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As small groups of demonstrators gathered in cities nationwide to protest the ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns, one set of images in particular have been widely shared online. Taken by Colorado-based photographer Alyson McClaran in Denver on April 19, they show what she believes to be healthcare workers blocking the path of the demonstrators, who want the state and country reopened despite public health officials warnings that doing so would invite more cases and more death.

TIME reached out to McClaran to learn more about the photographs and her experience at the Denver protest. Her answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

TIME: How did your day start out, were you on assignment?

McClaran: Because of the coronavirus, I hadnt picked up my camera in over a month, which is unheard of for me. Im typically shooting five to six days a week. Yesterday I decided to go out and document the protest. I wasnt on assignment for anyone.

What precautions did you take?

I started out at the state Capitol in downtown Denver. It was very crowded. I had my mask on and did my best to social distance from people, but didnt feel safe, so I decided to leave and walk around the neighborhood. I saw two nurses in the middle of the street. I took off running towards them and started firing away my camera, because they were blocking the road at a green light and everyone was screaming and honking at them, and those are the images that you see.

I was at the right place at the right time. One thing I remember is the lady in the truck was yelling at the health worker to go back to China.

A health care worker blocks the street to counter-protest the hundreds of people who gathered at the State Capitol to demand the stay-at-home order be lifted in Denver, Colorado, on April 19, 2020.

Alyson McClaranReuters

How do you weigh the risk of covering a gathering in a time like this?

My gut was telling me this is history, and I wanted to document what is happening in my city right now and show what was going on. I had tears in my eyes half the day because I was in shock at how many people were out, and how much anger there was, so I had to protect myself by leaving. I didnt feel safe health-wise, and thats when I stumbled upon the nurses.

Are we sure the people in your photographs are health care workers, or could they have been counter-protesters dressed as healthcare workers?

I dont have any information on that unfortunately, but I never got the feeling that they werent. I believe they were health care workers.

A man yells at a health care worker counter-protesting the hundreds of people who gathered at the State Capitol to demand the stay-at-home order be lifted in Denver, Colorado, on April 19, 2020.

Alyson McClaranReuters

Whats it like for your work to spread far and wide online, often without credit? What do you want people to know before sharing your work online without credit?

I appreciate how many people have given me photo credit. For those who have not, what happened yesterday took years of experience and I have worked my way to this moment, I was able to get everything I needed quickly, it wasnt just me grabbing a camera and shooting. It would be nice as a photographer and artist that people acknowledge that.

How was this different from other protests youve covered?

I understand people are stressed, and they want to get back to work, but it just showed how much anger there was. Unlike other protests Id covered, like gun violence, Black Lives Matter, this is a global issue. Everywhere is experiencing this right now at the same time, thats why it felt different.

A health care worker stands in the street in counter-protest to hundreds of people who gathered at the State Capitol to demand the stay-at-home order be lifted in Denver, Colorado, on April 19, 2020.

Alyson McClaranReuters

Is there anything youd like to add?

I hope that everyone can come together. I understand that people are stressed and scared and sad and angry. But I just hope we can all come together and get through this so we can get back to normal.

Alyson McClaran is a freelance photojournalist based in Denver, CO.

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Write to Maa Booker at maia.booker@time.com.

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'Everyone Was Screaming at Them.' The Story Behind Those Photos of the Counter-Protesting Health Care Workers - TIME

The "Scottsboro Boys" with then-General Secretary of the Communist Party USA Earl Browder (holding hat) and other unnamed visitors. | People's World Archives

There have been a number of good books recently written about the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) and about individual Communists from a number of different and interesting angles. However, not since Robin Kelleys classic Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists During the Great Depression, written 30 years ago, has the work of Alabamas Communists been so vividly renderedtheir lives, struggles, trials, and tribulations brought to life.

Mary Stantons Red, Black, White: The Alabama Communist Party, 1930-1950 is a concise, readable overview, a welcome contribution to the history of the CPUSA in District 17 (Alabama) and to the struggles it led against racism.

