Hello T&J Community,

We hope this email finds you well, isolating at home to keep our community safe from COVID-19.

As the length of time the "Stay Home Stay Healthy" initiative persists, the economic impact is felt broadly across America. Businesses are closing, there is a historic record high unemployment rate, and those in our community that often feel stretched in the best of times are completely depleted. Information is starting to come out about the racial disparities that are emerging due to COVID-19 ("Outcry over racial data grows as virus slams black Americans").

What can we do?

Please see the suggestions the were sent out previously as ways to stay engaged. They are attached to this email in PDF form. Feel free to share them widely with family and friends! Let's use whatever platforms we may have to alert our communities that there are many in our city and country that are being decimated by this virus, but physically and economically.

One additional way to engage is to support CHOOSE 180, our dear friends in the Seattle/Burien community that are serving these very populations. Emily Westlake reached out a week ago, and had this to say:

"CHOOSE 180 is doing ok! We're fortunate to have the supporters we have, so far we haven't had to lay anyone off. Restructuring our diversion workshop programming, otherwise just trying to meet people's most urgent needs first. The group Moms Demand reached out to us about a week ago to ask us what we need, and the team said highest priority is gift cards/money for groceries, utilities, car payments etc. So they've been either sending those or sending donations restricted to gift cards, that has been really helpful. I am concerned that with the recession, peoples needs in our community are growing while financial support is going to be a bit more difficult."

If you can support CHOOSE 180, or donate gift cards to the youth and families they serve, PLEASE DO! Go here to donate, and in the What inspired your gift today? box, please notate "Gift is for gift cards for participants."

Or feel free to send a check to CHOOSE 180, 1416 SW 151st Street, Burien, WA 98166.

Thank you, friends! The only way to get through this is to stick together.

With love and gratitude.

Truth & Justice Studio MISSION STATEMENT :: Truth & Justice creates space to educate and mobilize people by lifting up marginalized voices as catalyst for social change. We are a community within Union Church in Seattle, WA.