End solitary confinement.

Last week, the HALT (Humane Alternatives to Long-Term) Solitary Confinement Act was signed into law in NY (Bronx Times). This law establishes a series of limitations for the use of solitary confinement, particularly to protect vulnerable individuals from its adverse health effects (NY Senate). It also prevents the denial of essential services to those experiencing solitary confinement, requires due process for solitary confinement sentencing, and mandates the use of rehabilitative programming for those that experience it. This is a small but necessary step forward in reshaping the role of incarceration in our society.

Happy Monday and welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily. The passing of the HALT Solitary Confinement Act in New York last week is symbolic, especially considering the stories of Kalief Browder, Layleen Polanco, and so many others that have lost their lives after experiencing solitary confinement in NY state prisons. Today's email explains more about the harmful practices of solitary confinement and encourages us to learn more about the practice in our states.

This newsletter is a free resource and that's made possible by our paying subscribers. Consider giving $7/month on our website or Patreon. Or you can give one-time on our website or PayPal. You can also support us by joining our curated digital community. Thank you to all those that support!

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Listen to first-hand accounts of those directly and indirectly impacted by solitary confinement, including Ian Manuel, Darlene McDay, Dyjuan Tatro, and Akeem Browder.
Research the status of solitary confinement in your state and act accordingly. Review the tools provided by the ACLU to help inform your advocacy efforts.
Support the work of Black & Pink, a national prison abolitionist organization dedicating to supporting the safety and liberation of the LGBTQIA2S+ and people living with HIV/AIDS impacted by the criminal justice system. You can make a donation or become a pen pal with someone incarcerated.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

Solitary confinement is the most extreme form of isolation in a detention setting, and can include physical and social isolation in a cell for 22 to 24 hours per day. During this time, those in solitary confinement receive very little human interaction (and always behind a barrier), have no or little natural light, are stripped of any reading materials or entertainment, and are severely limited from communication to the outside world (ACLU).

There’s a misconception that this form of punishment is reserved for violent offenders. In reality, most of the individuals held in solitary confinement have a cognitive disability or mental health condition. Many others impacted are those unfairly penalized for a low-level infraction (ACLU). In four of the five facilities that participated in a study with the Vera Institute for Justice, low-level, nonviolent offenses were the most common infractions to result in solitary confinement (Vera).

A 2018 study found that men of color were much more likely to be placed in solitary confinement than white men. Although women, compared to men, are less likely to experience solitary confinement overall, they’re more likely to be sent there because of a low-level infraction (Vera). Prisoners between the ages of 18 and 36 were more likely to be segregated than were older individuals (ASCA). And incarcerated individuals that identify as LGBTQ+ are more likely to experience solitary confinement. A national survey of LGBTQ+ people that have been held in state or federal prisons found that 85% of respondents spent some time in solitary confinement during their time behind bars – some because it was “safer” than the abuse they experienced in general lockup (Solitary Watch). At least 80,000 people are held in “restricted housing” each day (Prisons Within Prisons: The Use of Segregation in the United States). A more recent study found that nearly 2,000 prisoners have been held in isolation for more than six years (NYAPRS).

Solitary confinement is detrimental to the health of those that experience it. Psychologically, the social deprivation caused by solitary confinement can rewire the brain, creating long-lasting neurological damage. Individuals who experience prolonged social lack can experience “social pain,” which the brain processes in the same way as physical pain. Young people, who are still in the formative stages of their physical and mental development, are particularly vulnerable to this. Individuals who experience solitary confinement can suffer from hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, and exacerbated pre-existing health conditions. It’s also directly linked to premature death. In New York State, the rate of suicide was 5x higher for those that experienced solitary confinement than the average prison population (Vera).

It also harms those that experience it indirectly. Family members of those held in solitary confinement experience added levels of duress when they couldn’t be in contact with their loved ones, which has lasting implications (Vera). Staff members often experience higher stress and anxiety levels when working in restrictive housing units (Vera).

And not only is it cruel, research indicates that it’s ineffective to change behavior. Studies show that the practice does not significantly reduce misconduct, violence, or recidivism. In fact, in some cases, it might increase the likelihood for people to re-offend, especially if they transition directly from solitary confinement to release (Supermax incarceration and recidivism). It’s also costly, calling for 2-3x the costs of housing an incarcerated individual in the general population (Solitary Watch). Facilities could instead leverage these resources for safer and effective forms of care.

