buzzfeed--2020-07-05--How A July 4th Meal Exposes The Coronavirus Risk For Thousands Of US Food Workers

Hundreds of workers may have contracted Covid-19 to get you the food on your plate this July 4th .
Some may have even died .
A BuzzFeed News investigation exposes the cost of your BBQ .
After months of stress , Americans have been looking forward to the pre–COVID-19 pleasures of a ( socially distanced ) 4th of July .
How about a cookout ?
It 's a traditional , low-key summer celebration — but amid the nation 's growing outbreak , even a simple home-cooked meal comes at an exorbitant price .
A BuzzFeed News investigation reveals the extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s inadequate response to it — has infected , sickened , and even killed workers up and down the nation 's food supply chains as they work to keep our refrigerators full .
Take a typical summer feast : tangy ribs , a side of creamy pasta salad , and a slice of freshly baked apple pie .
If you shop at a Walmart Supercenter , in , say , Massachusetts , the apples you ’ d buy would have been picked by workers in Washington state ’ s Yakima Valley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp with few protections in place .
The fruit would then be sorted into boxes in an Allan Bros. packhouse , which for weeks failed to follow federal COVID-19 safety guidelines — even after employees started falling ill .
The ribs would have been sliced and packed by employees at a pork processing plant — like the Tyson Foods facility in Indiana that stayed open for weeks , even as the virus spread through its staff .
The pasta would have been stacked by grocery clerks whose employer was slow to close down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick , and to inform the local health department and customers of the growing outbreak .
From those three workplaces alone — the Allan Bros. packhouse in Yakima Valley , the Tyson plant in Indiana , and the Walmart in Massachusetts — around 1,100 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 , and at least four have died , according to a BuzzFeed News investigation based on government documents , company memos , and interviews with around 50 workers , managers , local officials , and labor advocates .
Worried about putting themselves and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have turned to home cooking as a safer , more ethical option .
But what may seem safer for consumers can still be deadly for the low-paid , often immigrant workers who make up America ’ s sprawling food supply chains .
Across the country , from fields to packhouses to slaughterhouses to grocery stores , companies failed to require masks , build protective barriers , or arrange testing until after outbreaks had spread through the workforce .
Some workers in the chain still do not get sick pay , forcing them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out on paychecks — between feeding your family or protecting their own .
“ I 'd just like to see them keep us safe , ” Dennis Medbourn , a worker at the Tyson plant in Logansport , Indiana , where three coworkers he knew have died from COVID-19 complications , told BuzzFeed News .
“ We ’ re working a lot of hours , too , to try to make up for the meat shortage.
” One grocery worker , Yok Yen Lee , a door greeter at the Walmart in Quincy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work up until days before she died from COVID-19 .
“ She was really hardworking , ” her daughter , Elaine Eklund , told BuzzFeed News .
“ She absolutely loved that job .
She wanted to do that job for her whole life.
” The paths through which food reaches Americans ’ plates originate on farms and in factories in small cities and rural towns before making their way across the 50 states .
The networks are intricately interrelated , which means that the people who live in those areas and work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and relatives they come into contact with , shoulder a disproportionate share of the risk to keep the nation fed .
An apple picker at a FirstFruits Farms orchard in Yakima Valley appears to have caught the virus from her husband who worked at a Tyson beef plant in the area , according to Erik Nicholson , vice president of United Farm Workers .
FirstFruits didn ’ t respond to a detailed request for comment .
Are you still working during the coronavirus pandemic ?
We 'd love to hear your story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or via one of our tip line channels .
Since the start of the pandemic , around 29,000 workers at grocery stores , meatpacking plants , and other food processing facilities have been infected nationwide , and at least 225 have died , according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union .
This is almost certainly an undercount : Many companies have declined to order widespread testing , even at workplaces where employees are falling ill. As a result , the full scope of infections among frontline food workers may never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is making very clear is that some of our most underpaid , marginalized , and exploited workers are , in fact , our most essential , ” said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who co-sponsored a bill with other Senate colleagues in June to provide protections for the country ’ s agricultural workers .
“ Every plate of food reflects a disturbing reality : Food-supply workers — from farmworkers to grocery store clerks — are risking their lives every day to keep us fed , often in unsafe conditions , and far too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 , Angelina Lara felt an itch in her throat .
For seven months , she ’ d worked as a fruit packer for Allan Bros. , one of at least 18 produce companies in Yakima Valley , a fertile agricultural zone that rolls east across central Washington from the mighty Cascade mountain range .
Lara , 48 , grew up in Southern California but moved to the city of Yakima in 2005 , following relatives who had come for the jobs at the valley ’ s plentiful packhouses .
Around a third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agriculture , more than the next two industries combined .
Apples are one of the main businesses in town , and the fruit is at the center of the Yakima city seal .
Central Washington accounts for 60 % of the nation ’ s apple production .
Over the years , Lara worked at numerous packhouses , including a previous stint at Allan Bros. She returned to the company last year for a job that paid $ 13.50 an hour , more than the $ 12 minimum wage she made previously .
Inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foothills of Mount Rainier , Lara and her fellow day shift employees washed and sorted apples , which are packed and shipped year-round in the region .
Around 300 workers clock in for the day shift , standing along a brisk conveyor belt about 2 feet apart , sorting apples , like the organic Fuji variety sold at Walmarts across the country , and separating out fruit that ’ s been spoiled or infested with worms .
( The night shift handles seasonal fruit , such as cherries . )
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , and “ it ’ s impossible to be 6 feet apart because at times the line moves so fast that you need somebody to help you with all the apples.
” As COVID-19 was spreading across the state and the country in March and April , Allan Bros. added plexiglass barriers to the office area where management and administrators worked .
“ But the same was not put in the warehouse , ” said Shauri Tello , who moved from Mexico to Yakima when she was 15 and began working in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school at age 18 , two years ago .
The company hadn ’ t yet begun providing workers with masks , so some workers brought their own from home , according to four employees and a memo from health officials who inspected the site on May 8 .
Lara didn ’ t immediately assume the itch in her throat meant she ’ d caught the coronavirus .
At the time , she didn ’ t know if anyone at work had been infected , she said .
Still , she stayed home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precaution .
Within 24 hours , she had developed a fever .
Then she began to have trouble breathing .
Lara has asthma , but this was worse than any asthma attack she had ever had .
“ I was home alone , so I started panicking , ” she said .
At the hospital , she said , she paid for the COVID-19 test herself — $ 152 — and it came back positive .
Lara informed Allan Bros. that , under doctor ’ s orders , she would stay home and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another worker who tested positive said that company officials told them that their leave would be unpaid .
She asked her supervisor to “ let [ her ] coworkers know so they can take precautions , ” Lara said .
“ They never did it .
Nobody even knew I was sick.
” Three of her coworkers corroborated that claim , saying that management didn ’ t tell them about any cases at the plant in April and early May .
In an emailed statement in response to questions , Allan Bros. denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May but declined to specify when it began doing so .
Today , Yakima County has the highest rate of per capita COVID-19 cases in the Pacific Northwest — about 1 for every 34 people .
In central Washington — as in other areas such as California ’ s Imperial and San Joaquin valleys — the agricultural industry is experiencing a reckoning ; the methods for packing produce and housing migrant workers that have been maximized for efficiency have created the ideal conditions for the spread of a devastating virus .
Sixty-nine of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ North District ” housing facility , Williams stated .
They slept on bunk beds in rooms shared with as many as three others .
They also shared a kitchen , a laundry room , and several bathrooms .
In the mornings , they piled into vans that carried 14 of them at a time to the orchards .
The company began implementing new procedures to protect workers from COVID-19 as early as March 13 , after a worker at a different Stemilt housing facility tested positive .
In a memo to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common areas across the company would be sanitized every night and throughout the day .
While the three North District workers were awaiting their test results in mid April , three others at the camp began showing similar symptoms .
Ultimately , all six tested positive , according to Williams ’ statement .
Over the next few days , Stemilt coordinated with local health officials to begin testing all the workers from the North District camp , as well as the eight local crew leaders who worked with them .
All the crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 69 guest workers ultimately tested positive .
When Stemilt conducted another round of testing on April 22 , nine more workers tested positive .
Most of the cases were asymptomatic .
No one was hospitalized .
The state ’ s Employment Security Department said it expects 27,000 H-2A jobs in 2020 .
Stemilt declined to comment for this story .
Stemilt was the exception — not in terms of its explosion of cases , but because it looked for them at all .
Though local officials in nearby Yakima County offered to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workplaces , only one fruit company , Columbia Reach Pack , had taken them up on it by late May , according to local health department documents .
At most fruit companies in the region , workers only got tested if they showed symptoms or were exposed to a confirmed case , and then called health authorities .
Still , by the third week of May , more than 300 fruit workers in the region had tested positive , and health officials identified outbreaks — a workplace infection rate of at least 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 18 produce companies .
Allan Bros. , where Lara worked , was one of the companies that declined to test its workers .
Danielle Vincent , a spokesperson for Allan Bros. , denied that the county offered to test all its workers — though other companies confirmed the offer , and government documents show that local health officials were “ Awaiting Response ” from Allan Bros. on an inquiry about whether the company “ Want [ s ] Employee Testing.
” Though 19 of 515 employees at its packhouse had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not schedule widespread testing , according to local health department records .
Workers had to decide whether to risk going to work and getting sick , or staying home and not getting paid .
“ The fear of every worker that I know is that they may come down with the virus .
And if they don ’ t work , they don ’ t get paid — and if they don ’ t get paid , they don ’ t eat , ” said Erik Nicholson , national vice president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power disparities between farmworkers , some of whom are undocumented , and their employers , noted Beth Lyon , a law professor and founder of Cornell University 's Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic .
And while the country has deemed them “ essential ” during a pandemic , most farmworkers can be fired at will , making many hesitant to advocate for safety measures .
This is particularly true of guest workers , whose visas are directly tied to their employer .
“ If they speak up for health protections like masks or social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only their livelihood but also their housing ” and their permission to be in the United States , Lyon told BuzzFeed News .
Local officials and farm owners attribute some of their slow reactions to the pandemic to the lack of direction at the federal level .
That ’ s led the industry to “ take care of itself ” said Butler , the Chelan–Douglas Health District officer .
“ The difficulty we ’ ve had was that there was absolutely no guidance on what was the right way to house H-2A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gilbert , who leads Gilbert Orchards , said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's changing position on masks left his company in a conundrum .
In March — as the country ’ s top public health agency told citizens not to use masks and to save them for healthcare professionals — orchard and packhouse operators donated a few thousand N95 masks they had gathered for fire season to local hospitals .
Weeks later , when the CDC changed its guidance , those businesses were left scrambling , facing stiff competition and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the world competed for mask shipments .
Gilbert , whose operation includes 4,000 acres of orchards and 1,200 workers during peak season , noted that apples are a “ labor-intensive business ” with small margins .
As a result of social distancing measures , the packhouse could only prepare 10,000 boxes of apples per shift from late March to the end of May , rather than the typical 12,000 .
“ Keeping people apart means that people can ’ t hand off things in a process , ” he told BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process down.
” He added that protective equipment and hazard pay add a further squeeze on Gilbert Orchards ’ economics .
“ COVID has fundamentally changed how we do business.
” Yet he didn ’ t see the need to allow health officials to test all his employees .
Gilbert Orchards — where at least 26 of the 350 or so employees in the packhouse , shipping , and administrative departments have been diagnosed — declined Yakima County ’ s offer to arrange testing at the facility and instead suggested its workers take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials had set up around the valley .
Gilbert said part of his reasoning was fear of upsetting his employees .
“ I turned down their offer to bring in a National Guard unit to quarantine our facility while they escorted people to and from testing tents , ” he told BuzzFeed News .
“ I felt that requiring that of all employees would have been potentially traumatic.
” If guest workers are among the most vulnerable employees in the produce industry , workers who live year-round in central Washington are only slightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said , threw her family into a precarious financial position .
Her husband , who works at the same warehouse , and her two sons , who work as nursing assistants , tested negative but stayed home as a precaution in case they subsequently caught the virus from her .
The household of four went without a paycheck for two weeks .
Lara qualified for unemployment insurance because she ’ d been diagnosed , and her husband and sons may be eligible for family leave benefits — but whatever government money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come soon enough to meet the bills coming due .
The family burned through years ’ worth of savings in a matter of days , she said .
Back at Allan Bros. , meanwhile , workers in the packhouse said the company still hadn ’ t distributed masks , and as the cases mounted , many were growing angry .
On May 7 , dozens of Allan Bros. workers went on strike over conditions they said were unsafe ; in the days that followed , around 500 workers from six other fruit companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine ended , she took a spot in the line of workers holding signs by the road , chanting through colorful cloth masks .
Local lawyers and union representatives estimated that the labor action was one of the largest they ’ d seen among agriculture workers in Yakima , reminiscent of the marches César Chávez attended in the county in the 1980s .
Nearly every day , at each of the seven strike locations , the workers encountered local white residents driving by , shouting at them to get back to work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participated in the strikes .
She recalled those drivers saying things like “ If you don ’ t like it , get out.
