Understandably, the growing pandemic has absorbed all of our lives. While many are waiting to see what comes next, Michigan United is taking action to protect our communities. With a lack of leadership coming out of Washington, what happens in Lansing becomes all the more important. Banks and corporations are sure to dedicate their wealth and influence to protect their interests. But we have something they don't: real people who are feeling the effects of the outbreak right now.
That's why we are planning weekly video conference press briefings to make certain our concerns are not ignored. But to do this, we'll need to hear from you first. Take a look at some of the areas we are focusing on and tell us how that issue has or will impact your life:
Insurance and Care - Tell us your experience with the healthcare system. If you were a patient, tell us your experience receiving testing or treatment. We are particularly interested in the expense you incurred. If you are a healthcare worker, tell us about your access to personal protective equipment or other needed supplies.
Immigrant Issues - If you are an immigrant, documented or undocumented, tell us how this crisis has impacted you in ways that citizens might not have considered. What are the ways it has affected your employment, access to public services and interactions with law enforcement entities like police, CPB and ICE.
Housing and utilities - Tell us how the economic downturn has impacted your ability to provide a secure home for you and your family. Do you have access to safe water, heat, electricity? If you are falling behind in your rent, what challenges are you facing to avoiding eviction? If you are a homeowner, are you in danger of defaulting on your mortgage?
Unemployment and workers' rights - The need for social distancing has affected everyone whether you were able to keep your job during the state of emergency or not. If you are not working now, tell us what it has been like to meet your daily needs. What was your experience receiving public services such as food stamps or unemployment insurance? If you are considered an essential worker, what ways could your workplace be safer? We especially want to hear from you if your paid sick leave isn't sufficient to care for yourself and your family right now or if it's not even offered at your workplace.
Consumer Protection - Tell us what you have experienced in the marketplace? Have you seen stores taking advantage of the crisis to increase their profits by price gouging?
We all have a story to tell, but not all of them fall into one of these categories. If you know someone who is going through one of these situations, please share this story bank with them. And whether these issues have directly affected you or not, if you want to do something about them, we invite you to join one of the working groups we are organizing to deal with them. (Click HERE to find your team).