There are alternative options that center the wellbeing of those incarcerated while maximizing safety for all parties involved. Alternative practices have included severely limiting the time of solitary confinement, divesting some of the time/energy in solitary confinement towards mental health care, and fostering social interaction in a more healthy and generative way. They also rally to end the use of solitary confinement entirely for young people, pregnant women, and those with severe mental health conditions. You can read specific tactics taken by five facilities in a partnership with Vera, and review the Restrictive Housing Assessment Tool they created to guide other facilities to adopt similar practices.

Solitary confinement is a public health issue that needs to be addressed. No one person’s wellbeing should be at the expense of the illusion of safety.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Last week, the HALT (Humane Alternatives to Long-Term) Solitary Confinement Act was signed into law in NY (Bronx Times). This law establishes a series of limitations for the use of solitary confinement, particularly to protect vulnerable individuals from its adverse health effects (NY Senate).
Solitary confinement is detrimental to the health of those that experience it and their loved ones, and the staff that participates in it. It's also not proven to reduce levels of misconduct, violence, or
recidivism.
There are alternative options that center the wellbeing of those incarcerated while maximizing safety for all parties involved.

RELATED ISSUES

1/29/2021 | Abolish prison labor.

1/12/2021 | Abolish the death penalty.

1/6/2021 | End felony disenfranchisement.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.

Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza

Nicole Cardoza 4/9/21 Nicole Cardoza 4/9/21

End exploitative internships.

This week, Condé Nast resumed its internship program after shuttering it due to a class-action lawsuit in 2013. That controversy sparked a national dialogue on unpaid labor, one that’s important to revisit in these uncertain times. Currently, about 43% of internships at for-profit companies are unpaid (Washington Post), and new research indicates that number may be increasing (NBC News). Yet at the same time, a young workforce is eagerly looking for potential opportunities to gain experience this summer after a year disrupted by COVID-19. How do we reconcile the inequities of the industry with the desire to learn and grow?

Happy Friday, everyone! A dear reader reminded me of this topic this week, which I've been meaning to write about all month. I really dislike how much youth are expected to prove themselves to get a job while they redefine culture and society from their smartphones. I can't stop thinking about how many teenagers have testified during the Derek Chauvin trials. And yet somehow we're still creating barriers to entry-level employment?!

I wrote this today because I've been researching how we can continue to support young writers over here at the ARD. I don't have anything formed yet, but I DO have an open inbox for young BIPOC writers looking for advice. Just reply to this email.

Tomorrow is our weekly Study Hall where I answer questions from the community about what we published this week, or how this work is showing up in your life. Reply to this email to submit your own.

This newsletter is a free resource and that's made possible by our paying subscribers. Consider giving $7/month on our website or Patreon. Or you can give one-time on our website or PayPal. You can also support us by joining our curated digital community. Thank you to all those that support!

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Support Pay Our Interns, an organization advocating for paid internships across all work sectors.
Donate to organizations offering funding to ease the burden of taking internships, like the Black Girl 44 Scholarship and Latinx44 Scholarship Program.
Advocate for the compensation of any unpaid interns at your organization.
If you have the capacity, consider offering mentorship to those entering a new career path so they can generate experience with more flexible terms.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

Unpaid internships blossomed in the 1970s, where there was a higher rate of college graduates than ever before. The rise of increased supply was well-timed with a workforce that needed less labor-intensive roles than ever before, thanks to the rise of technology. Internships became a way for companies to get more hungry and skilled workers on projects at a much lower cost, effectively replacing the entry-level job (Time). Over time, entry-level employers grew to expect employees to have this experience.

But these came to a head after the lawsuits referenced above. In 2013, two former interns from W and The New Yorker sued, citing that they were underpaid for the work they contributed at their offices (one individual was paid $1/hour to organize accessories in the fashion closet) (Reuters). Similar lawsuits in fashion and entertainment led to a shift in the industry, and the unpaid internship became less popular, moving to college credit or a small stipend. However, the U.S. Department of Labor still allows employers to offer internships without pay as long as they meet allow employers to offer unpaid internships, on the condition that they can be proven as “educational” (dol.gov). And often, the light compensation does little to change the conditions that make these opportunities untenable.

It’s clear that working an unpaid internship takes a lot of privilege. Many people can’t financially afford to work for free, and are forced to either decline opportunities or work an additional job to sustain themselves (The Eyeopener). It also takes a lot of time privilege; people with kids at home or other time-consuming responsibilities might not be able to get away. But internships like these have more lasting implications, too. Often, entry-level roles are filled from unpaid internships, which means that those with the most privilege to weather these roles are first to be hired (NACE). This can accelerate the lack of diversity and representation at major companies.