” On another occasion , a man shouted out his car window that he was going to “ come back and shoot you all , ” according to a Yakima County Sheriff ’ s Office incident report and written witness statements .
When deputies later caught him returning to the scene , he told them that Allan Bros. “ treats those people very well and they should not be protesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The man was arrested and charged with malicious harassment .
The backlash against the striking workers reflected a long-standing resistance to Yakima ’ s growing Latinx population for some .
Latinx residents accounted for 15 % of the city ’ s population in 1980 , 30 % in 2000 , and 50 % in 2018 .
Still , no Latinx candidate had been elected to office in the city until 2015 , after a federal judge ruled that the city ’ s previous system of at-large council seats violated the Voting Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the county ’ s residents cast their ballots for Donald Trump .
Three weeks into the strike , Lara finally went back to work .
Allan Bros. had installed protective barriers in the packhouse , offered a $ 1-an-hour pay raise , and started providing masks , according to Lara and three coworkers .
Though she has been cleared of infection , she still has trouble breathing and sleeps sitting up most nights .
She said her doctor told her it might be months before she feels normal again .
She considers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her coworkers , 60-year-old David Cruz , got sick a few days after she did .
His wife and daughter tested positive too , Lara said .
He had worked at the plant for 12 years , most recently putting together boxes on the upper level of the warehouse .
When Lara saw him on breaks , he was “ always positive , getting along with everybody , ” she said .
On one of the last days of work before the pandemic hit , Cruz told Lara about his plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time in years .
“ He was very happy he was going to see her , ” Lara recalled .
“ He was planning for June or July.
” He died on May 31 .
His coworkers collected $ 4,000 to give to his wife .
The mood at the packhouse has been somber since .
Outbreaks were beginning to pop up at meatpacking plants around the country .
Tyson had instituted temperature checks at Logansport but hadn ’ t yet installed plexiglass barriers or distributed any protective equipment — even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Junction , Iowa , had closed on April 6 , leaving the company all the more reliant on its other five hog slaughterhouses .
“ That ’ s when everybody was thinking , Man , why don ’ t they close our plant ?
” said Medbourn .
“ You ’ d hear people coughing and stuff .
People weren ’ t showing up for work more than usual.
” Tyson declined to comment on whether its Logansport plant increased production during that period , but a spokesperson , Liz Cronston , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which we determine to operate in our facilities is dependent on ensuring team member safety.
” The company has maintained that its response to the pandemic was swifter than most .
Cronston noted that Tyson began seeking masks for workers even before the CDC recommended their use , and it was one of the first companies to proactively test all employees for COVID-19 .
“ If we learned a team member had tested positive for the virus , we notified co-workers who had been in close contact , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection of our team members and their communities.
” The ergonomic monitor tried to maintain a few feet of distance when he checked on workers — but the long , open-tiered plant was loud with the whirring of electric saws , the rumble of conveyor belts , and the echoing clangs of metal .
He sometimes had to lean in close to talk and hear , he said .
He interacted with around 200 workers each day .
Tyson began requiring employees to wear masks in mid-April .
On April 23 , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tyson organized COVID-19 testing for all 2,200 of its workers in Logansport .
The monitor and others on his shift filed into a big white tent in the parking lot , “ all pushed together to get out from the rain ” as nurses swabbed their noses , he said .
A few days later , he got a call informing him of his result : He had COVID-19 — one of 890 Tyson workers to test positive by the end of April in Logansport , a staggering 40 % of the plant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , the monitor showed no symptoms at the time of diagnosis , although he did recall feeling unusually tired the previous week .
He shuddered at the thought that he may have infected the people he saw every day .
“ I wouldn ’ t have suspected if I didn ’ t get tested , ” he said .
“ I was really freaked out .
Just , like , wow .
It spread out really , really quick.
” Tyson closed its Logansport plant for two weeks starting on April 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have had outbreaks of at least 200 cases , and five have temporarily closed .
At one point , four of the country ’ s five largest known outbreaks in meatpacking plants were at Tyson sites .
To date , around 8,500 Tyson workers have tested positive , more than the company ’ s three biggest industry competitors combined , according to data compiled by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting .
But Tyson ’ s standing at the top of this list isn ’ t necessarily because its plants are more dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the company has been more committed to determining how many of its employees have been infected , even though revealing those numbers almost guarantees a plant ’ s closure .
The other big meat companies — JBS , Smithfield Foods , and Cargill — haven ’ t conducted comprehensive testing at most facilities , even as meat processing plants became widely known as incubators for the virus .
“ We believe it ’ s imperative that we share our experience addressing this pandemic because safety is not a point of competitive advantage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s spokesperson .
“ Results from these tests have allowed us to find team members who have the virus but don ’ t have symptoms and would not otherwise have been identified.
” For Tyson , JBS , Smithfield , and Cargill , closing a plant sends a ripple effect across both ends of the supply line .
The four companies produce around 85 % of the meat sold in the US , churning out pork , beef , and poultry in massive facilities staffed by the thousands of employees needed to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ production into a few dozen mega-plants has led to lower prices but has also left the system vulnerable to major disruption , adding further pressure on workers to help keep the plants going .
Tyson is the largest buyer for many farmers around the country and one of the largest suppliers for many groceries , including Walmart .
A plant closure can lead to lost wages for livestock sellers at the start of the chain and barren meat shelves for consumers at the end .
“ Our plants must remain operational , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad in the Washington Post and New York Times in late April , noting the company ’ s “ responsibility to feed our country.
” The Trump administration codified that idea into law with its April 28 executive order granting meatpacking corporations immunity from legal liability for sick workers .
As Tyson got ready to reopen the Logansport plant , it notified employees through an automated text service that starting May 6 , “ If eligible to work , you will be required to work all scheduled hours in order to receive the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 30 “ daily show up bonus ” for all shifts through the end of May , another text stated .
A May 8 text told employees that if they had been “ symptom free for the last 72 hours without the use of any medication you can report to Tyson ” — though the message didn ’ t include CDC ’ s additional recommendation that those diagnosed should only stop isolating at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms .
One worker , a loin cutter in the cold side , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t feel symptoms until 12 days after he tested positive , just as his two weeks of paid quarantine time was ending , leaving him temporarily without a paycheck as he applied for short-term disability to cover additional time off .
Tyson maintains that its policy has been clear : “ Any team member who has tested positive will remain on sick leave until they ’ ve satisfied official health requirements for return to work , ” Cronston said .
But some Logansport workers vented their frustrations on a private Facebook group called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the company ’ s plan to reopen even while nearly half of its workforce was under quarantine .
They also shared health updates ; on May 5 , a group member wrote in both English and Spanish that someone from the slaughter side had died from the virus .
In fact , at least three workers at the Logansport plant have died of the coronavirus , according to local health officials and a union steward at the plant .
Tyson officials refused to confirm the number of workers who died .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss of any team member , ” Cronston said .
“ We don ’ t have a number to share.
” Tyson also declined to provide an update on the number of confirmed cases at the plant since the 890 reported in April , but local health officials estimated that “ over 1,000 ” of the plant ’ s workers have tested positive .
Cass County , where Logansport is located , has nearly triple the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people compared to the rate of the next highest Indiana county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility is one of the area ’ s largest employers .
Tyson was “ absolutely the hot spot ” for COVID-19 in the county , said Serenity Alter , the administrator for the Cass County Health Department .
The Tyson plant reopened on May 6 .
The company ramped up production as quickly as its workers could return , accelerating from half-capacity to nearly full capacity within two weeks .
It provided face shields , built plexiglass barriers in the cafeteria , and expanded its cleaning staff .
“ All you can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wash your hands , ” a Tyson senior manager in Texas said of the risk that meatpacking workers face during the pandemic .
“ I got ta assume most of the people in our facility have been around or interacted with someone who was positive.
” Yok Yen Lee , a 69-year-old door greeter at the Quincy store , was so fearful of contracting the coronavirus that she used most of her accumulated paid time off in March and early April when case numbers in the US began to skyrocket , her daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Shortly after Lee returned to work in mid-April , she began to feel sick but assumed she ’ d caught a cold from spending her eight-hour shift standing outside in near-freezing temperatures .
On April 11 , the Quincy Health Department contacted Walmart to inform the store that one of Lee ’ s coworkers had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Although Walmart had waived its normal attendance policy in March , Lee continued to clock in , afraid of losing her job if she took more days off , Eklund said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began requiring employees to wear masks on April 17 .
But one current Quincy checkout employee , who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job , said management told employees in April that masks weren ’ t necessary .
Sometimes there would be 500 people in the store and no social distancing in the employee back rooms , according to the employee .
“ It was like corona was a myth , ” they said .
A Walmart spokesperson declined to comment on these specific allegations .
Lee had worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after emigrating from China in the 1980s and working a series of retail jobs .
Colleagues described her as a joyous woman who doled out hugs and danced spontaneously but also showed a tough side when it came to dealing with rude customers .
Lee told at least one colleague , the checkout employee , that she had a slight cough .
She had attempted to apply for extended leave , but found the process , which was managed by a third-party administrator , exceedingly complicated as she primarily spoke Cantonese , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee didn ’ t feel well at work and went home early .
The next day , she had a fever and couldn ’ t get out of bed .
Paramedics , with the help of a maintenance worker , cut the lock to her door and rushed her to a hospital , where she was intubated .
Her request for extended leave from Walmart was approved on April 28 , as she lay bedridden in the ICU , Eklund recalled .
She would have turned 70 last week .
Instead , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 22 Walmart employees killed by COVID-19 nationwide , according to United for Respect , a labor advocacy group .
Lee left behind a daughter and two grandchildren , including one who was born in December .
“ She never even got a real family picture with her grandson , ” Eklund said .
“ We were starting to become a complete family .
We weren ’ t prepared to lose her this suddenly.
” Only after Lee died did the Quincy Walmart close its doors .
It soon emerged that 33 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Worcester Walmart became one of the largest clusters in the state , with 82 employees ultimately diagnosed with COVID-19 .
It was also one of the largest outbreaks at any grocery retailer in the country .
By the time the store posted on Facebook about the daylong cleaning in late April , local officials were investigating the situation .
Public health inspectors obtained an internal company list showing that nearly two dozen employees had tested positive for the coronavirus before the store closed , 20 within a one-week time period , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told BuzzFeed News .
They also reviewed a photo of a sign instructing staffers to work their scheduled shifts during that April 30 cleaning : They were expected to help “ clean , sanitize and stock ” the store alongside a third-party cleaning service so it would be ready to open the next morning .
The city of Worcester issued a cease-and-desist order that day , “ forcing the store to close immediately , ” Bird said .
It was the first time any US Walmart was closed by the government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 5 , after the company agreed to test all of the store ’ s nearly 400 employees .
The outbreaks in the Quincy and Worcester Walmarts were caused by “ dangerous working conditions ” present at other branches , as well , according to a complaint recently filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by United for Respect , which surveyed stores nationwide .
The complaint claimed that Walmart didn ’ t provide sufficient paid sick leave to its employees , “ thereby pressuring people to go to work even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus.
” The complaint also alleged that Walmart didn ’ t enforce social distancing and had failed to quickly close stores for cleaning and disinfecting after employees were exposed or diagnosed — as was the case in Worcester and Quincy — allowing the virus to spread further among employees and the public .
All these failures violated state and federal guidance for employers , the complaint alleged .
“ Communities across the country have suffered from coronavirus cases , and with more than 1.5 million associates in the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ located within 10 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population , Walmart is not immune to the impact of COVID-19 , ” said Phillip Keene , a Walmart spokesperson .
The corporation has worked “ to find an appropriate balance between supporting our associates and serving our customers ” during the pandemic , he said , by following deep cleaning , sanitizing , and social distancing protocols guided by the CDC .
Associates are given health screenings and temperature checks prior to their shifts , for example , and employees who appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walmart has instructed managers since March to inform associates when one of their coworkers falls ill , Keene said .
There are no laws mandating that retailers report coronavirus cases , leaving it up to stores to decide how best to handle outbreaks .
In May , a delegation of state lawmakers led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to Walmart CEO Doug McMillon , demanding more information about how the retail giant would make changes to prevent future outbreaks and protect workers .
In its response , Walmart deflected responsibility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track the source of anyone ’ s infection.
” “ Walmart ’ s response is unacceptable , ” Warren said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
“ Nearly 100 Walmart workers in Massachusetts got sick with coronavirus and one died due to an outbreak at the store but the company refused to answer questions on what happened and what changes it is making to keep our residents safe at work.
” One recent afternoon in June , as protesters filled streets across the country , a line of masked shoppers stretched outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity to around 20 % below its usual level .
Shelves were stocked with pasta again , apples were piled into abundant mounds , and pork ribs lay beside long rows of fresh meat .
Fruit farms , meatpacking plants , and grocery stores were open for business in every corner of America .
The food supply chains kept on humming .
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buzzfeed--2020-07-06--This Young Woman Was Just Asked Out By Her Old High School Teacher — What Should She Do?