Stanton is correct when she writes: The seeds of Black liberation, of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, Black Power, the Black Panthers, and Black Lives Matter can all be traced directly to the legacy of the Southern Negro Youth Congressthe ILD [International Labor Defense]the League of Struggle for Negro Rights, the National Negro Congress, and the Civil Rights Congress, all organizations led by Communists.

While many Alabama whites tended to either detest the Reds or to dismiss them as integration-preaching atheists, African Americans were more likely to accept them, she adds. Additionally, Alabamas Black population, even those who never officially joined the party admired the Reds for their courage and their commitment to social justice.

The CPUSAs record fighting for African American equality and Black liberation is largely unquestioned today, at least among honest historians. However, even if that fact is largely acknowledged, many peoplesincere activists, union members, students, and othersarent fully aware of the various struggles Communists often initiated and led, especially in the South, an area of the country still harboring many of the most racist, most reactionary, most anti-democratic elements in our society.

A central component of the CPUSAs work in Alabama was the fight against lynching, both legal and vigilante lynching. Of course, the legal defense of and mass protests for the freedom of the Scottsboro Nine is but one prominent example; the defendants were nine Black youths falsely accused of raping two white women. It is now indisputable that without the aid of the CPUSAs legal defense arm, the International Labor Defense led by the Black Communist William L. Patterson, the Scottsboro Nine would have been killed, legally lynched by an all-white jury.

Less well known, however, are the Angelo Herndon case, the Camp Hill Massacre, the Shades Mountain Rape and Murder, the lynching, beating, flogging and jailing of Sharecroppers Union leaders, among numerous other examples. Also less well known is the role of Communists in publicizing and organizing legal defense, protection, and relief for both Black and white Alabama workers. Stanton weaves all of these disparate events and movements together into one cohesive and readily digestible narrative.

Stanton also does a good job describing the racist backlash against African Americans and Communists as they fought for equality. She highlights the collusion between local police, sheriffs, prosecutors, judges, and plantation owners, many of whom also happened to be members of the Ku Klux Klan, the Citizens Protective League, and other white supremacist groups.

Stanton also briefly discusses the shifts in CPUSA policy as Communists transitioned from the establishment of Red Unions, to Popular Front organizing, to the MolotovRibbentrop Pact, to World War II, and how these shifts impacted comrades in District 17. The CPUSAs role in establishing and leading the Southern Conference for Human Welfarewhich included Communists like Joe Gelders, Rob Hall and Hosea Hudson, among othersis a prime example of the Partys ability to utilize diverse tactics, build alliances and put aside overly revolutionary rhetoric with the goal of winning immediate demands as part of broad coalitions.

I have two qualms with an otherwise excellent book. Throughout the narrative Stanton could have done more to let the participants speak for themselves by utilizing more direct quotations; and a quick glance at the source notes reveals that Stanton cited little documentation, though archival collections, oral histories, and other bibliographic sources are listed elsewhere. For those interested in diving a little deeper into this history, Stanton would have done well to provide more information in the notes section.

Despite these minor quibbles, Stanton has done a masterful job of presenting a highly important and largely forgotten history. Readers eager for a compact and well-written overview of the history of the subject should pick up Red, Black, White: The Alabama Communist Party, 1930-1950.

Red, Black, White: The Alabama Communist Party, 1930-1950By Mary StantonUniversity of Georgia Press, 2019, 240 pagesISBN: 9-780-8203-5617-4List Price: $29.95

Like free stuff?So do we. Here at Peoples World, we believe strongly in the mission of keeping the labor and democratic movements informed so they are prepared for the struggle.But we need your help.While our content is free for readers (something we are proud of) it takes money a lot of it to produce and cover the stories you see in our pages. Only you, our readers and supporters, can keep us going.Only you can make sure we keep the news that matters free of paywalls and advertisements.If you enjoy reading Peoples World and the stories we bring you,support our work by becoming a $5 monthly sustainer today.

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Red, Black, White: The Communist Party in Alabama - People's World

Randall Stephensons 13-year run at the helm of Dallas-based AT&T is nearly twice as long as the typical large company CEO.