But on a broader scale, it starts creating a narrative of worth and value around our youth. There’s a correlation between knowledge and capabilities with having an internship. Young people that can’t get access to an internship may not be perceived as someone that deserves the same level of recognition. When access to internships is already to center those privileged, it’s easy to see how those from marginalized backgrounds can suffer from the insinuation that they are “less than” in the workforce. This subtle form of bias adds to the layers of discrimination that people with marginalized identities face in the workplace.

Important to note that many internships require candidates to be in school, which even further excludes youth that aren’t pursuing a degree and older people that might be starting their careers for the first time.

Some internships offer college credit as compensation. Although that offers some sort of recognition for work completed, it often costs more than it might be worth. Most students still have to pay the university for those credits accumulated, which increases their financial burden instead of eases it (Washington Post). You can argue that they would have had to pay for those credits anyway, but is that justification to extract labor? Some colleges have waived these fees.

"
Experience doesn't pay the bills. An intern cannot go to the grocery store, go to the checkout line, and when the cashier says cash or credit you can't pay with experience. You can't go to your landlord and pay your rent with experience. That's the key thing here. No one is denying that the main purpose of education is to get experience. It is. But people need a paycheck to pay for bills while they're getting that experience.

Carlos Mark Vera, co-founder and executive director of Pay Our Interns, for NBC News

Some people are quick to defend unpaid internships for a few reasons. First, there’s the perception that people have to earn their dues before being compensated for their labor. This reasoning tends to ignore that students who receive internships while in college already earn those dues in class all day – often racking up tens of thousands of dollars of debt in the process. Others admonish that unpaid internships are the only way that smaller businesses with tight budgets can gain extra labor. We know that small organizations often thrive off of volunteer support, and are often necessary to reach scale. However, the normalization of unpaid internships is reinforced by large, multimillion corporations, not small businesses.

If you want to participate in an unpaid internship, by all means. But let’s shift the expectation that everyone can, and must, to thrive. If you’re an employer hiring someone new to your industry, consider placing less emphasis on internship experience during the interview process. If unpaid internships are absolutely necessary for your work, ensure you’re offering as much care and attention to the burden it places on its participants. And most importantly, notice how our appreciation of labor shapes our perception of the worth and value of entire communities.

11/17/2020 | Cancel student debt.

8/17/2020 | Fight for equity in remote learning.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 9/16/20 Nicole Cardoza 9/16/20

Fight for paid sick leave.

It's Wednesday!

And we're unpacking the importance of paid sick leave as we head into fall in the midst of a pandemic. Ebony shares more about the importance of paid sick leave, particularly for marginalized communities. Luckily, recent legislation has passed for Philadelphia and California, showing that local advocacy efforts are generating results. Join in by examination paid sick leave legislation in your city and state, and consider how you can encourage the same policies at your workplace.

If you're enjoying these newsletters, consider making a contribution to support our work. You can give one-time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe for $5/mo on our Patreon.

– Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Support the Healthy Families Act by signing this petition, which urges Congress to pass a national sick leave policy.
If you live in a state or city that has enacted a paid sick leave law, know your rights by researching how you are protected as an employee. Use this resource to get started.
Reach out to your local politicians and ask them to create a paid sick leave law for your city/state.

GET EDUCATED

By Ebony Bellamy (she/her)

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise and flu season quickly creeps upon us, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has emphasized that reducing the spread of germs and respiratory illnesses is extremely important this fall and winter (CDC). And the best way to reduce the spread of both is for individuals to stay home when they’re feeling sick. However, this isn’t a luxury many workers have since there is no national sick leave policy in place.

The workers who are most affected by this are people of color and immigrants. For immigrants, only 50% have paid sick days compared to 60% of their native-born counterparts (The Center for Law and Policy). At the same time, more than 7.3 million Black workers can’t earn a single paid sick day (National Partnership for Women and Families). That’s roughly 40% of Black employees, and of those workers, 41% are Black men, and 36% are Black women (National Partnership for Women and Families).

And these numbers are even higher within the Latinx community. Despite them having the “highest labor force participation rate of any racial or ethnic group in the US and the fastest-growing segment of the workforce,” almost 15 million Latinx workers are unable to earn a single paid sick day (National Partnership for Women and Families). This includes 55% of Latinx men and 51% of Latinx women (National Partnership for Women and Families).

