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Cruising through the northern streets of Houston, Texas, I find myself distracted by the closed signs in the windows of hundreds of local businesses that I frequented; many of which I have already received emails indicating they will be unable to open again. In the wake of the global pandemic that is COVID-19, many people are finding themselves flushed with waves of anxiety and helplessness as they wait for the next phase of the pandemic to play out. Lately, there's been an influx of entertainment related to the panic surrounding the outbreak, but for many, this time of uncertainty is not one that is eased by amusement.

Huddled between the waves of TikToks and parodies that flood our social media timeline, we are confronted with the financial consequences attached to the outbreak of COVID-19. Government orders have forced the closing of hundreds of thousands of businesses across the nation, many of which do not possess the financial security to offer their employees pay without steady patronage coming in. As thousands of workers are left without a form of income, the panic of finding toilet paper at your local grocery store is obsolete, as there are some who are wondering how they are going to pay rent.

With no promises of a rent freeze and possible stimulus checks weeks away, many are finding themselves feeling helpless, wondering when this pandemic will end. Granted you have renters and billing agencies willing to extend due dates, but how do you buy food with grace periods?

I think in times like this a lot of people have been shown the reflection of their privilege. While there are some that have the ability or the means to mass buy and hoard products for whatever is coming, there are more that are restricted by assistance programs such as WIC who aren't able to purchase as freely.

On March 26, while I found myself searching the empty aisles of HEB at 7:30 p.m. looking for produce and bread, there was a woman who seemed to be looking for the same things as I was because we were ending up in the same aisles. She must have taken note of this because she turned to me before I could even say anything and spoke: "This is crazy."

We pushed our baskets side by side as she went on to tell me that her husband was a contracted worker with one of the hospitals in Houston and recently found himself unemployed with the wave of lay-offs due to the pandemic. She continued to tell me that she was a recipient of a government assistance program called WIC and there are restrictions regarding what is deemed eligible for purchase. The panicked buying of produce, bread and other items left her having to purchase things outside of WIC, items that she would have to pay for with her own money — money that was reserved for diapers and other household items.

I was humbled by my own privilege as I listened to her share that her husband was a hard worker and had been with the company for three years, I wondered how many other stories were plagued with this same outcome. Initially, my only thought on this country's response to the pandemic was that they moved relatively quickly regarding the passing of the stimulus bill. But I quickly realized there was more that needed to be done not just for moments like these, but for the long-term financial security of "blue collar" workers.

In times when our nation is faced with a crisis such as this, I feel we are able to recognize the good relating to innovation and response time as well as highlight the work we have to do with regards to economic security for low-wage employees. For me, I took note of certain white collar employers, generally higher paying jobs, shifting their in-office work to remote employment or working from home, while low-paying employers have left their employees without pay or compensation for the days missed. I believe if one is paying attention, you can easily highlight the lack of resources and benefits afforded to low-wage workers.

The effects of this pandemic are more than idle time, it is more than the privilege of working from home. The socioeconomic disparities that have been exposed at this time are also revealing the lack of resources available to those who fall in the pits of the wealth gap in America that disproportionately affects Black and brown people. It is my opinion that this pandemic, or should I say the response to this pandemic, has created room for another conversation, and one to think about when we re-elect those who will serve our communities in the future.

financial crisis

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