First of all , there 's the obvious fact that he used to be your teacher .
It helps that @ @ @ @ @ , that you have n't had any contact over the years , and that you @ @ @ @ @ .
And yet I ca n't help but think there 's something a little bit @ @ @ @ @ , after taking on the responsibility of educating young , impressionable teens in their most @ @ @ @ @ around later and pursue a romantic relationship with one of them .
That , to @ @ @ @ @ flag .

First of all, there's the obvious fact that he used to be your teacher. It helps that it was a decade ago, that you haven't had any contact over the years, and that you're both consenting adults now. And yet I can't help but think there's something a little bit off about a man who, after taking on the responsibility of educating young, impressionable teens in their most formative years, can turn around later and pursue a romantic relationship with one of them. That, to me, is a red flag.


buzzfeed--2020-07-05--Kanye West Said He's Going To Run For President And The Reactions Are The Only Funny Thing About It

Although I was the mind blown 🤯 emoji when I read the news , I should n't be so shocked @ @ @ @ @ more than once that he intended to run for office .
Back in 2015 , @ @ @ @ @ Award at the VMAs , saying , `` It 's about ideas , bruh , @ @ @ @ @ ideas , people who believe in truth , '' before revealing he decided to run @ @ @ @ @

Although I was the mind-blown 🤯 emoji when I read the news, I shouldn't be so shocked — the rapper has said more than once that he intended to run for office. Back in 2015, Kanye accepted the Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs, saying, "It's about ideas, bruh, new ideas, people with ideas, people who believe in truth," before revealing that he'd decided to run for president in 2020.


buzzfeed--2020-07-06--Kanye West Said He's Going To Run For President And The Reactions Are The Only Funny Thing About It


buzzfeed--2020-07-06--How A July 4th Meal Exposes The Coronavirus Risk For Thousands Of US Food Workers