With Black and Latinx people primarily being paid less than their white and Asian counterparts, they can’t afford to take a day off. The median weekly earnings, in 2020, for full-time Black workers are $806 and $786 for Latinx workers while full-time white workers earn about $1,018 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Compared to 83% of full-time workers who receive paid sick days, only 43% of part-time workers have paid sick leave (The Center for Law and Policy). With over 4 million people working fewer hours than they’d like and having to work multiple part-time jobs to support themselves and their families, they’re less likely to have guaranteed paid sick leave (The Center for Law and Policy).

Unfortunately, workers with low-wage jobs are more likely to deal with financial burdens. For example, more than 30% of black households have no savings or assets to utilize if a family member unexpectedly loses their job (National Partnership for Women and Families). And as of 2015, more than one in five black families were living in poverty (National Partnership for Women and Families). The same is true for Latinx families. Approximately 27% of Latinx households have no savings or assets to utilize during an unexpected loss of income. As of 2018, more than one in six Latinx families was living in poverty (National Partnership for Women and Families).

For low-income families, missing a few days of work can equate to losing a month’s worth of groceries, missing a rent payment, or not being able to pay a majority of their bills. But, maintaining perfect attendance at work means being able to feed their family, not being homeless, and not going into debt.

A lack of sick leave is extremely devastating to those who also serve as caregivers. Not only are they risking their health, but they’re risking the health of family members since they don’t have time to attend or prioritize medical appointments and emergencies (Essence). One in five Black people act as a caregiver to an adult family member or someone close to them, and 52% of these caregivers work full time (National Partnership for Women and Families). While more than one-quarter of Latinx individuals live in multigenerational households, so about 20% of them are caregivers for loved ones (National Partnership for Women and Families).

People of color need paid sick leave so that they can take care of themselves and their families. Yet, only 13 states and Washington D.C. have enacted laws that require employers to offer paid sick leaves. Depending on the state, you can receive one hour of sick leave for every 30, 35, or 40 hours of work. Some states require more, and those hours equate to three to seven paid sick days (National Conference of State Legislature). Unfortunately, each state has specific guidelines that determine who qualifies for paid sick leave, so do your research because not all employees are covered.

Even though some states have a paid sick leave policy in place, people of color are often reluctant to take advantage of it. A Pew Research study found that 69% of employees took less sick leaves because they couldn’t afford to lose money, while 47% were afraid they would risk losing their job if they asked for a sick day (Essence).

And some people don’t even know paid sick leave is an option for them. About one in five people don’t know if their employers offer any form of paid leave for situations such as routine doctor appointments, minor illnesses, and vacations (Essence). To fix this, employers need to let their employees know paid time off is available to them. They should have their policies posted in highly visible places around the office and ensure it’s written so that employees can understand them, which means posting the sick day policies in various languages (Essence).

To ensure all employees can take advantage of paid sick leave, we need to support the Healthy Families Act. This legislation ensures all American employees can earn up to seven days of paid sick time per year. Employees earn this by gaining an hour of sick leave for every 30 hours they work, and these sick days can be carried over to the next calendar year if they’re not used (The Center for Law and Policy). Sick days can be used for a multitude of reasons such as caring for their own physical or mental illness, caring for an injury or medical condition, obtaining a medical diagnosis, receiving preventive care, and caring for a family member, child, spouse, or loved one (The Center for Law and Policy). Read the National Partnership for Women and Families Fact Sheet to learn more about the Healthy Families Act.

There are over 32 million workers, who can’t earn paid sick leave, and we need to change that. No one should feel forced to choose between their health, their families’ health, and their financial security when they’re feeling sick.

Key Takeaways

Approximately 7.3 million Black workers and 15 million Latinx workers can’t earn a single day of paid sick leave (National Partnership for Women and Families).
People of color make less than their white counterparts, which hinders their ability to take a day off.
83% of full-time workers receive paid sick days, while only 43% of part-time workers have paid sick leave (The Center for Law and Policy).
Only 13 states and Washington D.C. have laws that require employers to offer paid sick leave (National Conference of State Legislature).
69% of employees took less sick leaves because they couldn’t afford to lose money, while 47% were afraid they would risk losing their job if they asked for a sick day (Essence).
The Healthy Families Act is a legislation that aims to create a national paid sick leave policy.

RELATED ISSUES

9/9/2020 | Make the census count.

8/9/2020 | Understand the unemployment gap | COVID-19

7/23/2020 | Know our racist presidential history.

