Malcolm Kenyatta 1501 N
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State Representative Keeping the MALCOLM KENYATTA 1501 N. Broad St., Suite 17 State Representative | 181st Legislative District 181st Clean! Philadelphia, PA 19122 Earlier this year, I was delighted to be joined by YaFav Trashman, MALCOLM Grant Blvd Clothing, Starbucks, KENYATTA T-Mobile, Keystone First and District Office: | | | over 200 volunteers to pull off 1501 N. Broad St. Suite 17 Philadelphia, PA 19122 (215) 978-0311 something amazing: Capitol Office: 105 B East Wing | P.O. Box 202181| Harrisburg, PA 17120-2181 | (717) 787-9471 8 lots cleaned. 2 TONS of trash collected. Spring @RepKenyatta | /RepKenyatta | RepKenyatta.com 3 random toilets discarded. 2021 We also gave away over 100 bags of food and dozens of winter VOTING AND DEMOCRACY coats to the community! That’s 1 community happier and Dear Neighbor, This past election was a free and fair election that also had historic record turnout, especially among voters of color. However, those in power ruthlessly cleaner! This past year was difficult. worked to mute the voices of the people by trying to delegitimize our democracy We’re still wading through public — attempts that harken back to voter suppression tactics of Jim Crow. health and economic crises. Rest We’re in the wake of another critical election year. As a vocal member of the assured that we will get through House State Government Committee and as co-chair of the Pennsylvania this. However, through all the Legislative Black Caucus Subcommittee on Democracy and Voting, I am Celebrating Motherhood turmoil of the pandemic, social working tirelessly to ensure that these political games from the 2020 general lpo.ts.0521 injustice, and the attacks on the election have no bearing on this year’s election or any other election moving sanctity of our elections, there forward. My staff and I distributed 95 free petunia flower plants to moms in the Hartranft community, on Mother’s Day weekend. The flower giveaway have been glimmers of hope. I will not tolerate these ongoing attacks on our democracy and attempts to also included a clean-up of the area by members of the Hartranft I am thrilled to serve my third disenfranchise Pennsylvania voters of color! Playground Alliance, the 26th Police District and other volunteers. term as your state representative. I also want to assure you that I and my Democratic colleagues on the House Part of the playground includes Danny Boyle Park, a memorial for the I have also been appointed to a State Government Committee have heard many suggestions from county 20-year-old rookie police officer who was tragically killed while pulling host of committees (Commerce, officials from across the state on updating our elections processes, especially over a stolen car in 1991. Boyle’s parents also joined us on our counting ballots, to make them more efficient. As we work to reach a bipartisan Finance, Liquor Control, the clean-up. agreement, I ask that you be patient with our neighbors who have volunteered Pennsylvania Legislative Black The clean-up was an all-in effort with police repairing broken boards on their time to ensure every vote in our community counts. the park’s benches and rejuvenating them with fresh coats of paint. No Caucus Subcommittee on Voting mom was forgotten on this day — for home-bound moms who couldn’t My staff and and Democracy, and State make it to the park, I personally brought flowers to them at their homes. Government) geared toward I can help bolstering economic equity and safeguarding our elections. you with: This newsletter serves as an update to inform you of my Birth Certificates tireless efforts to bring us one Unclaimed Property Search step closer on our ongoing journey towards achieving Home Heating Assistance progress in our commonwealth. SEPTA Key Senior ID Card PACE Cards and Prescription I look forward to what more we Drug Assistance for Seniors can accomplish! Consumer Complaints Any State Government Program and Issue Stop by or call to let us know how we can assist you! Policy Update Racism in Academia Combatting COVID-19 We’re almost a year out from the ‘diversity quota’ and ‘affirmative I was proud to team up with my colleague, state Representative Danilo Burgos, who Pulling One of Pennsylvania’s global Black Lives Matter protests action applicant’ are just some of the represents the neighboring 197th Legislative District, to provide free COVID-19 testing that highlighted how heavily racism covertly racist insults that disparage in Norris Square Park on two Saturdays earlier this year, with the goal of offsetting the Top Industries From The Brink is intertwined in our society. This is the merits of students and faculty of disparities in testing among Black and Latino communities in Philadelphia. especially evident on high school and color in academia. Ultimately, these This pandemic has widened the gap in many long-existing systemic disparities that I teamed up with my colleague state vital lifeline