Hundreds of workers may have contracted Covid-19 to get you the food on your plate this July 4th .
Some may have even died .
A BuzzFeed News investigation exposes the cost of your BBQ .
After months of stress , Americans have been looking forward to the pre–COVID-19 pleasures of a ( socially distanced ) 4th of July .
How about a cookout ?
It 's a traditional , low-key summer celebration — but amid the nation 's growing outbreak , even a simple home-cooked meal comes at an exorbitant price .
A BuzzFeed News investigation reveals the extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s inadequate response to it — has infected , sickened , and even killed workers up and down the nation 's food supply chains as they work to keep our refrigerators full .
Take a typical summer feast : tangy ribs , a side of creamy pasta salad , and a slice of freshly baked apple pie .
If you shop at a Walmart Supercenter , in , say , Massachusetts , the apples you ’ d buy would have been picked by workers in Washington state ’ s Yakima Valley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp with few protections in place .
The fruit would then be sorted into boxes in an Allan Bros. packhouse , which for weeks failed to follow federal COVID-19 safety guidelines — even after employees started falling ill .
The ribs would have been sliced and packed by employees at a pork processing plant — like the Tyson Foods facility in Indiana that stayed open for weeks , even as the virus spread through its staff .
The pasta would have been stacked by grocery clerks whose employer was slow to close down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick , and to inform the local health department and customers of the growing outbreak .
From those three workplaces alone — the Allan Bros. packhouse in Yakima Valley , the Tyson plant in Indiana , and the Walmart in Massachusetts — around 1,100 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 , and at least four have died , according to a BuzzFeed News investigation based on government documents , company memos , and interviews with around 50 workers , managers , local officials , and labor advocates .
Worried about putting themselves and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have turned to home cooking as a safer , more ethical option .
But what may seem safer for consumers can still be deadly for the low-paid , often immigrant workers who make up America ’ s sprawling food supply chains .
Across the country , from fields to packhouses to slaughterhouses to grocery stores , companies failed to require masks , build protective barriers , or arrange testing until after outbreaks had spread through the workforce .
Some workers in the chain still do not get sick pay , forcing them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out on paychecks — between feeding your family or protecting their own .
“ I 'd just like to see them keep us safe , ” Dennis Medbourn , a worker at the Tyson plant in Logansport , Indiana , where three coworkers he knew have died from COVID-19 complications , told BuzzFeed News .
“ We ’ re working a lot of hours , too , to try to make up for the meat shortage.
” One grocery worker , Yok Yen Lee , a door greeter at the Walmart in Quincy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work up until days before she died from COVID-19 .
“ She was really hardworking , ” her daughter , Elaine Eklund , told BuzzFeed News .
“ She absolutely loved that job .
She wanted to do that job for her whole life.
” The paths through which food reaches Americans ’ plates originate on farms and in factories in small cities and rural towns before making their way across the 50 states .
The networks are intricately interrelated , which means that the people who live in those areas and work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and relatives they come into contact with , shoulder a disproportionate share of the risk to keep the nation fed .
An apple picker at a FirstFruits Farms orchard in Yakima Valley appears to have caught the virus from her husband who worked at a Tyson beef plant in the area , according to Erik Nicholson , vice president of United Farm Workers .
FirstFruits didn ’ t respond to a detailed request for comment .
Are you still working during the coronavirus pandemic ?
We 'd love to hear your story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or via one of our tip line channels .
Since the start of the pandemic , around 29,000 workers at grocery stores , meatpacking plants , and other food processing facilities have been infected nationwide , and at least 225 have died , according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union .
This is almost certainly an undercount : Many companies have declined to order widespread testing , even at workplaces where employees are falling ill. As a result , the full scope of infections among frontline food workers may never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is making very clear is that some of our most underpaid , marginalized , and exploited workers are , in fact , our most essential , ” said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who co-sponsored a bill with other Senate colleagues in June to provide protections for the country ’ s agricultural workers .
“ Every plate of food reflects a disturbing reality : Food-supply workers — from farmworkers to grocery store clerks — are risking their lives every day to keep us fed , often in unsafe conditions , and far too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 , Angelina Lara felt an itch in her throat .
For seven months , she ’ d worked as a fruit packer for Allan Bros. , one of at least 18 produce companies in Yakima Valley , a fertile agricultural zone that rolls east across central Washington from the mighty Cascade mountain range .
Lara , 48 , grew up in Southern California but moved to the city of Yakima in 2005 , following relatives who had come for the jobs at the valley ’ s plentiful packhouses .
Around a third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agriculture , more than the next two industries combined .
Apples are one of the main businesses in town , and the fruit is at the center of the Yakima city seal .
Central Washington accounts for 60 % of the nation ’ s apple production .
Over the years , Lara worked at numerous packhouses , including a previous stint at Allan Bros. She returned to the company last year for a job that paid $ 13.50 an hour , more than the $ 12 minimum wage she made previously .
Inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foothills of Mount Rainier , Lara and her fellow day shift employees washed and sorted apples , which are packed and shipped year-round in the region .
Around 300 workers clock in for the day shift , standing along a brisk conveyor belt about 2 feet apart , sorting apples , like the organic Fuji variety sold at Walmarts across the country , and separating out fruit that ’ s been spoiled or infested with worms .
( The night shift handles seasonal fruit , such as cherries . )
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , and “ it ’ s impossible to be 6 feet apart because at times the line moves so fast that you need somebody to help you with all the apples.
” As COVID-19 was spreading across the state and the country in March and April , Allan Bros. added plexiglass barriers to the office area where management and administrators worked .
“ But the same was not put in the warehouse , ” said Shauri Tello , who moved from Mexico to Yakima when she was 15 and began working in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school at age 18 , two years ago .
The company hadn ’ t yet begun providing workers with masks , so some workers brought their own from home , according to four employees and a memo from health officials who inspected the site on May 8 .
Lara didn ’ t immediately assume the itch in her throat meant she ’ d caught the coronavirus .
At the time , she didn ’ t know if anyone at work had been infected , she said .
Still , she stayed home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precaution .
Within 24 hours , she had developed a fever .
Then she began to have trouble breathing .
Lara has asthma , but this was worse than any asthma attack she had ever had .
“ I was home alone , so I started panicking , ” she said .
At the hospital , she said , she paid for the COVID-19 test herself — $ 152 — and it came back positive .
Lara informed Allan Bros. that , under doctor ’ s orders , she would stay home and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another worker who tested positive said that company officials told them that their leave would be unpaid .
She asked her supervisor to “ let [ her ] coworkers know so they can take precautions , ” Lara said .
“ They never did it .
Nobody even knew I was sick.
” Three of her coworkers corroborated that claim , saying that management didn ’ t tell them about any cases at the plant in April and early May .
In an emailed statement in response to questions , Allan Bros. denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May but declined to specify when it began doing so .
Today , Yakima County has the highest rate of per capita COVID-19 cases in the Pacific Northwest — about 1 for every 34 people .
In central Washington — as in other areas such as California ’ s Imperial and San Joaquin valleys — the agricultural industry is experiencing a reckoning ; the methods for packing produce and housing migrant workers that have been maximized for efficiency have created the ideal conditions for the spread of a devastating virus .
Sixty-nine of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ North District ” housing facility , Williams stated .
They slept on bunk beds in rooms shared with as many as three others .
They also shared a kitchen , a laundry room , and several bathrooms .
In the mornings , they piled into vans that carried 14 of them at a time to the orchards .
The company began implementing new procedures to protect workers from COVID-19 as early as March 13 , after a worker at a different Stemilt housing facility tested positive .
In a memo to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common areas across the company would be sanitized every night and throughout the day .
While the three North District workers were awaiting their test results in mid April , three others at the camp began showing similar symptoms .
Ultimately , all six tested positive , according to Williams ’ statement .
Over the next few days , Stemilt coordinated with local health officials to begin testing all the workers from the North District camp , as well as the eight local crew leaders who worked with them .
All the crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 69 guest workers tested positive .
When Stemilt conducted another round of testing on April 22 , nine more workers tested positive .
Most of the cases were asymptomatic .
No one was hospitalized .
The state ’ s Employment Security Department said it expects 27,000 H-2A jobs in 2020 .
Stemilt declined to comment for this story .
Stemilt was the exception — not in terms of its explosion of cases , but because it looked for them at all .
Though local officials in nearby Yakima County offered to organize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , only one fruit company , Columbia Reach Pack , had taken them up on it by late May , according to local health department documents .
At most fruit companies in the region , workers only got tested if they showed symptoms or were exposed to a confirmed case , and then called health authorities .
Still , by the third week of May , more than 300 fruit workers in the region had tested positive , and health officials identified outbreaks — a workplace infection rate of at least 5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 18 produce companies .
Allan Bros. , where Lara worked , was one of the companies that declined to test its workers .
Danielle Vincent , a spokesperson for Allan Bros. , denied that the county offered to test all its workers — though other companies confirmed the offer , and government documents show that local health officials were “ Awaiting Response ” from Allan Bros. on an inquiry about whether the company “ Want [ s ] Employee Testing.
” Though 19 of 515 employees at its packhouse had been diagnosed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not schedule widespread testing , according to local health department records .
Workers had to decide whether to risk going to work and getting sick , or staying home and not getting paid .
“ The fear of every worker that I know is that they may come down with the virus .
And if they don ’ t work , they don ’ t get paid — and if they don ’ t get paid , they don ’ t eat , ” said Erik Nicholson , national vice president of United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disparities between farmworkers , some of whom are undocumented , and their employers , noted Beth Lyon , a law professor and founder of Cornell University 's Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic .
And while the country has deemed them “ essential ” during a pandemic , most farmworkers can be fired at will , making many hesitant to advocate for safety measures .
This is particularly true of guest workers , whose visas are directly tied to their employer .
“ If they speak up for health protections like masks or social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only their livelihood but also their housing ” and their permission to be in the United States , Lyon told BuzzFeed News .
Local officials and farm owners attribute some of their slow reactions to the pandemic to the lack of direction at the federal level .
That ’ s led the industry to “ take care of itself ” said Butler , the Chelan–Douglas Health District officer .
“ The difficulty we ’ ve had was that there was absolutely no guidance on what was the right way to house H-2A workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who leads Gilbert Orchards , said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's changing position on masks left his company in a conundrum .
In March — as the country ’ s top public health agency told citizens not to use masks and to save them for healthcare professionals — orchard and packhouse operators donated a few thousand N95 masks they had gathered for fire season to local hospitals .
Weeks later , when the CDC changed its guidance , those businesses were left scrambling , facing stiff competition and spiking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the world competed for mask shipments .
Gilbert , whose operation includes 4,000 acres of orchards and 1,200 workers during peak season , noted that apples are a “ labor-intensive business ” with small margins .
As a result of social distancing measures , the packhouse could only prepare 10,000 boxes of apples per shift from late March to the end of May , rather than the typical 12,000 .
“ Keeping people apart means that people can ’ t hand off things in a process , ” he told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down.
” He added that protective equipment and hazard pay add a further squeeze on Gilbert Orchards ’ economics .
“ COVID has fundamentally changed how we do business.
” Yet he didn ’ t see the need to allow health officials to test all his employees .
Gilbert Orchards — where at least 26 of the 350 or so employees in the packhouse , shipping , and administrative departments have been diagnosed — declined Yakima County ’ s offer to arrange testing at the facility and instead suggested its workers take advantage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had set up around the valley .
Gilbert said part of his reasoning was fear of upsetting his employees .
“ I turned down their offer to bring in a National Guard unit to quarantine our facility while they escorted people to and from testing tents , ” he told BuzzFeed News .
“ I felt that requiring that of all employees would have been potentially traumatic.
” If guest workers are among the most vulnerable employees in the produce industry , workers who live year-round in central Washington are only slightly more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said , threw her family into a precarious financial position .
Her husband , who works at the same warehouse , and her two sons , who work as nursing assistants , tested negative but stayed home as a precaution in case they subsequently caught the virus from her .
The household of four went without a paycheck for two weeks .
Lara qualified for unemployment insurance because she ’ d been diagnosed , and her husband and sons may be eligible for family leave benefits — but whatever government money they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon enough to meet the bills coming due .
The family burned through years ’ worth of savings in a matter of days , she said .
Back at Allan Bros. , meanwhile , workers in the packhouse said the company still hadn ’ t distributed masks , and as the cases mounted , many were growing angry .
On May 7 , dozens of Allan Bros. workers went on strike over conditions they said were unsafe ; in the days that followed , around 500 workers from six other fruit companies joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended , she took a spot in the line of workers holding signs by the road , chanting through colorful cloth masks .
Local lawyers and union representatives estimated that the labor action was one of the largest they ’ d seen among agriculture workers in Yakima , reminiscent of the marches César Chávez attended in the county in the 1980s .
Nearly every day , at each of the seven strike locations , the workers encountered local white residents driving by , shouting at them to get back to work , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the strikes .
She recalled those drivers saying things like “ If you don ’ t like it , get out.