7/21/2020 | Honor the legacy of Rep. John Lewis.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 9/10/20 Nicole Cardoza 9/10/20

Fight for fair labor.

Happy Thursday! And welcome to Issue No. 100 of the Anti-Racism Daily. There's a lot of new faces here. In case you missed it, I publish one newsletter each day on ways to dismantle systemic oppression, written by me or lovingly curated from diverse voices.

This newsletter started as a work in protest – a consistent commitment to change. To honor it, we've created a sweatshirt, t-shirt, and coffee mug embroidered with our tagline. All proceeds will be donated to mutual aid funds supporting communities of color during these stressful times. Get yours here >

As for today's newsletter, I wrote this because I feel a labor strike is coming. And when it's time for us to take action, I want us to remember why it's so important for us to advocate for fair labor rights – starting with the vulnerability of low-wage workers. Stay tuned.

And thank you all for your contributions. To support our work, you can give one-time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe for $5/mo on our Patreon.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Add an extra tip wherever possible. Many food/delivery companies are inflating fees that don’t reach the worker that’s helping you. Double-check to ensure you’re directly supporting the workers supporting you.
Commit to buying from only small businesses one day a week. Work to increase that frequency by the end of the year.
Where possible, stop supporting major businesses that exploit low wage workers.
Research: What is your city/state doing to protect low-wage workers?

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza

Before the pandemic, employment growth looked promising at first glance. The U.S. experienced its longest job expansion period in history, growing consecutively since The Great Recession of 2009 (PBS). But a closer look at the numbers showed that a vast percentage of job growth stems from low wage work, defined as someone who earns less than two-thirds of the median hourly wage for full-time workers (USCS). In 2019, 44% of American workers – 53 million people – were low-wage workers, earning $10.22/hr on average, which amounts to just $17,950 a year (Brookings).

📰 Read more about the unemployment gap in our August 9 newsletter >

Low-wage work is precarious. It often doesn’t come with job security and benefits, and the pay structure can be inequitable (keep reading for thoughts on tipping). And job development opportunities are slim; low-wage workers are the most likely to remain stuck in their wage bracket when they switch occupations (Brookings). 39% of employed people in households making less than $40,000 were furloughed or lost their job in March, as opposed to just 13% of households making over $100,000 (Politico).

And at least half of the low-wage workers in America are people of color, which is likely underreported. 63% of Latino or Hispanic workers and 54% of Black workers earn low wages, compared to 36% of white workers and 40% of Asian American workers. And Black and Latino or Hispanic workers earn less than white workers with similar educational levels and experience (Brookings).

Which is why we have to read the latest unemployment numbers with a grain (or spoonful) of salt. Although the newest reports indicate that hourly earnings rose 4.7% from a year ago, that's actually because so many low-wage workers have left the industry, skewing the numbers (Salon). A study by researchers at the University of Chicago's Becker Friedman Institute in July found that just 9% of highest earners were laid off amid the business closings while the brunt of job losses fell on the lowest-earning workers. And, researchers believe that roughly half of low-wage workers that have lost their jobs are not classified as unemployed because they are not actively searching for a new job.

The last insight is most horrifying, because it indicates how uncertain future wage jobs are right now. As schools transition online, companies adopt remote work long-term, the travel industry contracts and retailers reconsider commercial leases, many low-wage jobs in maintaining these spaces are being cut. Scott Rechler, the chief executive of RXR Realty, which owns over 20 million square feet of office space in New York City, estimates that “every office worker sustains five service jobs, from the shoeshine booth to the coffee shop.” Yet only about 12 percent of his tenants are in the office (NYTimes).

📰 Many wage workers are also considered essential workers during this time, which means people that can work are exposing themselves to contracting the disease. Learn more about how you can support essential workers in our June 21 newsletter >

Workers that survived off of tips are also struggling because of the pandemic. Federal law, along with many states, requires employers to pay the difference between what the workers earn after tips and the regular minimum wage. But many employers are falling short by intentionally stiffing workers for most or all of their pay (NYTimes). Most cities and states rely on workers to file complaints before investigating businesses, rather than inspecting workplaces. Advocates believe that inspectors are “going easy” on smaller businesses, empathizing with the economic difficulties of this recession. And, workers are more fearful of retaliation now than ever before as other job prospects dwindle. Together, this creates a structural lack of accountability, which can permanently damage the wage industry.