He guided the company through an acquisition-filled period of growth and endured some memorable blunders. Here are highlights of his tenure:

Stephenson succeeds Edward Whitacre as CEO. He tells The Wall Street Journal: TV will be the next multibillion-dollar business for our company."

AT&T announces move of its corporate headquarters from San Antonio to downtown Dallas. Stephenson tells The Dallas Morning News: Being headquartered in Dallas will benefit our long-term growth prospects and human resources needs, and our ability to operate more efficiently, better serve customers and expand the business in the future.

With exclusive rights to Apples first iPhone, AT&Ts wireless growth accelerates. The most important step we took in 2008 was our iPhone 3G launch, Stephenson says. Forty percent of its 4.3 million iPhone customers are new to the company.

AT&T launches It Can Wait, an awareness campaign to discourage texting while driving.

A customers email to Stephenson complaining about new data plans goes viral when an AT&T customer service representative replies: I need to warn you that if you continue to send e-mails to Randall Stephenson, a cease-and-desist letter may be sent to you. The News said the legal threat "exploded across the Internet like a rotten egg.

AT&T loses exclusive rights to iPhone as rival Verizon prepares to sell the popular smartphone on its network. This is going to create some volatility in the first part of the year, Stephenson says.

AT&T makes $39 billion bid to buy T-Mobile USA from its German parent company. Were doing it to address a transition that we as an industry have been dealing with, this explosive growth in mobile broadband, Stephenson says.

AT&T gives up its bid for T-Mobile. The Obama administration had sued to block the deal on antitrust grounds. AT&T pays a $4 billion breakup fee to T-Mobile and gives up some of its valuable spectrum.

AT&Ts board of directors cuts Stephensons pay by $2 million because of failed T-Mobile bid.

AT&T secures naming rights to the Dallas Cowboys new stadium in Arlington in a deal valued at $17 million to $19 million a year for the football team.

Stephenson becomes chairman of the Business Roundtable, an association of major company CEOs.

AT&T completes $1.2 billion acquisition of prepaid provider Leap Wireless.

AT&T announces $67 billion deal to buy satellite TV provider DirecTV. The deal closes 14 months later.

Two months after completing a deal for Nextel Mexico, AT&T says it will invest $3 billion to build out its high-speed mobile network in Mexico.

Stephenson becomes national president of Irving-based Boy Scouts of America.

Stephenson gives a forceful defense of the Black Lives Matter movement during a speech to company employees. Our communities are being destroyed by racial tension, he says.

AT&T announces $108.7 billion deal to buy Time Warner. The deal takes nearly two years to complete after surviving a Trump administration challenge on antitrust grounds.

AT&T wins $46.5 billion contract from the U.S. Commerce Department to build out a first-responder emergency network known as FirstNet.

Stephenson emails company employees regarding AT&Ts $1 million payment to a shell company used by President Donald Trumps personal attorney Michael Cohen to pay hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. His email calls it a big mistake and says AT&Ts top lobbyist will leave the company.

With Time Warners assets now in its portfolio, AT&T unveils its plans for HBO Max, a new streaming service thatll compete in the increasingly fragmented TV market. HBO Max is set to debut May 27.

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Mega-deals and a few embarrassing moments: Highlights of Randall Stephensons 13 years as AT&Ts chief - The Dallas Morning News

Provided by Twin Cities Pioneer Press Noah McCourt, Chauntyll Allen, Satara Strong, Carolyn Szczepanski and Amelia Hansa are community activists who have met at a St. Paul gas station to organize supplies of hand sanitizer and homemade masks before hitting the streets to hand them out. (Scott Takushi / Pioneer Press)

Chauntyll Allen and other volunteers have fanned out along St. Pauls University Avenue, passing out hand sanitizer and homemade masks to anyone in need.

I can find the spots where nobodys being talked to or nobodys even thinking about, Allen said.

But in the fight against COVID-19, health officials and community members say they are thinking about the disproportionate impact the virus is having on communities of color.

