Emergency Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity

Massachusetts Public Health Association

Action for Equity in Health

PRESS ADVISORY
March 19, 2020

Contact: Maddie Ribble, MA Public Health Association: 617-697-2107, mribble@mapublichealth.org

Emergency Task Force to Call for Immediate Action from Gov. Baker, Attorney General Healey, and the Legislature to Address Equity in the Face of Epidemic

WHEN and WHERE:

Friday, March 20, 2020
9:00am via Zoom
Register here

WHAT:

The Emergency Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity will call for urgent action from Governor Baker, Attorney General Healey, and the Legislature on four state policy priorities to address the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus outbreak on communities already experiencing marginalization, including low-wage workers, immigrants, and people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

The Task Force, convened by the Massachusetts Public Health Association on March 17th, is calling on Governor Baker, Attorney General Healey & the Legislature to:

  • Ensure Immigrants Have Safe Access to Testing & Treatment
  • Ensure Everyone Has Access to Safe Quarantine
  • Pass Emergency Paid Sick Time
  • Enact a Moratorium on Evictions, Foreclosures & Termination of Public Benefits

86 organizations have endorsed the call to action, including leading civil rights, grassroots, public health, medical, labor, and social service organizations.

WHO:

Speakers will include:

  • Carlene Pavlos, Executive Director, Massachusetts Public Health Association
  • Sandro Galea, Co-Chair, Emergency Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity; Dean, Boston University School of Public Health
  • Cheryl Bartlett, Co-Chair, Emergency Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity; CEO, Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, former commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
  • Karen Chen, Executive Director, Chinese Progressive Association
  • Joyce Tavon, Director of Programs & Planning, Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance
  • Pablo Ruiz, Deputy Director, SEIU State Council & Co-Chair of Raise Up Massachusetts Grassroots Committee
  • Lisa Owens, Executive Director, City Life/Vida Urbana

Please register now to join us for this important event!

Endorsers of the call to action include:

  • 1199SEIU MA
  • 1Shot Couriers Inc.
  • About Fresh
  • ACLU of MA
  • Action for Boston Community Development
  • Allston Brighton Health Collaborative
  • American Federation of Teachers MA
  • Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
  • Boston Center for Independent Living
  • Boston University School of Public Health
  • Brazilian Worker Center Inc.
  • Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation
  • Central West Justice Center
  • Children’s HealthWatch
  • Chinese Progressive Association
  • Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association
  • Clean Plate Law
  • Coalition for Social Justice
  • Collaborative for Educational Services
  • Conservation Law Foundation
  • DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement
  • Environmental League of MA
  • Fallon Health
  • Greater Boston Food Bank
  • Greater Boston Interfaith Organization
  • Greater Lowell Health Alliance of CHNA 10
  • Greater New Bedford Community Health Center
  • Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
  • Health Care For All
  • Health Leads
  • Health Resources in Action
  • Healthcare & Human Service Consulting Group
  • Hildreth Institute
  • Homes for Families
  • Jamaica Plain Progressives
  • Jane Doe Inc., the MA Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
  • Jetpac
  • Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
  • Lawrence CommunityWorks
  • Lawyers for Civil Rights
  • MA Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • MA Association for Community Action
  • MA Association of Community Development Corporations
  • MA Association of Community Health Workers
  • MA Association of Health Boards
  • MA Budget and Policy Center
  • MA Coalition for the Homeless
  • MA Communities Action Network
  • MA Councils on Aging
  • MA Food System Collaborative
  • MA Health & Hospital Association
  • MA Housing & Shelter Alliance
  • MA Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
  • MA Jobs with Justice
  • MA Law Reform Institute
  • MA League of Community Health Centers
  • MA Public Health Association
  • MA Teachers Association
  • MA Voter Table
  • MassCOSH (MA Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health)
  • Material Aid and Advocacy Program
  • Mill City Grows
  • MLPB (f/k/a Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston)
  • National Association of Social Workers, MA Chapter
  • Neighbor to Neighbor MA
  • New England United 4 Justice
  • One Fair Wage
  • Progressive MA
  • Project Bread
  • Public Health Institute of Western MA
  • SEIU 32BJ
  • SEIU 888
  • SEIU Local 509
  • Sierra Club MA
  • Stavros Center for Independent Living
  • Sustainable CAPE – Center for Agricultural Preservation & Education
  • The Food Bank of Western MA
  • The Latino Health Insurance Program, Inc.
  • The Open Door
  • Three Pyramids Minority Coalition
  • Toxics Action Center
  • TSNE
  • Tufts Health Plan
  • Western MA Health Equity Network
  • Western MA Network to End Homelessness
  • Worcester County Food Bank, Inc
  • Worcester Interfaith

Please register now to join us for this important event!