” On another occasion , a man shouted out his car window that he was going to “ come back and shoot you all , ” according to a Yakima County Sheriff ’ s Office incident report and written witness statements .
When deputies later caught him returning to the scene , he told them that Allan Bros. “ treats those people very well and they should not be protesting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The man was arrested and charged with malicious harassment .
The backlash against the striking workers reflected a long-standing resistance to Yakima ’ s growing Latinx population for some .
Latinx residents accounted for 15 % of the city ’ s population in 1980 , 30 % in 2000 , and 50 % in 2018 .
Still , no Latinx candidate had been elected to office in the city until 2015 , after a federal judge ruled that the city ’ s previous system of at-large council seats violated the Voting Rights Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county ’ s residents cast their ballots for Donald Trump .
Three weeks into the strike , Lara finally went back to work .
Allan Bros. had installed protective barriers in the packhouse , offered a $ 1-an-hour pay raise , and started providing masks , according to Lara and three coworkers .
Though she has been cleared of infection , she still has trouble breathing and sleeps sitting up most nights .
She said her doctor told her it might be months before she feels normal again .
She considers herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her coworkers , 60-year-old David Cruz , got sick a few days after she did .
His wife and daughter tested positive too , Lara said .
He had worked at the plant for 12 years , most recently putting together boxes on the upper level of the warehouse .
When Lara saw him on breaks , he was “ always positive , getting along with everybody , ” she said .
On one of the last days of work before the pandemic hit , Cruz told Lara about his plans to visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time in years .
“ He was very happy he was going to see her , ” Lara recalled .
“ He was planning for June or July.
” He died on May 31 .
His coworkers collected $ 4,000 to give to his wife .
The mood at the packhouse has been somber since .
Outbreaks were beginning to pop up at meatpacking plants around the country .
Tyson had instituted temperature checks at Logansport but hadn ’ t yet installed plexiglass barriers or distributed any protective equipment — even though another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Iowa , had closed on April 6 , leaving the company all the more reliant on its other five hog slaughterhouses .
“ That ’ s when everybody was thinking , Man , why don ’ t they close our plant ?
” said Medbourn .
“ You ’ d hear people coughing and stuff .
People weren ’ t showing up for work more than usual.
” Tyson declined to comment on whether its Logansport plant increased production during that period , but a spokesperson , Liz Cronston , said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we determine to operate in our facilities is dependent on ensuring team member safety.
” The company has maintained that its response to the pandemic was swifter than most .
Cronston noted that Tyson began seeking masks for workers even before the CDC recommended their use , and it was one of the first companies to proactively test all employees for COVID-19 .
“ If we learned a team member had tested positive for the virus , we notified co-workers who had been in close contact , ” she said .
“ Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our team members and their communities.
” The ergonomic monitor tried to maintain a few feet of distance when he checked on workers — but the long , open-tiered plant was loud with the whirring of electric saws , the rumble of conveyor belts , and the echoing clangs of metal .
He sometimes had to lean in close to talk and hear , he said .
He interacted with around 200 workers each day .
Tyson began requiring employees to wear masks in mid-April .
On April 23 , with rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organized COVID-19 testing for all 2,200 of its workers in Logansport .
The monitor and others on his shift filed into a big white tent in the parking lot , “ all pushed together to get out from the rain ” as nurses swabbed their noses , he said .
A few days later , he got a call informing him of his result : He had COVID-19 — one of 890 Tyson workers to test positive by the end of April in Logansport , a staggering 40 % of the plant ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the monitor showed no symptoms at the time of diagnosis , although he did recall feeling unusually tired the previous week .
He shuddered at the thought that he may have infected the people he saw every day .
“ I wouldn ’ t have suspected if I didn ’ t get tested , ” he said .
“ I was really freaked out .
Just , like , wow .
It spread out really , really quick.
” Tyson closed its Logansport plant for two weeks starting on April 25 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had outbreaks of at least 200 cases , and five have temporarily closed .
At one point , four of the country ’ s five largest known outbreaks in meatpacking plants were at Tyson sites .
To date , around 8,500 Tyson workers have tested positive , more than the company ’ s three biggest industry competitors combined , according to data compiled by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting .
But Tyson ’ s standing at the top of this list isn ’ t necessarily because its plants are more dangerous than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company has been more committed to determining how many of its employees have been infected , even though revealing those numbers almost guarantees a plant ’ s closure .
The other big meat companies — JBS , Smithfield Foods , and Cargill — haven ’ t conducted comprehensive testing at most facilities , even as meat processing plants became widely known as incubators for the virus .
“ We believe it ’ s imperative that we share our experience addressing this pandemic because safety is not a point of competitive advantage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson .
“ Results from these tests have allowed us to find team members who have the virus but don ’ t have symptoms and would not otherwise have been identified.
” For Tyson , JBS , Smithfield , and Cargill , closing a plant sends a ripple effect across both ends of the supply line .
The four companies produce around 85 % of the meat sold in the US , churning out pork , beef , and poultry in massive facilities staffed by the thousands of employees needed to reach output @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a few dozen mega-plants has led to lower prices but has also left the system vulnerable to major disruption , adding further pressure on workers to help keep the plants going .
Tyson is the largest buyer for many farmers around the country and one of the largest suppliers for many groceries , including Walmart .
A plant closure can lead to lost wages for livestock sellers at the start of the chain and barren meat shelves for consumers at the end .
“ Our plants must remain operational , ” CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Washington Post and New York Times in late April , noting the company ’ s “ responsibility to feed our country.
” The Trump administration codified that idea into law with its April 28 executive order granting meatpacking corporations immunity from legal liability for sick workers .
As Tyson got ready to reopen the Logansport plant , it notified employees through an automated text service that starting May 6 , “ If eligible to work , you will be required to work all scheduled hours in order to receive the guarantee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 “ daily show up bonus ” for all shifts through the end of May , another text stated .
A May 8 text told employees that if they had been “ symptom free for the last 72 hours without the use of any medication you can report to Tyson ” — though the message didn ’ t include CDC ’ s additional recommendation that those diagnosed should only stop isolating at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms .
One worker , a loin cutter in the cold side , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel symptoms until 12 days after he tested positive , just as his two weeks of paid quarantine time was ending , leaving him temporarily without a paycheck as he applied for short-term disability to cover additional time off .
Tyson maintains that its policy has been clear : “ Any team member who has tested positive will remain on sick leave until they ’ ve satisfied official health requirements for return to work , ” Cronston said .
But some Logansport workers vented their frustrations on a private Facebook group called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company ’ s plan to reopen even while nearly half of its workforce was under quarantine .
They also shared health updates ; on May 5 , a group member wrote in both English and Spanish that someone from the slaughter side had died from the virus .
In fact , at least three workers at the Logansport plant have died of the coronavirus , according to local health officials and a union steward at the plant .
Tyson officials refused to confirm the number of workers who died .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of any team member , ” Cronston said .
“ We don ’ t have a number to share.
” Tyson also declined to provide an update on the number of confirmed cases at the plant since the 890 reported in April , but local health officials estimated that “ over 1,000 ” of the plant ’ s workers have tested positive .
Cass County , where Logansport is located , has nearly triple the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people compared to the rate of the next highest Indiana county , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of the area ’ s largest employers .
Tyson was “ absolutely the hot spot ” for COVID-19 in the county , said Serenity Alter , the administrator for the Cass County Health Department .
The Tyson plant reopened on May 6 .
The company ramped up production as quickly as its workers could return , accelerating from half-capacity to nearly full capacity within two weeks .
It provided face shields , built plexiglass barriers in the cafeteria , and expanded its cleaning staff .
“ All you can do is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your hands , ” a Tyson senior manager in Texas said of the risk that meatpacking workers face during the pandemic .
“ I got ta assume most of the people in our facility have been around or interacted with someone who was positive.
” Yok Yen Lee , a 69-year-old door greeter at the Quincy store , was so fearful of contracting the coronavirus that she used most of her accumulated paid time off in March and early April when case numbers in the US began to skyrocket , her daughter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shortly after Lee returned to work in mid-April , she began to feel sick but assumed she ’ d caught a cold from spending her eight-hour shift standing outside in near-freezing temperatures .
On April 11 , the Quincy Health Department contacted Walmart to inform the store that one of Lee ’ s coworkers had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Although Walmart had waived its normal attendance policy in March , Lee continued to clock in , afraid of losing her job if she took more days off , Eklund said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring employees to wear masks on April 17 .
But one current Quincy checkout employee , who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job , said management told employees in April that masks weren ’ t necessary .
Sometimes there would be 500 people in the store and no social distancing in the employee back rooms , according to the employee .
“ It was like corona was a myth , ” they said .
A Walmart spokesperson declined to comment on these specific allegations .
Lee had worked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after emigrating from China in the 1980s and working a series of retail jobs .
Colleagues described her as a joyous woman who doled out hugs and danced spontaneously but also showed a tough side when it came to dealing with rude customers .
Lee told at least one colleague , the checkout employee , that she had a slight cough .
She had attempted to apply for extended leave , but found the process , which was managed by a third-party administrator , exceedingly complicated as she primarily spoke Cantonese , Eklund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t feel well at work and went home early .
The next day , she had a fever and couldn ’ t get out of bed .
Paramedics , with the help of a maintenance worker , cut the lock to her door and rushed her to a hospital , where she was intubated .
Her request for extended leave from Walmart was approved on April 28 , as she lay bedridden in the ICU , Eklund recalled .
She would have turned 70 last week .
Instead , she died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 22 Walmart employees killed by COVID-19 nationwide , according to United for Respect , a labor advocacy group .
Lee left behind a daughter and two grandchildren , including one who was born in December .
“ She never even got a real family picture with her grandson , ” Eklund said .
“ We were starting to become a complete family .
We weren ’ t prepared to lose her this suddenly.
” Only after Lee died did the Quincy Walmart close its doors .
It soon emerged that 33 other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Worcester Walmart became one of the largest clusters in the state , with 82 employees ultimately diagnosed with COVID-19 .
It was also one of the largest outbreaks at any grocery retailer in the country .
By the time the store posted on Facebook about the daylong cleaning in late April , local officials were investigating the situation .
Public health inspectors obtained an internal company list showing that nearly two dozen employees had tested positive for the coronavirus before the store closed , 20 within a one-week time period , Walter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told BuzzFeed News .
They also reviewed a photo of a sign instructing staffers to work their scheduled shifts during that April 30 cleaning : They were expected to help “ clean , sanitize and stock ” the store alongside a third-party cleaning service so it would be ready to open the next morning .
The city of Worcester issued a cease-and-desist order that day , “ forcing the store to close immediately , ” Bird said .
It was the first time any US Walmart was closed by the government .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 , after the company agreed to test all of the store ’ s nearly 400 employees .
The outbreaks in the Quincy and Worcester Walmarts were caused by “ dangerous working conditions ” present at other branches , as well , according to a complaint recently filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by United for Respect , which surveyed stores nationwide .
The complaint claimed that Walmart didn ’ t provide sufficient paid sick leave to its employees , “ thereby pressuring people to go to work even if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus.
” The complaint also alleged that Walmart didn ’ t enforce social distancing and had failed to quickly close stores for cleaning and disinfecting after employees were exposed or diagnosed — as was the case in Worcester and Quincy — allowing the virus to spread further among employees and the public .
All these failures violated state and federal guidance for employers , the complaint alleged .
“ Communities across the country have suffered from coronavirus cases , and with more than 1.5 million associates in the United States , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within 10 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population , Walmart is not immune to the impact of COVID-19 , ” said Phillip Keene , a Walmart spokesperson .
The corporation has worked “ to find an appropriate balance between supporting our associates and serving our customers ” during the pandemic , he said , by following deep cleaning , sanitizing , and social distancing protocols guided by the CDC .
Associates are given health screenings and temperature checks prior to their shifts , for example , and employees who appear ill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has instructed managers since March to inform associates when one of their coworkers falls ill , Keene said .
There are no laws mandating that retailers report coronavirus cases , leaving it up to stores to decide how best to handle outbreaks .
In May , a delegation of state lawmakers led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to Walmart CEO Doug McMillon , demanding more information about how the retail giant would make changes to prevent future outbreaks and protect workers .
In its response , Walmart deflected responsibility , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source of anyone ’ s infection.
” “ Walmart ’ s response is unacceptable , ” Warren said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
“ Nearly 100 Walmart workers in Massachusetts got sick with coronavirus and one died due to an outbreak at the store but the company refused to answer questions on what happened and what changes it is making to keep our residents safe at work.
” One recent afternoon in June , as protesters filled streets across the country , a line of masked shoppers stretched outside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to around 20 % below its usual level .
Shelves were stocked with pasta again , apples were piled into abundant mounds , and pork ribs lay beside long rows of fresh meat .
Fruit farms , meatpacking plants , and grocery stores were open for business in every corner of America .
The food supply chains kept on humming .
●

