00:00You are watching Essence of the Matter, COVID-19's impact on Black America.
00:05We are now speaking with Reverend Al Sharpton, president and founder of National Action Network,
00:10who has been in the trenches trying to do what they can to help our community survive this virus.
00:16Essence is again leading the way to advocate on behalf of Black women and the Black community
00:23and to stand in the gap to make sure that we have the right information and inspire us to take the right action.
00:32I want to salute Essence and Michelle Ebanks for this initiative.
00:38With this unprecedented pandemic, we have seen the $2 trillion package pass the House and the Senate
00:52and signed by the president.
00:54But there are many things that is not included that we need to deal with that impacts our community.
01:01Permanent living wage is not included.
01:04Paid sick leave is not included.
01:07Health insurance for the uninsured is not included.
01:10Many things are left in terms of what happens to the homeless and to those that are incarcerated,
01:16who in many cases in those two areas of the homeless and the incarcerated are not even being tested.
01:23We cannot be marginalized even at this time.
01:28So we must deal with these issues now and we must be part of the restructuring and the rebuilding of this economy.
01:38The economy is now at a place it's never been.
01:42And as it is being rebuilt, as they restructure what is banking, what is real estate and mortgages and investments in the infrastructure,
01:55as they rebuild, we need to be in the DNA of the Rebuild America.
02:03We need to be at the table.
02:05So we need a short-term and a long-term strategy,
02:09which is why what Essence is doing is so important.
02:12We cannot leave our people as an afterthought and a non-essential part of something that hit us all.
02:23They say we're all in this together.
02:25We must make sure they act like we are all in it together
02:29and must come out all together and more equally than we went in.
02:35Thank you so much, Reverend Sharpton, and thank you for your hard work
02:40and the work that Nan is doing in the communities.
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