they desperately need to and I hosted Business Interrupted, college campuses. slights have devastating effects on are influenced by race, ethnicity and socioeconomics; and as relief measures such Representative Pam Snyder, along protect livelihoods. a discussion on the impacts of A policy hearing, hosted by me and the emotional and mental health of as testing availability and vaccinations are deployed, we’re still seeing how these these students and faculty, thereby with small business owners, in front Our bill seeks to provide business COVID-19 on businesses across colleague state Representative factors dictate who benefits and who doesn’t. of the state Capitol to demand the Pennsylvania, with the goal of finding Maureen Madden, provided a better straining their likelihood to excel and interruption insurance coverage to graduate at these institutions. Testing remains among one of the best ways to protect ourselves and our state legislature immediately vote establishments that suffered financial meaningful solutions to preserve one explanation into the experiences of communities, and this free testing event we hosted aimed to close the gap by on our recently introduced bill, H.B. loss due to pandemic closings by of Pennsylvania’s top industries. students and faculty of color and gave I intend to use this testimony to draft making testing accessible to communities hardest hit by this health crisis. 1223, that would expand business clarity as to how systemic racism meaningful policy to address these aiming to: My first job was in the restaurant I am thankful to Latino Connection and Independence Blue Cross for providing the interruption policies to acknowledge industry washing dishes, then I began impacts their pursuit for success. issues in academic institutions across losses suffered during the governor’s Clarify that business interruption testing, to CHOP for administering the tests, and to Starbucks for providing the hot hosting and waiting tables through They spoke of how terms like our commonwealth. disaster declaration. policies in effect as of the date of coffee that helped warm up volunteers and the constituents who lined up for the the governor’s disaster declaration college. This industry has essentially testing. Countless local businesses — helped me survive, along with so many (March 6, 2020) include coverage A report found that race and ethnicity data for COVID-19 cases are widely generationally owned and community of perils related to COVID-19. others in our commonwealth who are mainstays — have been forced to currently afraid that their means of unaccounted for in Pennsylvania, especially in Philadelphia. This lag undercuts the permanently shutter because of the Allow insurers to receive survival and way to showcase their craft Protecting Our Communities from Gun Violence severity of survivability outcomes of both groups. For Latinos, specifically, despite devastating effects of this economic reimbursement for business will soon disappear. only making up 6% of the population in Pennsylvania, they disproportionately make interruption insurance claims paid up 11% of COVID-19 deaths when applying weighted population distributions, crisis. This has also resulted in loss The virtual discussion featured of income for both family business due to COVID-19. As we are in the wake of the so, they would be charged with a according to a study found on the Centers for Disease Control’s website. testimony from experts in the restaurant coronavirus pandemic, communities summary offense. owners and employees. Provide a mechanism to make In the wake of vaccine distribution, Blacks and Latinos remain severely industry and provided more insight across our city and state continue to funds immediately available for Bills like this are viable solutions underrepresented. We can no longer be idle in protecting to ensure our legislation adequately grapple with a longstanding public working people, and our bill would such reimbursement. addresses the needs of this vital industry to curbing this societal epidemic. health crisis — gun violence. Far too According to the Law Center to provide these small businesses Months prior to our call to our that employs so many workers across many Pennsylvanians, especially our Prevent Gun Violence, laws that reeling from this devastation the lawmaker colleagues, Rep. Snyder this state. neighbors here in Philadelphia, have require firearm owners to report lost or COVID-19 Vaccine Resource had their lives cut short due to gun stolen firearms help law enforcement We all celebrated each time news of a new, approved and successful vaccine was violence, and we’re seeing a grim and keep the public safe. These upwards trajectory. announced, but I know that the roll-out process may have been confusing and laws help deter gun trafficking and at times overwhelming. My staff and I have been working hard to make sure you Many of these guns used to cause discourage straw purchasing, as have the most relevant information and resources.