El Tecolote Vol. 50 Issue 24

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FREE//GRATUITO

PUBLISHED BY ACCIÓN LATINA

Vol. 50 No. 24

December 3-16, 2020

DESPITE $28.5 MILLION FOR SF COVID-19 RELIEF, CHALLENGES REMAIN FOR LATINX COMMUNITY PESE A $28.5 MILLONES ASIGNADOS PARA ENFRENTAR LA COVID-19, PERSISTEN DESAFÍOS ENTRE LOS LATINX DE SAN FRANCISCO

Maura Corkery

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El Tecolote

he word “Resiliency” comes to mind when thinking about the population of the Mission, especially in the time of COVID-19. It is a testament to the strength of the Latinx community that despite a disproportionate number of cases and limited resources providing aid, the Mission’s spirit hasn’t wavered. But after eight months of shelter in place and shuttered business, help looks like it’s on the way from the City. On Sept. 24, Mayor London Breed’s office released a statement announcing the allocation of $28.5 million for COVID-19 relief within the Latinx community in the Mission District. The money is to come from the City’s general fund as well as various philanthropic donations and it is to be used by and with local groups who have already been fighting the virus in the Mission for months. In the announcement, Mayor Breed is quoted as recognizing that Latinx people have been hit disproportionately hard by the virus— Latinx people make up 15 percent of San Francisco’s general population but account for 47.3 percent of COVID-19 cases—and emphasizing the new cooperation between the City and local coalitions. “By working with the community, we have identified targeted areas of need that will help trust leaders reach our most vulnerable where they are and provide the support to keep the community healthy. ” The San Francisco Latino Parity and Equity Coalition (SFLPEC) and the Latino Task Force (LTF) were among a coalition of community organizations that requested the $28.5 million from the City for several COVID-related programs. What resulted was an unprecedented collaboration of local and official bodies, spearheaded by the SFLPEC and the Department of Public Health (DPH), with support from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. The funding was apportioned between four general uses, each overseen by a particular City department which will direct the money to specific uses. The most significant in terms of direct COVID prevention is the $7.3 million secured by DPH, which will be used for community pop-up testing hubs, connecting families in need to the proper resources (including food), Personal Protective Equipment, and financial aid programs. The rest of the money is divided between the Office of Housing and See LATINX, page 10

Lourdes Rojas y María Aguilar, voluntarias del Latino Task Force, recorren los negocios en la calle Misión brindando información sobre las próximas pruebas gratuitas para la detección del COVID-19, el 19 de noviembre de 2020. Lourdes Rojas and Maria Aguilar, volunteers for the Latino Task Force Against COVID-19, canvass businesses on Mission Street to provide information about upcoming free cover-19 testing in the neighborhood, Nov. 19, 2020. Photo: Mabel Jiménez Maura Corkery

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El Tecolote

a palabra ‘Resistencia’ viene a la mente cuando se piensa en la comunidad latinx de la Misión, especialmente durante la COVID-19. Es un testimonio de su fortaleza pues, a pesar del número desproporcionado de casos y de los limitados recursos de ayuda, su espíritu no vacila. Después de ocho meses de confinamiento y de numerosos negocios cerrados, la ayuda proveniente de la Ciudad, parece estar en camino. El 24 de septiembre, la oficina de la alcaldesa London Breed emitió un comunicado anunciando la asignación de 28.5 millones de dólares para ayudar a la comunidad latinx en el Distrito de la Misión a enfrentar la pandemia por el COVID-19. El recurso provendrá del fondo general de la Ciudad, así como de varias donaciones filantrópicas y será utilizado por grupos locales de la Misión que ya han estado luchando contra el virus durante meses. En el anuncio, Breed reconoce cómo la comunidad latinx ha sido Vea COVID-19, página 10

Lourdes Rojas, voluntaria del Latino Task Force, acude a los negocios en la calle Misión informando sobre las próximas pruebas gratuitas para la detección del COVID-19, el 19 de noviembre de 2020. Lourdes Rojas, volunteer for the Latino Task Force Against COVID-19, canvasses businesses on Mission Street to provide information about upcoming free cover-19 testing in the neighborhood, Nov. 19, 2020. Photo: Mabel Jiménez


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