📰 The history of tipping is rooted in slavery. Learn more in our August 16 newsletter >

Citizens across the country are already advocating for change. Workers in Philadelphia are unionizing, creating systems of accountability for local institutions, and representing their communities in district councils (Philadelphia Inquirer). The community in Lansing, MI has organized to protect tenants that are at risk of being evicted and pressuring local leaders to increase the minimum wage and add sick pay, an initiative that’s previously been adopted but watered down by the state government (Lansing State Journal).

“There’s been an awakening to the fact that these issues can be addressed by organizing and legislation. People are seeing the power of direct action to effect change.”
Valerie Braman, a labor educator at Pennsylvania State University, for Philadelphia Inquirer.

That’s why it’s important to watch the story unfold about Proposition 22, an initiative on the ballot in California this November. It aims to prevent companies who employ gig workers, like rideshare drivers, to reclassify them as employees, which would give them benefits like minimum wage, overtime, and unemployment insurance (CBS Los Angeles). The campaign Yes on Proposition 22 received $181.4 million from five rideshare and app-based companies—Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, InstaCart, and Postmates – to ensure it passes (Ballotpedia).

If passed, the bill may make it harder for gig workers that aren’t looking for job security or structure to take jobs like these. But, it will also move to protect those that rely on these jobs with benefits like a minimum guaranteed wage, overtime, unemployment, and anti-discrimination protections, while holding multi-million dollar businesses accountable for wage exploitation.

And as major companies increasingly gain market dominance, we may see more low-wage workers exploited for power. Corporations like Amazon and Wal-Mart are thriving due to the pandemic, and their margins are also possible because, in part, of their high propensity for low-wage workers. With little oversight from the federal government, there’s nothing to prevent this hiring practice to continue – but us. We must advocate for the wellbeing of low-wage workers at the polls and do our part to invest in businesses that center their needs.

key takeaways

Low-wage workers are a significant part of the total employed population of the U.S.
Low-wage workers are disproportionately losing their jobs due to COVID-19
These workers are also disproportionately women and people of color, who are systemically discriminated against in the workforce and have fewer opportunities to grow from their wage bracket than others, regardless of economic or educational background
Low-wage workers are more vulnerable now than ever because of limited job opportunities and large, market-dominating companies thriving during the pandemic

RELATED ISSUES

8/16/2020 | Think before eating out.

8/9/2020 | Understand the unemployment gap | COVID-19

6/21/2020 | Protect essential workers: Racial Disparities of COVID-19

6/11/2020 | Support black-owned businesses.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 8/16/20 Nicole Cardoza 8/16/20

Think before eating out.

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I was once a bartender and line cook, and currently travel the world as a nomad. Between the two, I've always considered restaurants a second home, and find solace whenever I cozy up at the bar for a dinner for one. Today, as part of our ongoing series on the racial disparities exposed by COVID-19, I researched how new trends of dining in at restaurants are increasing the likelihood of contracting the virus.

Do you currently work in the restaurant industry? I'd love to hear from you. Reply to this email or send us a note on our submissions page.

As always, consider making a contribution to help this work grow. You can give on our website, Paypal, Venmo (@nicoleacardoza) or subscribe $5/mo on Patreon. A huge thank you for those that have already supported!

Nicole

Share | Tweet | Forward

TAKE ACTION

Tell Congress to pass the RESTAURANTS Act, which prioritizes funding and support for independent restaurants to weather COVID-19. Read an overview of the bill here.

Protect farmworkers in your state/region. There are different calls to action for various states, including New York, southern California, and Florida.

Consider how your efforts to support local businesses can also center the needs of those most vulnerable in the restaurant industry.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza

Many states have started to re-open businesses, encouraging communities to head to their favorite bars and restaurants. But data indicates this trend has unfavorable results. About 25% of new cases in Louisiana stemmed from bars and restaurants, and so did 9% of outbreaks in Colorado. 12% of new Maryland cases started in bars and restaurants last month, and 15 of the 39 new cases in San Diego stemmed from restaurants in only one week (NYTimes).

This doesn’t just threaten the safety of guests. Workers, often forced to return to their jobs, carry the brunt of this impact. And these workers are disproportionately from the Latino community, who are already disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The Hispanic and Latino population represent 17% of the total U.S. workforce, but over 27% of restaurant and food service workers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

And this goes beyond the restaurant where you may be dining. Consider how eating out affects the supply chain that fuels the restaurant industry. According to a PBS report, farmworkers are three times more likely to contract COVID-19 than workers in other industries, where lack of affordable housing and personal transportation forces workers to live in closed proximity in shared homes and cars (PBS). Although the federal Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) has issued workplace guidance to protect employees, none of them are mandatory, and many employers aren’t providing the necessary PPE to support practicing these policies (PBS).

