The COVID-19 pandemic has made terms like “basic needs” and “essential” workers commonly known. We have all witnessed people step up to help each other as a government failed to protect the people. The pandemic has exposed structural inequities, despite the slogan that “We are all in this together.” This inequality is not new, but it is reaching new levels. Consequently, more people are beginning to educate and organize into networks and movements to challenge the death and suffering that is worsened by the deep and growing inequality. The pandemics of COVID and poverty disproportionally affect women.
Women as usual are shouldering the burden of stay-at-home orders by stepping in as teachers, nurses, and caregivers in the home. At the same time women are overrepresented as essential workers. They also suffer the trauma of keeping the family together when family members are infected.
It is no coincidence that women have also responded to the crisis by running for office in order to protect entire communities. Like María Estrada, candidate for the California 63rd Assembly District, she and others are challenging the privatization of water by Central Water Basin. The districts in these service areas have 75 percent Latino populations, the most uninsured low-income working-class communities. “This is a testing ground for the corporate takeover of all public water services. If they get away with it here, no community is safe,” said Estrada.
When all over the country are demanding basic needs like food, housing, healthcare, and education and even Wi-Fi.
We are outraged that “40 million Americans filed for unemployment during the pandemic, but billionaires saw their net worth increase by half a trillion dollars” declared the Business Insider on October 20, 2020. In May 2020 they reported: “U.S. lawmakers blast five large corporations for taking $50 million meant for small businesses. Only one is returning the money.” It makes you wonder: Who the hell is running this country?
The corporations or the people?
The pandemic has also increased our awareness about how our governments function (or do not) and for whom? Why are other countries with fewer resources doing more for their people? How can we have money for wars and walls but not for basic needs? What kind of system allows the wealthiest to get even wealthier while the majority suffers?
A broad movement is beginning to take shape. It may appear scattered, disconnected and even hidden by the corporate media. Women are standing up for their families and their communities. Women are forming new organizations and networks of individuals. They are working tirelessly to help communities that have been abandoned by the government. As we always have – but now the stakes are higher!
Today we are not just fighting for our rightful piece of the pie. The pie is shrinking and the oven is busted! The economy, based on new labor-replacing technology, is undermining jobs at every level. That is why billionaires are getting richer while the majority suffers from low wages, part-time jobs, or no jobs at all.
Women are clarifying the situation as they fight for survival. We understand that Biden’s efforts will not save us from evictions and job losses due to automation.
This is a revolutionary struggle of love for our families, our communities and our planet.
We are clear that as we fight for our basic needs, we are also laying the foundation for a broad political movement that is necessary to finally take back our government from the billionaires.
