friends.

But right now I can’t see anyone for two weeks. To make sure I don’t contaminate my mother and father, considering my dad is 70 years old and mom is 60, I am staying in my mom’s house while she stays with my father. I don’t want to risk contamination because they have had previous health problems. 

My return to California hasn’t been like my past trips back home. I am constantly worried that even my footprint will get my mom sick. But for now, my panic is slightly at ease.

I walk into my house after driving the 101 north from San Francisco. I strip my clothes and throw them into the washer machine. I take my sanitation wipes and clean the counters thoroughly. I leave my shoes outside in fear that the virus has followed me on the flight. I feel the sunlight on my skin as I get ready to wash off my body. 

My anxiety eases as I sit down and breathe in the warm California air, and my mind calms as I realize that I am safe. But my thoughts still linger, and I wish that I could see my family. 

I just have two weeks, I tell myself. Two more weeks and I’ll feel at home.

The post Living with an anxiety disorder during a pandemic appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“I don’t think they’ll be mandatory because some people don’t want to do that,” he said.

Trump would not give a date as to when these new guidelines would be available, but the White House task force is struggling with even whether to call them masks or face coverings. They worry that it will lull Americans into believing that this is enough protection against the virus.

“It is not a substitute for the presidential guidelines (on social distancing) that have already gone out,” said Deborah Birx, a member of the task force at the press conference . “Don’t get a false sense of security that that mask is protecting you exclusively from getting infected.”

Meanwhile the coronavirus continues to wreck havoc.  

As many as 25 percent of Americans could be infected and show no symptoms. The government predicts 100,000 to 240, 000 Americans could die during the pandemic. Roughly  175,000 are infected in the U.S, and  about 3,500 have died. In just two weeks 10 million Amerians have lost their jobs.

Trump, who also took another coronavirus test which was negative, said the virus will be slowed in 30 days. The test administered was a new test that can provide results in 15 minutes. He said he took the test out of curiosity. 

“I just took it this morning.” he said And it too it, it took me literally a minute to take t and it took me I guess itv was 14 or 15 minutes ( for results). I went to work. I didn’t wait for it.

Trump waved the results at reporters during the briefing.

He also is angered by a new Congressional oversight committee to monitor the virus response.

“Here we go again, he said.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said  in his press briefing New York State  has only enough ventilators to last six days.. There have been 3,000 deaths and almost 93,000 reported cases. 

He said that his call for healthcare workers has been answered by out-of-state volunteers. 

“About 21,000 healthcare workers have come out to New York to volunteer at hospitals,” he said. “When your community needs help, New Yorkers will be there. You have my word on that.” 

Hospitals are employing methods such as splitting ventilators, using anesthesia machines, and calling companies to acquire equipment. 

Cuomo’s call for supplies has been answered by some private companies. Yesterday, Apple donated masks to New York. 

He urged companies that can manufacture personal protective equipment, like gloves and masks to contact the New York State Government. He said they will pay premiums to companies that can quickly supply medical equipment. 

“We need beds, staff, and supplies to provide any care,” he said. “We need all three of those components to work to have a situation to give someone care. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” 

The post White House will offer new guidelines advising Americans to wear masks appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

California produces one-third of the nation’s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts. It is responsible for 13 percent of the nation’s agricultural value, and half of the nation’s farmworkers live in California, an estimated 800,000 people. 

But when the novel coronavirus spread across the U.S., confirmed cases reached 3,894 in California. Governor Gavin Newsom last week ordered 40 million people to stay home except for essential employees. 

Newsom added that farmworkers are essential. 

“Workers reacted very strongly,” said Armando Elenes, secretary treasurer of United Farm Workers Union, Bakersfield. “We are getting paid minimum wage, we have no benefits, no healthcare, no nothing. We basically said, now we are essential? It doesn’t reflect that on our paycheck.” 

Elenes said that farmworkers have to continue work, but benefits such as healthcare are not included in their employment. 