Although white people have accounted for more than their share of COVID-19 deaths, black and Hispanic Minnesotans have had the most positive tests on a per-capita basis, according to a Pioneer Press analysis.

In cases where the states data lists race, white Minnesotans accounted for about 90 percent of COVID-19 deaths. The median age of those who have died has been 83.

But for every 100,000 residents, blacks have had 76 positive tests and whites accounted for 33. Hispanics have had more than twice as many positive tests per capita as non-Hispanics.

The overrepresentation of black and Hispanic people contracting the coronavirus has been seen around the country.

Coronavirus can affect every single person it does not discriminate who will be infected, said Kris Ehresmann, the states chief infectious disease epidemiologist. But there are people who are at higher risk based on their age, based on their health conditions, based on their well-being in general.

Because people of color and American Indians experience inequities in income, housing and employment, they are disproportionately susceptible to multiple health issues and chronic conditions, such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes, according to Kou Thao, director of the Minnesota Department of Healths Center for Health Equity. Underlying health conditions can increase peoples risk of becoming sicker from COVID-19.

Diverse populations, particularly immigrants and refugees, also often work in manufacturing or the food industry, where the virus can spread in the absence of appropriate preventive measures, Thao said.

The pandemic isnt going to fix the racial disparities that we have within chronic disease rates in our communities, said Kathy Hedin, director of St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health. Its mirroring what were seeing and, unfortunately, we cant wipe away racial disparities in the six weeks that weve been dealing with coronavirus here in Minnesota.

Ashkiro Said, a member of a Somali interpreters association in the Twin Cities, said she and other interpreters have been volunteering to get the message out. Theyre going to apartment buildings in St. Paul to translate COVID-19 information from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some people have nicknamed the coronavirus the arrogant flu in Somali, according to Said. They dont take it serious, they think its just a cold, she said.

Thats why Said has especially been talking to elderly people and handing out homemade masks that people have given her.

Theyre thankful and theyre confused, so I interpret for them what the guidelines are, according to Said. I tell them that this is very serious and they need to follow the guidelines.

The Minnesota Department of Health and local public health agencies have been working to distribute information in various languages, and theyre also looking at the best ways to make it resonate with people.

Sometimes that looks like changing the language, for example, around physical distancing, said Heather Gillich, manager of the Minneapolis Health Departments Healthy Living Initiative. In some communities, its not as relevant to say, Do this to protect yourself. Its more about, Do this to protect your loved ones.

Gov. Tim Walz has announced that the state is partnering with the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic to significantly ramp up testing.

Because testing has been limited thus far, it will need to be done widely to more truly see what the impacts are because we know the cases that were getting are just the tip of the iceberg, said Luisa Pessoa-Brando, manager of epidemiology, research and evaluation at the Minneapolis Health Department.

Theres no question there are disparities in Minnesota, but people should use caution when interpreting the data since testing has not been widespread, Ehresmann said.

Right now, we have been overtesting, if you will, in certain populations, she said. The data that we have is reflecting both where weve done testing, as well as the populations in those settings.

Testing has been prioritized because of limitations in supplies and personal protective equipment. Initially, it was focused on people who had traveled internationally. Then, it shifted to health care workers and people living or working in congregate care settings, such as senior housing and assisted living.

There are more workers of color in congregate care settings, Ehresmann said, and when testing increased at those locations, the state started to see more confirmed cases among those demographics.

An outbreak at the JBS pork plant in Worthington has led to the testing of its diverse workforce and their family members.

On the other hand, a large proportion of people living in congregate care settings who are over 80 are likely to be white, Ehresmann said, and senior living facilities have been hit especially hard by COVID-19 fatalities.

The state doesnt have demographic data for everyone who is tested, only those who are confirmed to have COVID-19. When Minnesota Department of Health workers interview people with confirmed cases to determine who they may have been in contact with, they also ask them their race and ethnicity.

In about 20 percent of the cases, the race of patients was listed as unknown, as of Thursdays data.

The Minnesota Department of Health and local public health departments say theyre focusing on community outreach. Theyre also connecting with culturally specific radio stations and media outlets to get out the word about COVID-19 precautions.