And a significant percentage of workers across the restaurant industry are also undocumented, which exacerbates the stress of the persistent lack of employment. Most workers pay taxes in this income, but they aren’t eligible for government aid, nor are they protected by the eviction moratorium. Many face a difficult decision: stay at the open and available jobs and expose themselves to risk, or go without pay indefinitely (Eater).

Undocumented or not, there are millions of workers in the restaurant industry who were already paid too little to be eligible for unemployment (Time), a critical part of the unemployment gap we referenced in last week’s newsletter. This is because many restaurants operate off of the subminimum tipped wage policy, where workers get paid less than minimum wage in addition to tips provided by customers. But this practice stems from our legacy of slavery. After slavery was abolished, restaurant owners weren’t keen on paying their newly freed Black workers. Instead, they created policies that customers would pay employees on their behalf, based on the service they provided. This makes front-of-house workers’ pay subject to discrimination of guests, making “customer prejudice into public policy” (Time). It’s no surprise why front-of-house workers are predominantly white, while 70% of tip-ineligible cooks and dishwashers are people of color (Time). Furthermore, many restaurants don’t share tips between front-of-house staff and back-of-house employees, fueling pay disparities within the restaurant itself.

In some ways, you can argue that it’s better that these restaurants can open at all. Many restaurants have been forced to shutter, even if they did receive some time of business relief grants. Nationwide, about 25% of those unemployed in the U.S. because of the pandemic are food and beverage workers (Washington Post). In NYC, a culinary epicenter, 80% of restaurants could not pay their full rent (Eater). Although many restaurants and local organizations started GoFundMe initiatives to support staff earlier this spring, many of those funds have long been disbursed. And as of now, there’s no plan for future relief funding for small businesses. Many restaurants are tasked with choosing whether to close or expose staff and guests to risk to recoup costs.

And many of the guidelines open restaurants are encouraged to follow center the safety of the guests, not the staff. For example, tables might be placed further away from one another, but wait staff still have to serve guests nearby. Back-of-house staff still have to cook and clean in smaller conditions, and decreasing staff support places more stress and burden on those remaining. In New York and other major cities, temperature checks and contact tracing is encouraged for guests, but not required, so diners can come and go as they please. In a way, it doesn’t matter if restaurants make these precautions required for their staff; there’s such high traffic of other people not committing to the same rules. And if a diner finds out they’ve contracted COVID-19 and want to hold a restaurant accountable, they could sue. Read more of the double standards in Eater.

And there’s no reprieve from the virus on the horizon, but we’re transitioning from summer to fall and winter. With temperatures dropping, many of us may be more tempted to escape our homes for the atmosphere of a restaurant and sit indoors. With windows closed to contain the heat, the likelihood of contracting the virus may increase. And this will be paired with an upcoming flu season that, at minimum, will conflate how we respond to the virus (Science Magazine).

So when supporting your local businesses and boosting your local economy, take extra care. Take-out may be a safer alternative – or, consider buying gift cards to enjoy the food and drink later. But as you do, remember that this is less of an individual failing than a political one. The safest option, for many industries, is to close businesses and pay people adequately to stay at home – it’s just not an option our government is considering. Another effective way to support your local restaurant is by exercising your civic duty and advocating for the needs of local businesses and vulnerable workers.

Do you currently work in the restaurant industry? We'd love to hear from you. Reply to this email or send us a note on our submissions page.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Restaurants are faced with difficult decisions between shuttering businesses and operating during a global pandemic
A rise of cases in many states have been linked to the return of dining-in establishments, like restaurants and bars
The likelihood of contracting the virus at bars and restaurants disproportionately affects the staff, who are more likely to be communities of color and undocumented
The impact of eating out impacts marginalized workers across the supply chain

8/2/2020 | Protect those vulnerable to extreme heat during COVID-19.

7/27/2020 | Support Asian Americans through COVID-19.

7/19/2020 | Rally for representation in science and research: COVID-19 and CDC.

6/28/2020 | Understand disparities in healthcare treatment.