“Even though these are the workers that are harvesting America’s produce, and the backbone of the food industry, they aren’t going to get any benefit, they have no safety net,” he said. “They are petrified of going to work because they might get sick and their families sick. And they are petrified of losing pay because they have no other recourse. Some workers are happy, but others are afraid.” 

Nearly half of California’s farm workers have no health coverage. For the average farmworker, health insurance is not available to them. Agriculture companies do not typically provide health insurance and if they do there are high co-pays and deductibles. Undocumented farmworkers, who make up 75 percent of California’s agricultural industry, are not eligible to apply for insurance. 

Farm workers cultivating the land and farming for food in San Diego, California Photo by @TonyTheTigersSon via Twenty20

This has caused farmworkers to be left without support during a global health crisis. 

UFW conducted a poll of 277 farmworkers in California to see if companies were educating them on catching  the coronavirus. Ninety percent said that their employers were not 

Elenes said that UFW is calling agriculture companies to increase the information given to their employees. 

“We issued a call to action, to all growers in the agriculture industry asking them to step up,” he said. “Asking them to advise their employees of the best practices. Washing your hands, don’t touch your face, and if you’re sick, stay home.” 

They urged growers to offer health benefits to employees and to increase paid sick leave for farmworkers who are ill. 

“We asked them to provide paid sick time of up to 40 hours instead of just 24 hours. In case they are sick, they can stay home and not worry about losing pay,” he said. “We want to protect farm workers, and protect consumers.”

The union asked growers to lessen the requirements for farmworkers who need time off, but are afraid of being denied benefits.

“We asked the growers to stop asking for doctor’s notes. So workers feel more confident in using their sick pay,” he said. “And we asked that if a worker were to be found with the coronavirus, that they would be on paid administrative leave. Reenforcing that workers stay home, take care of themselves, and not spread the virus further.” 

They sent the letter out to union and non-union companies in California. But the companies haven’t responded to the letter yet. 

Hernan Hernandez of the California Farmworkers Foundation in Delano, said that educating workers about the virus goes beyond solely spreading information. Some people in his community do not follow health regulations because of their values. 

“Some companies are following the CDC guidelines,” he said.” But an employer can tell you to do something, but does it translate into a behavior change? Sometimes it’s hard for us as a Hispanic culture, we like to eat together and share the same meals. It’s very tough for them to stop that. They need to know the severity of this virus and know how deadly it can be for them and in the families of their own sector.” 

He said it is difficult changing behaviors in his community when there are news outlets broadcasting other information. 

“We have been ramping up our efforts in the fields and making sure that we say that this is serious,” he said. “It doesn’t help that the Mexican president hasn’t taken the virus seriously himself. When they turn on the news, they see the president hugging and shaking hands at large events. It’s not helping us at all.” 

He is worried that if there is an outbreak it will be hard to contain. But Hernandez is beginning an outreach program for farmworkers who need information.  

“This week you will see a hotline number they can call, and applications for a COVID-19 fund relief,” he said. “We are going to start virtual medical constellations for farmworkers who suffer from chronic illnesses and respiratory illnesses. We will be releasing all of that information online.” 

United Farm Workers is also employing outreach methods to inform farmworkers. From Facebook to visiting farms while being socially distant, they are educating farmworkers on the impact of coronavirus. 

Elenes  said that the pandemic is a reminder that America needs to support people who grow its food. Including health plans, paid sick days, and access to education. 

“We damn better care about what’s happening with our farmworkers, if we want to protect the food supply,” he said. “We have to give workers the protection they need. We have to figure out how to deal with their healthcare. We need to take proactive steps on how to protect themselves and work safely.”

The post Coronavirus outbreak threatens health of California farmworkers appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

But California Governor Gavin Newsom announced this year’s school vacation could last until Fall. 

In the Golden State, 1,039 Coronavirus cases have been confirmed and a total number of 19 deaths. In the Bay Area, around 675 cases have been identified. Last night, Governor Newsom gave a mandatory order for all Californians to self-isolate, in addition to a “shelter in place” policy that was enforced Tuesday. The policies are some of the strictest methods enforced in the U.S., asking all residents to stay inside their homes. 