Outbreaks were beginning to pop up at meatpacking plants around the country. Tyson had instituted temperature checks at Logansport but hadn’t yet installed plexiglass barriers or distributed any protective equipment — even though another Tyson pork plant, in Columbus Junction, Iowa, had closed on April 6, leaving the company all the more reliant on its other five hog slaughterhouses.
“That’s when everybody was thinking, Man, why don’t they close our plant?” said Medbourn. “You’d hear people coughing and stuff. People weren’t showing up for work more than usual.”
Tyson declined to comment on whether its Logansport plant increased production during that period, but a spokesperson, Liz Cronston, said, “The level of production at which we determine to operate in our facilities is dependent on ensuring team member safety.”
The company has maintained that its response to the pandemic was swifter than most. Cronston noted that Tyson began seeking masks for workers even before the CDC recommended their use, and it was one of the first companies to proactively test all employees for COVID-19. “If we learned a team member had tested positive for the virus, we notified co-workers who had been in close contact,” she said. “Our priority and focus have been the protection of our team members and their communities.”
The ergonomic monitor tried to maintain a few feet of distance when he checked on workers — but the long, open-tiered plant was loud with the whirring of electric saws, the rumble of conveyor belts, and the echoing clangs of metal. He sometimes had to lean in close to talk and hear, he said. He interacted with around 200 workers each day. Tyson began requiring employees to wear masks in mid-April.
On April 23, with rising case numbers at several facilities, Tyson organized COVID-19 testing for all 2,200 of its workers in Logansport.
The monitor and others on his shift filed into a big white tent in the parking lot, “all pushed together to get out from the rain” as nurses swabbed their noses, he said.
A few days later, he got a call informing him of his result: He had COVID-19 — one of 890 Tyson workers to test positive by the end of April in Logansport, a staggering 40% of the plant’s workforce. Like most of them, the monitor showed no symptoms at the time of diagnosis, although he did recall feeling unusually tired the previous week. He shuddered at the thought that he may have infected the people he saw every day.
“I wouldn’t have suspected if I didn’t get tested,” he said. “I was really freaked out. Just, like, wow. It spread out really, really quick.”
Tyson closed its Logansport plant for two weeks starting on April 25. All six of its pork plants have had outbreaks of at least 200 cases, and five have temporarily closed. At one point, four of the country’s five largest known outbreaks in meatpacking plants were at Tyson sites. To date, around 8,500 Tyson workers have tested positive, more than the company’s three biggest industry competitors combined, according to data compiled by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.
But Tyson’s standing at the top of this list isn’t necessarily because its plants are more dangerous than those of its rivals, but because the company has been more committed to determining how many of its employees have been infected, even though revealing those numbers almost guarantees a plant’s closure. The other big meat companies — JBS, Smithfield Foods, and Cargill — haven’t conducted comprehensive testing at most facilities, even as meat processing plants became widely known as incubators for the virus.
“We believe it’s imperative that we share our experience addressing this pandemic because safety is not a point of competitive advantage,” said Cronston, Tyson’s spokesperson. “Results from these tests have allowed us to find team members who have the virus but don’t have symptoms and would not otherwise have been identified.”
For Tyson, JBS, Smithfield, and Cargill, closing a plant sends a ripple effect across both ends of the supply line. The four companies produce around 85% of the meat sold in the US, churning out pork, beef, and poultry in massive facilities staffed by the thousands of employees needed to reach output goals. The concentration of meat production into a few dozen mega-plants has led to lower prices but has also left the system vulnerable to major disruption, adding further pressure on workers to help keep the plants going.
Tyson is the largest buyer for many farmers around the country and one of the largest suppliers for many groceries, including Walmart. A plant closure can lead to lost wages for livestock sellers at the start of the chain and barren meat shelves for consumers at the end. “Our plants must remain operational,” CEO John Tyson wrote in a full-page ad in the Washington Post and New York Times in late April, noting the company’s “responsibility to feed our country.” The Trump administration codified that idea into law with its April 28 executive order granting meatpacking corporations immunity from legal liability for sick workers.
As Tyson got ready to reopen the Logansport plant, it notified employees through an automated text service that starting May 6, “If eligible to work, you will be required to work all scheduled hours in order to receive the guarantee pay.” Workers would receive a $30 “daily show up bonus” for all shifts through the end of May, another text stated. A May 8 text told employees that if they had been “symptom free for the last 72 hours without the use of any medication you can report to Tyson” — though the message didn’t include CDC’s additional recommendation that those diagnosed should only stop isolating at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms. One worker, a loin cutter in the cold side, told BuzzFeed News that he didn’t feel symptoms until 12 days after he tested positive, just as his two weeks of paid quarantine time was ending, leaving him temporarily without a paycheck as he applied for short-term disability to cover additional time off.


