Across the Nation, during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders at State and local levels have been mostly left alone to fend for themselves in dealing with this health and humanitarian crisis. While some governors where prompt to react, others didn’t take it seriously enough and people are now suffering the consequences of early inactions.
LULAC has been proactively communicating with governors and local leaders across the nation fighting and advocating for the wellbeing of all residents but in particular the hardest-hit Latino and Black communities. We stand with our National President Domingo Garcias’ recent Call to Action for the Texas and Florida governors, local, State and National legislators to Act NOW to save lives.
“We know what needs to be done… we need the Legislative Backbone to do it! Adelante! We Demand Systemic Change to the SAVE HUMAN BEINGS in our Country and our DEMOCRACY! America… Our Struggle Is Your Struggle! Unidos en la lucha!”, said Alicia Pagan, State Director for LULAC Ohio.
LULAC’s letter to Texas’ Governor Greg Abbott
July 2, 2020
The Honorable Greg Abbott
Governor of Texas
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711
VIA FACSIMILE – 512-463-1849 (fax)
Governor Abbott,
While COVID19 cases have exploded in Texas, the deaths of Hispanics keep growing. Coronavirus is killing Latinos all over the Lone Star State, and that’s why we are contacting you today. The League of United Latin American Citizens, better known as LULAC is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the country. I have been the president for the past three years.
We are here to save lives, and today we are announcing the LULAC Statewide Public Safety Alert for Hispanics in Texas. According to the US Census Bureau, there are 11.4 million Latinos in our state. Texas Health officials say the tragedy now is Hispanics are disproportionately getting sick and dying from COVID-19. In some cases, families see multiple loved ones get infected or die.
Here are the facts we have gathered:
- Dallas County – More than 60% of positive COVID19 cases are Hispanics.
- Harris County – More than 60% of positive COVID19 cases are Hispanics.
- Bexar County – More than 73% positive Covid19 cases are Hispanic.
- Meatpacking workers, mostly Hispanic, have seen a higher rate of positive cases in Amarillo and Cactus, TX.
LULAC is declaring a Statewide Public Health Emergency and strongly urge you, Governor Abbott, to take the following actions to slow the spread of the coronavirus and save lives all over Texas, especially among the Hispanic Community:
- Issue an Executive Order immediately making it mandatory statewide that Texans wear a face covering.
- Implement $500 fines for those who violate the mask order. Local public health workers, EMS, and fire department employees can enforce the penalties, because police already have a lot of work on their hands.
- Require government agencies and business owners to take the temperature of any person entering a public building, office, restaurant, or other social establishments.
- Call for a Special Emergency Legislative Session and vote to tap rainy day funds for medical care and vital services that target areas hard hit by the virus.
- Provide funding for public education via online learning for Hispanic families. Funds would also help Hispanic families who need laptops or online tools for learning purposes.
- Provide emergency state funds for small businesses to stay open with grants and payroll assistance.
Governor, COVID 19 is not an issue about Republicans or Democrats. The disease is a human issue. Stop politicizing the safety of Texans and do what needs to be done. Save the lives of men, women, and children who are desperately looking to you for leadership and answers.
Will your legacy be one of a Governor who made the right decisions during difficult times, or will you be remembered as the Governor who played politics with the lives of Texans? When you ran for Governor, you said all Texans mattered. Now is the time to prove it to the Hispanic Community, as we are the most at risk in this pandemic.
Governor, one avoidable death is too much and thousands more can be prevented. You know what needs to be done. Let’s save Texans together. We urge you to take action now before we see more Texans die.
Sincerely,
Domingo Garcia
LULAC National President
LULAC’s letter to Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis
July 3, 2020
The Honorable Ron DeSantis
Governor of Florida
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
VIA FACSIMILE – (850) 717-9337
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL – governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com
Governor DeSantis,
While COVID19 cases have exploded in Florida, the deaths of Latinos keep growing. Coronavirus is infecting and killing Latinos all over the Sunshine State, and that’s why we are contacting you today. The League of United Latin American Citizens, better known as LULAC is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the country. I have been the president for the past three years.
We are here to save lives, and today we are announcing the LULAC Statewide Public Medical Safety Alert for Latinos in Florida. The US Census Bureau says there are nearly 5-million Latinos in your state. Florida Health officials report the tragedy now is Latinos are disproportionately getting sick faster than others from COVID-19 with some families seeing several loved ones getting infected or dying.
Here are the facts we have gathered from the Florida Department of Health:
- Miami – Ft. Lauderdale – More than 46% of positive COVID-19 cases are Latinos.
- Tampa – More than 20% of positive COVID-19 cases are Latinos.
- Orlando – More than 15% of the positive cases are Latinos.
LULAC is declaring a Statewide Public Health Emergency for Florida and strongly urge you, Governor DeSantis, to take the following actions to slow the spread of the coronavirus and save lives all over the state, especially among the Latino Community:
- Issue an Executive Order immediately requiring Floridians statewide wear a face covering.
- Implement $500 fines for those who violate the mask order. Local public health workers, EMS, and fire department employees can enforce the penalties, because police already have a lot of work on their hands.
- Require government agencies and business owners to take the temperature of any person entering a public building, office, restaurant, or other social establishments.
- Call for a Special Emergency Legislative Session and vote to tap rainy day funds for medical care and vital services that target areas hard hit by the virus.
- Provide funding for public education via online learning for Latino families. Funds would also help Latino families who need laptops or online tools for learning purposes.
- Provide emergency state funds for small businesses to stay open with grants and payroll assistance.
- Ensure contract tracers and supervisors are bilingual and bicultural to minimize spread of COVID-19.
Governor, COVID-19 is not an issue about Republicans or Democrats. The disease is a human issue. Stop politicizing the safety of Floridians and do what needs to be done. Save the lives of men, women, and children who are desperately looking to you for leadership and answers.
I want to add the personal urging of Ms. Mari Corugedo, State Director, Florida LULAC:
“It’s imperative that our leaders and each one of us do our part to combat COVID-19 in any and all ways we can. Wearing a mask isn’t a matter of political opinion but vital to public health. We must help slow down the spread of this virus, and help ensure our communities become safer. This is the American way.
People who think wearing a mask is uncomfortable don’t even realize how excruciating it will be to have to use a ventilator. Please don’t allow personal inconvenience to be the thing that puts yourself and our most vulnerable populations at risk. If our goal is to restore our economy and way of life then it must start with the simpler things, and that includes wearing a mask.”
Will your legacy be one of a Governor who made the right decisions during difficult times, or will you be remembered as the Governor who played politics with the lives of Floridians? You have stated that your duty as Florida Governor is to the people of your state. Now is the time to prove it to the Hispanic Community, since as we are the most at risk in this pandemic.
Governor DeSantis, one avoidable death is too much and thousands more can be prevented .You know what needs to be done. Let’s save Floridians together. We urge you to take action now before we see more people of Florida die.
Sincerely,
Domingo Garcia
LULAC National President