VIDEO: What the Green New Deal means for public health, during the COVID-19 crisis & beyond
For the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the United States. It has exposed the failures of our patchwork healthcare system and illustrated, with tragic consequences particularly in our own Bay Area communities of color, just how vulnerable so many people are when the government fails to quickly address a crisis.
Hospitals have run out of the personal protective equipment needed to keep healthcare workers and patients safe. Millions of people have been laid off and have lost their employer-provided health insurance. Meanwhile, frontline workers across the country are striking for basic provisions like protective gear, hazard pay, and paid sick leave.
On Earth Day, April 22, Sunrise Bay Area spoke with health professionals and experts on the state of public health in the U.S. and the Bay Area, and how the Green New Deal can move us towards a more equitable and resilient public health system.
This livestream took place as part of Earth Day Live 2020, a series of digital actions marking the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
Featuring:
- John Pearson (@OaklandNurse), ER Nurse and Alameda Health System Chapter President for SEIU Local 1021
- Amy Kapczynski, Professor of Law at Yale Law School and Faculty Director at the Yale Global Health Justice Partnership
- Dr. Linda Rudolph, Director of the Center for Climate Change and Health at the Public Health Institute
- Dr. Ashley McClure, Co-Founder of Climate Health Now
- Sarah Schear, Co-Founder of Climate Health Now
Sunrise Bay Area is a local hub of Sunrise Movement — a grassroots movement of young people dedicated to stopping climate change and creating millions of good jobs. Head to sunrisebayarea.org to get involved.