buzzfeed--2020-07-06--The Best Way To Stay Safe During COVID-19, According To My 93-Year-Old Grandma

My grandma is , nonetheless , staying happy and healthy during the pandemic .
She 's mastered the technology of @ @ @ @ @ gardening , she walks around her neighborhood every day , she celebrated her 93rd birthday @ @ @ @ @ first great-grandchild .
As always , she has some advice for us all .

My grandma is, nonetheless, staying happy and healthy during the pandemic. She's mastered the technology of Zooming, she's started gardening, she walks around her neighborhood every day, she celebrated her 93rd birthday, and she met her first great-grandchild. As always, she has some advice for us all.


buzzfeed--2020-07-06--7 Mental Habits That Can Improve Memory And Problem-Solving

Without stimulation , the mind grows bored , frustrated , and lethargic .
Luckily , your brain is the one @ @ @ @ @ breaking a sweat !
As a professional mentalist , I 've spent countless hours onstage @ @ @ @ @ can do .
Lately , though , I 've found myself thinking a lot more @ @ @ @ @ need — and there 's clear overlap between the two .
Here are a few @ @ @ @ @ start practicing from the safety of your couch to help keep your mind sharp .

Our brains work a lot like muscles. 🧠
Without stimulation, the mind grows bored, frustrated, and lethargic. Luckily, your brain is the one thing you can exercise without breaking a sweat!
As a professional mentalist, I've spent countless hours onstage talking about what the mind can do. Lately, though, I've found myself thinking a lot more about what our minds actually need — and there's clear overlap between the two.
Here are a few mental skills that you can start practicing from the safety of your couch to help keep your mind sharp.