6/21/2020 | Protect essential workers: Racial Disparities of COVID-19

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Nicole Cardoza 8/9/20 Nicole Cardoza 8/9/20

Understand the unemployment gap | COVID-19

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Happy Sunday,

Today we continue our weekly reporting on the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. The unemployment gap is a critical economic indicator of the growing disparities between each group, and important for us to watch as we struggle to recover from this global pandemic.

Your financial contributions are greatly appreciated. These contributions are our only source of funding and make this work sustainable. Consider giving one-time on our website or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe for $5/mo on our Patreon.

Nicole

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By Nicole Cardoza

On Saturday, Trump signed four executive orders to provide economic relief as COVID-19 persists across the nation. One of which authorizes the federal government to pay an additional $300 a week for unemployment, calling states to add $100 and ensure a $400/week extension (NPR). The $600/weekly unemployment benefits implemented in an earlier relief package expired in July.

Considering the gross disparities in the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color across the board, this may come as no surprise. But as of July 2020, the gap in U.S. Black and white unemployment rates is the widest it has been for the past five years (Reuters). The white unemployment rate is roughly at 10.1%. In contrast, the Black unemployment rate is 15.4% (Reuters). This five percentage point does include a slight rebound of employment since COVID-19 hit across both groups. Still, the rebound rate is significantly slower, indicating that Black people will be disproportionately delayed in finding roles as the economy recovers. These trends persist across other racial/ethnic groups; The unemployment rate for Hispanic workers is at 14.5%, closely tailing the unemployment rate for Black people. The unemployment rate for Asian workers hovers at 13.8% (Reuters).

The global pandemic didn’t create this disparity. Although the national unemployment rate was at a 50-year low before COVID-19 (Quartz), Black people were still twice as likely to be unemployed than their white counterparts (ProPublica). Since the Great Recession of 2010, we’ve watched the unemployment rate of Black communities recover more slowly than the unemployment rate for white workers. This lag in delivery, compounding with a more profound disparity in employment opportunities for communities of color, created the unequal foundation for the COVID-19 impact to exacerbate (ProPublica).

“The Black unemployment rate is always ridiculously high, but we don’t treat it like a crisis.”
Jessica Fulton, vice president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, for ProPublica

Initially, reports indicated that differences in education contributed to the disparities; new data shows that can’t be the only factor. Institutionalized racial discrimination, found in anything from how resumes are screened and interviews are conducted to mentorship, job training, and promotions opportunities, is a significant contributor (Quartz).

These trends are more evident when cross-analyzed with other data. Unemployment rates in some cities, for example, are disproportionately larger between white and Black populations than others, according to data compilated by Quartz. In Minneapolis, the center of the national protests back in May, the unemployment rate for Black people is nearly 4x the unemployment rate for white people (Quartz). The city recently declared racism as a public health emergency to allocate resources and capacity for addressing the systemic inequities pervasive through the city (CBS News).

The trends persist even in wealthier households. Although unemployment rates are lower for roles usually reserved for those with college degrees, data indicates that Black people are still more likely to be unemployed (ProPublica). Explore more data in this comprehensive visualization by ProPublica.

It’s also important to note that the unemployment rate is disproportionately affecting women. The unemployment rate for women at 10.5% is larger than the 9.4% of men (Forbes). For communities of color, this is especially damaging, considering women of color face with mounting issues like lower salaries, increased harassment and bullying, and harsher evaluations (Business Insider). Disruption to employment may make it more difficult for these women to secure these roles again or re-establish boundaries to keep themselves safer. Also, many women of color are the financial mainstays for their families. 67.5% of Black mothers and 41.4% of Latina mothers were the primary or sole breadwinners for their families, compared with 37% of white mothers (American Progress). These financial disruptions can create immediate hardship and create economic issues that can last generations.

As businesses begin to deteriorate because of this virus and more people lose their jobs, it may be wise for our government to consider an unemployment strategy that centers those most impacted to help assist the disproportionate impact of this virus on so many communities of color.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The unemployment gap between Black and white workers is the highest it's been in the past five years
COVID-19 has exacerbated persistent trends in unemployment for communities of color
Racial discrimination, along with education and mass incarceration, are major factors in the unemployment rate
Women of color are disproportionately impacted

7/19/2020 | Rally for representation in science and research: COVID-19 and CDC.

7/12/2020 | Learn how air pollution exacerbates COVID-19.

7/5/2020 | Support the Navajo Nation through COVID-19.

6/21/2020 | Protect essential workers: Racial Disparities of COVID-19

6/14/2020 | Learn how racism is a public health crisis.

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Understand the unemployment gap | COVID-19

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