Life as we have known it has ceased to exist. You’re probably stressed about the present, and scared about the future. Yet while we are all experiencing this global healthcare crisis together, all of our experiences are different; coronavirus will impact certain members of our community—and entire communities, cities, and countries—in different ways and in varying degrees, and we must acknowledge that if you’re reading these words in this moment, you already have a lot more than millions of others going through the same.
As we practice social distancing during the outbreak, it’s important to remember that there’s more at stake than having to cancel your spring break trip, shows being postponed indefinitely, and feeling like you’re losing your mind from lack of social contact.
Marginalized individuals and communities are feeling these isolating effects the most deeply.
Those with chronic illness or disabilities are used to sacrificing work and socializing for their health. Racism and xenophobia has only worsened. Aging individuals lack the time and space to safely go about their lives. The homeless, unemployed, and underemployed lack access to health care and health insurance and the financial means to socially distance themselves while those without child care or paid time off face significant obstacles. Furthermore, those who have already been displaced from their homes and seeking asylum are some of the most vulnerable during this crisis.
The United States recently shut off access for anyone trying to claim asylum from the Mexican border. These migrants seeking refuge are essentially stuck at the US/Mexican border in crowded, unsafe, and unclean living environments without proper food, water, shelter, or education, putting thousands of families at high risk.
As you evaluate your own losses and risks during this time of unease, it’s imperative to remain politically active and socially conscious. We must continue to address humanitarian issues even in the midst of COVID-19. Try to stay as educated and informed as possible, without allowing the panic to permeate.
As you evaluate your own losses and risks during this time of unease, it’s imperative to remain politically active and socially conscious.
If you’re in a position to help, please consider donating to Think With Us, an organization that provides a peaceful refuge from the overcrowded living conditions families endure as they are forced to wait even longer for their immigration interviews at the US border. Think With Us has built safe havens and early learning schools for children in isolated neighborhoods with little infrastructure and lack access to formal education.
The future may be looking bleak at the moment, but we must continue to support, raise, and educate our youth because, well, they are the future.
How to Support the Cause
Learn more about Think with Us here.
Purchase much needed items on their Amazon wishlist
Donate to their GoFundMe to support the cause.
Stay updated on their Instagram and Facebook