buzzfeed--2020-07-06--A Black Psychologist Shares Some Tips On Starting Therapy

Scientists can say with confidence that racism is bad for Black mental health .
Multiple experts using different approaches to studying racism-related problems have determined that racial discrimination is psychologically and physically harmful to Black people .
This may seem obvious , but even those of us who are well versed in the research likely fail to fully grasp the depth of these findings .
A professional “ collaboration ” can help .
There are psychology professionals who are trained to guide you through your scariest , most debilitating fears so you don ’ t have to be numb , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the idea of talking to a room full of people , flying on an airplane , driving down the street where you experienced a traumatic accident , or even meeting Ms. Oprah Winfrey .
A therapist can guide you toward your own resources so getting out of bed isn ’ t so hard and purpose can move dread out of your mind .
If you are overwhelmed and need help working through some considerable setbacks in your life — the loss of a loved one , a miscarriage , your addiction to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feelings of inferiority , and your recurrent thoughts of driving off the road on your way home after work ( and that was just in the last month ) — therapy can help resolve the trauma .
It can empower you to rise from hopelessness to make beneficial changes in how you live .
Unfortunately , the mental health system can be daunting .
Emotional health care is not necessarily designed with Black people in mind .
The discipline of psychology is made better with racial and ethnic diversity , but sincere efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been systematically subjected to inhumane treatment are relatively nonexistent .
( After all , psychology is the field of study that provided “ evidence ” that Black people are inferior to white people . )
There have been some efforts to be more inclusive of but there is much more work to be done .
You can , nevertheless , benefit from learning tools and strategies that help with common problems that everyone faces .
I aim to help you navigate a complex mental health care system to get what you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about .
Locating the Right Therapeutic Help Ideally , you would get a personal recommendation for a therapist from someone who has gone to that person , but I understand that you may ( 1 ) still have reservations about disclosing that you are looking for a therapist and ( 2 ) have wondered whether your personal business might get “ leaked ” to that person through the therapist .
Until our community , including African Americans , Africans , and West Indians , see therapy as beneficial and not as a sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek help more discreetly .
Here are some resources .
• Employee assistance programs ( EAP ) are voluntary programs offered through an employer that provide employees free and confidential assessments , short-term counseling , referrals , and follow-up services for their personal and work-related problems .
Most programs provide counselors who are equipped to address issues affecting mental and emotional well-being like the ones that we have been discussing .
• Your health insurance provider may have mental health coverage , and if you do , the health insurance company will likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This information is often accessible online .
You 'll want to look or ask specifically for “ psychotherapists.
” The search for “ counselor ” typically works but is also quite broad .
Your pastor is also a counselor but will not likely have training in psychotherapy .
A psychotherapist provides therapy for the mind and behavior .
There are numerous online resources that detail the various types of mental health professionals .
Here are some : • Therapy for Black Girls : Therapists provide contact information along with a photograph and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site is not comprehensive by far , but many Black and African American therapists from across the United States have signed on to the directory .
• Psychology Today : This directory of therapists offers photos and detailed credentialing .
The site provides a stamp for therapists in their directory whose name , license , and contact information have been verified .
• The American Psychological Association 's psychologist locator : Only members of the American Psychological Association ( who are presumably licensed psychologists ) can be listed in the directory .
Similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photos , and areas of expertise are detailed and identifiable using region or therapist name .
• Research universities : Many have psychological clinics on campus that provide care to people in the community through doctoral students .
Clients benefit from cutting-edge care on a sliding-fee scale .
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness ( NAMI ) : NAMI has been around since the 1970s as a national grassroots organization .
It is a tremendous resource that provides education about mental health–related topics and advocacy for bringing attention to psychological problems .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ affiliate organizations across the U.S. who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education resources .
Even if you are the only Black person in the room , you may still benefit from sharing with others who can relate to your struggles .
Suffering in isolation is much more difficult than suffering with others .
Until circumstances shift , you may be the only one seeking support who looks like you .
When my dad passed away , I participated in a monthly grief support group for a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had lost a parent .
I was twenty-nine years old .
The facilitator and all the other members of the group were white women in their sixties or older who had lost their spouse .
Having someone listen to my stories about my dad was helpful .
Sometimes , you just want someone to listen to you— someone who can relate somewhat to your experience and tell you that you are going to be okay .
What All Those Credentials Mean Your needs and preferences will determine who is the most qualified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have master ’ s level degrees .
There are also providers who specialize in treatment of substance-use problems who may not have graduate degrees but have earned a certification to practice .
• Licensed professional counselors ( LPC ) , licensed mental health counselors ( LMHC ) , and marriage and family therapists ( MFT ) have completed master ’ s degree level coursework in psychology , counseling , or marriage and family therapy and obtained the required number of supervised clinical hours before being authorized to see clients independently .
• Licensed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also credentialed at the master ’ s degree level and provide individual , family , and group therapy .
• Psychiatric nurse practitioners provide mental health services and are often affiliated with a medical center or hospital .
• Psychiatrists are doctors of medicine ( MDs ) who prescribe medication .
Psychiatrists are specifically trained in the use of medicine to improve mental health .
The medications that influence brain functioning are known as “ psychotropics.
” Some psychiatrists also provide talk therapy , but the majority do not .
In most states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In some ways , finding a therapist can be a dice roll , but review their personal websites for their expertise and what they offer to clients .
It may also take some of the pressure off of your search if you know that the provider that you begin with may not be the provider that you end up with .
Make a list of three possible therapist options from the start .
What to Expect in Therapy In the very first session of structured therapy , your new therapist begins by discussing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about cancellations , and other logistics .
The therapist will obtain background information from you ( e.g.
, work , level of education , living situation , etc. )
.
She will ask what it is that brings you in for therapy .
She will also talk about her approach to therapy .
The amount of information that the therapist shares about herself will vary but will be relatively limited in the interest of focusing more on you .
If you prefer to ask questions of the therapist to feel more comfortable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the questions you may have : • What is your approach to psychotherapy ?
In the first session , the therapist needs to describe her understanding of how problems come about and how best to solve them through therapy .
Therapists are trained in various approaches , and we understand the source of the problem based on our training .
As an example , some might assume that current problems are based on unresolved issues from your upbringing versus others who focus on how you see the world today .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on how we understand the problem .
My own approach to therapy is cognitively oriented , and the therapy or interventions that I supervise fall in the realm of “ cognitive behavioral ” work that addresses problems that arise due to how people think about the world around them .
• How does the therapist know where to begin ?
Your new therapist will often ask you questions until she understands what is troubling you and your expectations for what life will look like when you have completed therapy .
Your expectations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clients go to therapy wanting life to be different or better but do not often have a specific goal in mind .
Your therapist can help you zero in on a goal if she has a sense of the problem , but ideally , this is a collaborative effort .
Just because you say that you are tired and frustrated does not mean that your fatigue is the same as the last client ’ s fatigue .
It may take a couple of sessions to break down what all is really going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
This will vary…a lot .
It is unlikely that any actual “ change ” would take place in the first session .
However , the therapist may ask you questions that will cause you to seriously evaluate your life situation and give you a different perspective and new insight .
Over the course of therapy , you and your therapist will work together to address the unhappiness that brought you to therapy .
You ’ ll do so in a way that makes sense to you .
At agreed-upon intervals , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To be most effective , you will want to be as open as you can possibly be so the therapist understands the true nature of your problems .
You will also want to complete any assignments , tasks , or homework that the therapist advises .
You May Have to See a White Therapist Because therapy relationships are so important , you may feel that you can only trust and be comfortable with a Black therapist .
This feeling is absolutely understandable .
You would not want to subject yourself to yet another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretend to not be you , avoid your African American vernacular to speak standard English or even worse , have your therapist act like she doesn ’ t see you as Black .
Finding a Black therapist might be ideal .
But ethnicity is not the only criteria , or the most important , for you to consider .
Your Black therapist might be nice , but if she has no experience with trauma , your capacity to improve will be limited .
The therapy might feel good because she is a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else in your life listens , but you won ’ t address the trouble that your trauma has been causing you .
There are white therapists who are perfectly fine seeing a Black client .
This is important because when you are struggling emotionally , the last thing that you want to do is see a therapist who is uncomfortable around Black people .
However , I assure you that there are therapists out there who would be good at establishing a relationship with you .
You are best served if you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and research your options .
As you might expect , most therapists are white women .
The mental health system is , in many ways , a microcosm of our larger society .
Not everyone is “ culturally competent ” and able to demonstrate their ability to work with individuals who are culturally different from them .
To my knowledge , graduate programs in clinical psychology do not admit doctoral students based on their capacity to not be racist .
The assumption is that they are admitted with some common sense not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that they will learn to demonstrate cultural competence while in graduate training .
Most accredited programs , at least in psychology , embrace cultural competence as an objective .
That means that students in training take a course or two in multicultural psychology and are expected to be able to successfully navigate the nuances of working with clients who are Black , Asian , Latinx/Hispanic , LGBTQ , or from a lower income bracket—any reality that impacts how the client experiences the world that is not a mainstream , middle class , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course or two with practice seeing clients from diverse backgrounds is sufficient .
If you find that a white therapist may be your only option , you can assess whether or not that person could be a good fit for you .
• Ask what percentage of her clients have been African American or Jamaican or who are first-generation United States citizens .
If the question elicits discomfort , that might be all the data that you need to move on to the next therapist on your list .
• She might make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a place where we arrive as professionals .
We either check the competence box or we do not .
It is better , however , for a therapist to recognize that he or she is continually evolving and must be open to that process .
Given the success that you have had in navigating predominantly white work settings , you have a sense of whether or not a white person has some “ humility ” about their whiteness .
It does not mean that they will not make any missteps .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any egregious mistakes , like trying to touch your hair in the first session or insisting that the microaggression that you experienced was in your head .
• You want to know that your therapist will be genuinely receptive when you give her feedback about her interactions with you .
Therapists who aspire to cultural humility are willing to be critical of themselves .
They are flexible and willing to learn more about you and , importantly , what your culture means to you .
They also obtain information without relying solely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Therapy is not magical .
It does not work overnight .
If you go into a session thinking that you will be healed of your ills inside of two weeks , you will be disappointed .
When you decide to see a professional , you may be at the height of distress or at your lowest psychological fortitude .
The therapist ’ s first responsibility is to establish a relationship with you and gain some insight about what is going on for you , how the problem came to be , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The therapist may have to uncover decades of hurt in order to understand your current problem .
What this looks like is that you address one problem , but then another seems to emerge unexpectedly .
You would not expect someone to fix your car without diagnosing what the car is doing that it ’ s not supposed to do , how the problem came about , and whether or not you did anything to address the problem .
However , if there is a chance that you would not return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she can help you , it is best that you let the therapist know up front .
In doing so , the therapist can take time to determine what might be done to fix your most pressing problem ( because there is often more than one ) or let you know what additional information is needed to address that problem .
In any case , follow your instincts .
If you do not feel comfortable with the therapist , you can let her know that it is not working out .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you may want to settle in for a while .
For therapy in general , plan on no less than twelve to sixteen sessions , but this depends on your level of distress and your willingness to work on assigned tasks outside of session .
You can get professional help—whether you are addressing a serious disorder or you are hoping to increase your psychological fortitude .
If you feel isolated and just need to be heard because no one is listening to you , it may be helpful to talk to someone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely have to go out of your comfort zone to find the help that you need , but therapy will help you with a new and different perspective and give you some tools for coping .
When you find the right professional to help you make your way to wellness , all the effort is well worth it .
● Reprinted and adapted from The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health : Navigate an Unequal System , Learn Tools for Emotional Wellness , and Get the Help You Deserve with permission : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ © 2020 Rheeda Walker , PhD .
Get your copy .

You May Have to See a White Therapist
Because therapy relationships are so important, you may feel that you can only trust and be comfortable with a Black therapist. This feeling is absolutely understandable. You would not want to subject yourself to yet another “space” where you have to pretend to not be you, avoid your African American vernacular to speak standard English or even worse, have your therapist act like she doesn’t see you as Black. Finding a Black therapist might be ideal. But ethnicity is not the only criteria, or the most important, for you to consider. Your Black therapist might be nice, but if she has no experience with trauma, your capacity to improve will be limited. The therapy might feel good because she is a great listener in a way that no one else in your life listens, but you won’t address the trouble that your trauma has been causing you.
There are white therapists who are perfectly fine seeing a Black client. This is important because when you are struggling emotionally, the last thing that you want to do is see a therapist who is uncomfortable around Black people. However, I assure you that there are therapists out there who would be good at establishing a relationship with you. You are best served if you do your homework, get reliable referrals, and research your options.
As you might expect, most therapists are white women. The mental health system is, in many ways, a microcosm of our larger society. Not everyone is “culturally competent” and able to demonstrate their ability to work with individuals who are culturally different from them. To my knowledge, graduate programs in clinical psychology do not admit doctoral students based on their capacity to not be racist. The assumption is that they are admitted with some common sense not to be racist in our field of psychology and that they will learn to demonstrate cultural competence while in graduate training.
Most accredited programs, at least in psychology, embrace cultural competence as an objective. That means that students in training take a course or two in multicultural psychology and are expected to be able to successfully navigate the nuances of working with clients who are Black, Asian, Latinx/Hispanic, LGBTQ, or from a lower income bracket—any reality that impacts how the client experiences the world that is not a mainstream, middle class, Eurocentric lens. For some, a course or two with practice seeing clients from diverse backgrounds is sufficient.
If you find that a white therapist may be your only option, you can assess whether or not that person could be a good fit for you.