Weve heard a lot of questions around: What do you do if youre sick? What about masks? Whats acceptable for a mask? What is social distancing? What does that mean? How does that translate into our day to day? said Kelsey Dawson Walton, who is leading Hennepin Countys COVID-19 community engagement response. She said community liaisons work to answer those questions, and the county has a helpline to connect people with needed services.

St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health has about 20 community liaisons who speak various languages and who already have connections in the community to help people with getting the information they need about COVID-19, Hedin said.

In a grassroots effort in St. Paul, Chauntyll Allen and other volunteers have been making their way along the Green Line and bus stops to give people hand sanitizer and masks. People who want to volunteer can contact Sanitizethecities@gmail.com, and theyre collecting donations at paypal.me/Sanitizethecities to get more supplies onto the streets.

Allen, an organizer with Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, said the work has to go beyond the immediate needs of masks and hand sanitizer toward a holistic approach of ensuring people have medical insurance and access to health care, healthy foods and economic stability.

But its not any different than the disparities we live with every day, said Allen, who is also a St. Paul school board member. As long as we continue to move in our positive ways and do what we know we need to do for ourselves, I believe we can overcome it. We are strong people.

Josh Verges contributed to this report.

Originally posted here:
Coronavirus, mirroring other health inequalities, impacting Minnesota's black and Hispanic residents disproportionately - msnNOW

Author: Courtney Mulroy is a Clinical Quality Consultant and patient advocate who resides in Santa Rosa, CA

I've been attending and helping to organize rallies and protests since I was in my teens. I believe its one tool, in the many ways, we as citizens can influence policy makers at a local or national level. I recognize its efficacy can be debated and protest certainly wouldnt change the world alone. If that were true, wed be in a post-racial world after all the amazing work of the Civil Rights movement (hint: if you think we are, wellId love to chat). Protest does one thing for sure, it helps to shift the conversation, at least in my experience. If not on a broad scale, within your friends and family circles and many times the most effective change can be made at a local level. If your protest is lucky enough to get media attention, well they can paint you in a variety of ways, but it does spark conversation on the topi c at hand and thats the point. Ideally you may even get movement behind the agenda as well, but sparking conversation at least helps people form an opinion on the topic as they work through the information they have, their experience and the brand of moral compass they use. And thats what we want, we want informed citizens who care about their community and policy.

Soprotesting! Its a good old part of America isnt it? And sometimes we agree with why our fellow citizens are causing a traffic jam on the sidewalks or streets, and other times we disagree with the reason behind the rally. If youre truly lucky, you can see protesters and counter-protesters in the same space what a rush. I think most of us can agree, its our right to protest when we believe something is awry. Whether its for a cause we believe in or not, we should all have the right to demonstrate. It says so somewhere in our official documents, right? This is the common ground I want us all to reflect on during this unique time.

Whats going on right now is VERY interesting to me. We are seeing a movement of fellow citizens rise up to voice their concern about quarantine laws. My background is public health, I didnt go the epidemiology route, I chose health policy, but I still have some classes in my memory bank about infectious disease control and disaster preparedness. Additionally, I love protesting. And here I am watching these two worlds collide, this is like my Orange Bowl you guys! I am seeing a lot of criticism towards these protesters, they are being labeled as selfish, simply organizing because they want a haircut, or being dangerous to their communities. Whether there is truth to those accusations is up to you. But we all have brains, and we know that a lot of this movement is driven by deeper reasons such as uncertainty, anger, fear, belief the government has wronged its people, etc.

And those are the SAME reasons I protest when we boil it down. Im angry that our government doesnt protect Black people by addressing institutional racism on a larger scale, Im scared for people who dont have health insurance and need birth control or surgery, I believe the government has royally messed up (understatement of the year) by putting families in cages while the private prison systems profit off of dead children and I fear that the government has overstepped its boundaries when they tell me what I can and cannot do with my body. These arent the same reasons the quarantine protesters are out there, (well, my body = my choice is the same reason at baseline) but the same feelings are behind their rallies.

