Friday, June 5, 2020

Senator Rausch: COVID-19 Update #22

CORONAVIRUS / COVID-19 UPDATE #22

Thursday, June 4, 2020


Friends,

Black Lives Matter.

What happened to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade – and countless more Black people in encounters with law enforcement in America – is unequivocally wrong, and we should be unequivocal in our pursuit of justice and structural reform. I stand in solidarity with Black folks in this Commonwealth and this nation, a nation built by enslaved Africans, and a nation that is forever shaped by the legacy of slavery.

Thank you for the overwhelming advocacy my office has received from so many of you supporting the nationwide protests against police brutality, over-policing of communities of color, and lack of accountability for police officers who abuse their positions of power.

We must center the voices of those who are disproportionately affected by centuries of systemic injustice. On Tuesday, Black and Latinx elected leaders from across the Commonwealth marched from the African Meeting House to the State House, and then outlined their 10-point plan as a first step toward structural change designed to achieve justice and equity. This event was an incredibly powerful call to action, and it was a true honor to march and stand in solidarity with my colleagues.

 Photo Credit: Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia
 Photo Credit: Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia

The 10-point plan crafted by the members of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and other elected leaders of color in all levels of government must be the beginning. As Congresswoman Pressley says, "the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power," and I will do everything in my purview to follow and lift up my colleagues' leadership in this moment. I also look forward to hearing additional proposals and feedback from the communities most affected by policing and other manifestations of systemic racism, and I pledge to keep you all updated on my legislative work to break down structural barriers to equity.

One of those manifestations lies in maternal health. On Wednesday, I co-hosted the Massachusetts COVID-19 Maternal Health Equity Town Hall with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senator Elizabeth Warren, State Representatives Liz Miranda and Kay Khan, and the newly formed MA COVID-19 Perinatal Health Coalition (https://www.massperinatal.org/to learn about how race-based maternal health disparities, which were already significant, have been and continue to be worsened by COVID-19. There was overwhelming interest, and over 600 people joined the largest zoom call in which I have ever participated. You can always watch the whole program (https://youtu.be/pnhd0OJxFqkfor yourself! I will continue to fight for my legislation to examine maternal health disparities and provide licensure for out-of-hospital midwifery, so all pregnant people can access the birthing care that is right for them.

As always, my team and I are here for you. Call us at 617-722-1555 or email me directly at becca.rausch@masenate.gov and one of us will get back to you as quickly as we can. Please follow me on Twitter and Facebook for real-time updates.

Wishing you and your families strength, health, and resilience.
           

Yours in service,
Senator Becca Rausch

The newsletter was shortened for publication here, to review the full set of contents, check this link
https://mailchi.mp/df8957896b22/covid19-update-12538755

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