In Alameda County, Oakland Unified School District said they would move to remote learning for the duration of the lockdown. Last Monday, teachers were warned they may not have classes for the remainder of the school year. 

Sylviane Cohn felt a sense of pain when she taught her last class at Joaquin Miller Elementary for the foreseeable future. 

“I miss them and I feel super useless,” said Cohn, 35. “I just feel so helpless in terms of how I am supposed to fulfill my professional obligation to make sure these kids come out knowing how to read.” 

She said she is worried about students who have difficulties learning on their own. 

“I have to figure out how to be an online educator. How I manage to reach the kids I need to reach, some of the most vulnerable students in the school,” she said. “So that learning can continue.” 

As kids struggle to begin online classes in Oakland, there is a digital divide for low-income families. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, 22% of low-income households with school-aged children had no internet access, and Bay Area families making under $59,000 reported having less internet availability than wealthier families. In Bay Area public schools, inequality is a common issue. 

Joaquin Miller Elementary School, Oakland Hills, California. Photo by Joaquin Miller Elementary.

At Joaquin Miller Elementary, they are trying to decrease the gap among students.

“We have allowed families to check out Chromebooks from the school so if families don’t have a computer they can get one,” Cohn said. “We have tried to publicize that Comcast is delivering two months of free internet to families who need it.” 

But she said they can’t control family circumstances and some students will fall behind. She said there are parents who can’t afford to stay at home. 

“Between kids who have families at home who have the time and capacity to work with them and support their continuing learning, versus kids who are taking care of themselves at this time because there is no one who can support them,” she said. “There are kids who have resources at home, but then there are kids who don’t have resources and will watch TV all day. I think that is going to be the largest equity gap.” 

Zoe Lieberman experienced this disparity with her Joaquin Miller Elementary class. Lieberman, 27, began teaching online this week, but said that half of her students didn’t show up for their first class. 

Zoe Lieberman teaches 3rd-5th graders at Joaquin Miller Elementary. Photo by Joaquin Miller Elementary.

“I am happy because I did have half of my class show up to our video chats, but that is only half of my class,” she said. “How many kids are going to have access to technology? There are many different school districts and socio-economic boundaries here. These are all these things that teachers are worried about right now.”

Lieberman’s concerns are common across the nation. 

Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed distress in closing New York City’s public schools in reaction to the spread of the Coronavirus. The nation’s largest public school system serves around 750,000 low-income students, and doubles as a place for students to get meals and have access to technology. 

But public schools will be closing down this week to lessen contamination, and will switch to online learning on March 23. Teachers will be asked to come to work for training on remote education, and New York City schools are offering computers for students who need them. 

For Oakland students, Lieberman said they are trying to help by being available for support. 

“I wish there was more that we could do but I am trying to make myself available online,” she said. “Next week I am setting up office hours if anyone wants to video chat, or do a lesson.” 

She said there will be unique challenges for students beginning online education. 

“Our community is different,” Lieberman said. “A lot of our kids don’t have the ability to independently log on, and answer the questions. Some of them might not be able to read the questions. There are challenges and it’s hard to accommodate everybody.” 

Families are also worried about their children’s mental health while learning remotely.  

“This morning was the roughest morning for the kids, because it sank in that they aren’t gonna see their friends,” said Anne Hurst, 46, a mother of two. “They said they miss their friends and their teachers and they don’t want to do homeschool anymore.” 

She said that there has been emotional distress for her family while staying at home, but they are trying to remain positive. 

“They are sad right now,” she said. ““We take one day at a time, and try not to think too much about the future, because it is unknown. It feels too scary, so just focus on doing the best with what you can do today.” 

And Cohn, who may not see her K-5 classes for the rest of the school year, said that her students were equally devastated about missing their friends. 

“They seem to have a clear understanding that play dates were gonna be cancelled for the indefinite future and that was scary for them. It was both wonderful and horrible that they were devastated by the notion of not going to school. We love structure as humans, and that was taken from them.” 

The post The coronavirus hurls Oakland schools into uncertainty appeared first on Pavement Pieces.