Last month I was very, very lucky to help organize a three-week canvassing event here in my South Philly neighborhood called #VaccinateSouthPhilly! ❤
As the Covid-19 vaccine distribution got underway in the city, it became clear that there were some barriers in place for seniors (who were the priority age group at the time) to access this life-saving medicine. With the help of our local elected officials, our neighborhood group was able to identify more than 3,000 seniors (75+) in our neighborhood who did not have a reliable phone, did not have access to the internet and/or had not received information about the Covid-19 vaccine in the language that they speak.
Not having internet, a phone or translated materials is a huge barrier for many of my neighbors - and the majority of the folks in this area are essential workers and still working on the front-lines. So for three weeks, more than 250+ volunteers were recruited and trained in a rapid canvassing effort that led to more than 6,000 doors knocked on: people were able to get signed up for the vaccine on the spot if they needed, they received vaccine information to share with their family and neighbors, as well as resources for food and other community services.
Every volunteer we spoke to was pumped and excited and looking forward to doing the most beautiful and simple act of all: taking care of one another. So if you need a reminder of the power of community, of lifting up every person on your block, street and city, of the awesome power of organizing and volunteering - this is it!! What an honor it is for all of us to both ask for help, and to do the helping. Both are privileges, both make our neighborhoods whole.
Thank you to the all of the industries (science, medical, etc.) that have made the vaccine possible! I know the roll-out effort has been a monumental amount of work — from administering the vaccine, to providing administrative support, working long days at community health sites, translating documents, getting appointments for your loved ones and doing everything you can to keep people safe from the virus. What a heroic effort!
Even as someone who has been politically active and worked in nonprofits/social justice for most of my life, I *still *need the reminder that every big event, every canvas, every social change, every get-out-the-vote effort, every march or protest involves a group of people who are tediously filling out spreadsheets, doing call reminders, sending emails, cutting flyers until midnight, having a few breakdowns, sending mass text messages, etc. etc. etc.
This is the case for so many of the good things we have in this life -- and I take it for granted sometimes until I'm doing it and reminded of the tedious- (but vital) work that exists behind every splashy event or leader getting elected or new park campaign (and on and on). And I know many of my readers -- from vaccine efforts to school campaigns to volunteering with food banks or helping your kid's soccer team raise money -- are often behind the scenes in some capacity -- you are literally heroes too!
One last thing that's very important to mention: the neighborhood we were canvassing - my neighborhood - is the 184th district in South Philly, a district home to a very large population of immigrant families. Many of my neighbors are from China, Indonesia, Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam. The Asian American and Pacific Islander population in Philadelphia has received an incredibly large amount of hate, violence and discrimination since the pandemic began (although sadly this bigotry is not new for the AAPI community at all, merely amplified by the media right now). Combined with rising job loss and the highest rates of food insecurity in years, this neighborhood has suffered loss after loss after loss.
I would like to uplift the neighborhood organization who has been doing the work to serve the AAPI and refugee community in South Philly for more than forty years - SEAMAAC. They've been dedicated long before other folks were paying attention, and their efforts to get the vaccine to our neighbors have been extraordinary.
From feeding elders, to community gardens, to voting rights (and so much more) they are truly incredible. I know many folks are making donations to different AAPI organizations this week, but if you need a recommendation straight from the heart, SEAMAAC is it: https://www.seamaac.org/