Navigating COVID-19: Business owners respond to Kemp lifting lockdown
IRyan Wilson, The Gathering Spot:
This is a complete failure of leadership. I don’t understand the decision. We’re not opening despite the order. We could technically open on April 27, but we’re not going to because it’s not safe to do so. The worst thing that could happen is we open our space up and someone gets sick or dies as a result of coming into contact with someone here. We just simply are not at the point where the data suggests that it’s a responsible move to make.
The disproportionate impact that this is going to have on black folks makes this decision all the more troubling, particularly on businesses like mine. I can’t ask my team to come here — and definitely can’t ask the members to come here — knowing that there’s a disproportionate impact happening on the primary community that we serve. I think it’s wrong and hopefully the business community loudly criticizes this decision.