I may not trust the government at this time, or most times, but I have enough trust in the medical field and disease experts from around the world to agree we need some restrictions to flatten the curve. I do agree there is a limit to the restrictions, my limits are just different than theirs. As a citizen who is also afraid the government has too much control at times, yes, I get why theyre protesting. And more importantly I agree that they should have the right to do so, even if the repercussions are also there.

Now, this feels like a time where a lot of us can agree on some of these baseline notions, protesting is good, universal feelings are real, American rights ya know. However, to find common ground, we all need to stretch our imaginations like I just did above. My gut reaction is, What the heck are yall doing?? This is a threat to public health and my grandpa. And youre coming out for the first time to rally for this, but where were you for the caging of children and for Black murder at the hands of police and Wall Street running our politicians?! The caucacity of these people, oh my! But when I take a breath and think about it, yes, I get it. You voice those passions you uncut, doomsday preppers (I say this with love I have a formed an apocalypse team, too, you know who you are). I get it, its scary out there for many people. Do I think this movement is not without hypocrisy? Absolutely not. BUT, my request today is to stretch your imagination to bridge the gap of common ground for those on the other side of the fence.

For those of you who have criticized the Black Lives Matter movement for example, can you see that there is some truth to the statistics of our Black neighbors (Black children), being shot unarmed? Imagine how scared you would be if police treated everyone like they treat our Black brothers and sisters? Or we were all incarcerated at the same rate as Black and Brown folks? Or how would you feel if in the 60s, when the majority of fellow veterans got financial assistance for housing, but you didnt because of the color of your skin? OR that you werent allowed to live in a certain area because the color of your skin, wouldnt you be upset enough with the system to protest? To kneel for a flag that has harmed you and your family for generations in an attempt spark a conversation about police brutality? And if your parent died because they couldnt afford a cancer treatment that their insurance didnt cover it, wouldnt you rally for healthcare for all? Maybe you dont agree with some of these statements, but soften that face you have on, and think about the feelings that come with these situations. Very legitimate fear, anger, frustration, betrayal, loss. And maybe you dont see it these situations the same as I do, but sometimes our place in life doesnt allow for us to see things. Maybe because youre white you dont get it, but perhaps just TRY and believe that what an entire population is telling us is their very real experience (I know its possible because I am white and see it clear as day).So next time you see a rally around racism or health care, I ask that you take a breath and to humanize the people you so fervently disagree with. They are you, they are your feelings, they are your community.

Maybe you have a job still, you have a savings account, you can work remotely, you dont feel the same threats as a result of the current environment. I ask you to do the same thing, just because you dont personally get it, can you try and put yourself in their shoes? Imagine the fear that comes with job loss, making ends meet and the feeling that your rights are being stripped? Lets humanize them, lets make sure we approach these thoughts with more love instead of pure outrage. They are us, they are our feelings, our community.

Maybe, just maybe, if we continue to stretch our compassion and practice this mindfulness exercise, we can start working together. Because battling each other is what they want isnt it. We cant improve our nation by fighting one another. We need unity right now, humanity and mostly love. So lets see those very human feelings and vulnerabilities in ourselves and lets see them in our neighbors and fellow citizens. At least its a step in the right direction and an ounce of control we have, when things feel very out of control. And dont forget to wear a mask and wash those hands if you're protesting!

Information on Easing Restrictions:

Public health officials said the ability to test enough people and trace contacts of the infected is crucial before easing restrictions, and that infections could surge anew unless people continue to take precautions.

"Opening up now is a huge risk. Just because the curve of infections is flattened does not mean it cannot rise again since the disease has no proven therapies and there is so far no vaccine.

The Trump administration's failure to institute a national testing infrastructure makes the openings even more of a risk, since an accurate fix on the pandemic's penetration in the states is impossible. The testing deficit complicates the task of diagnosing, tracing and isolating infected patients and those exposed."

https://www.kitv.com/story/42033842/divisions-on-battling-coronavirus-deepen-as-trump-and-southern-states-push-opening

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Op-Ed COVID-19, Protesting and Unity - Sonoma County Gazette