Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | July 6, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 21 Stay the course on the phased Mass. reopening V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L Right now, they are shouldering the bulk of the responsibility in keeping the coronavirus at bay. But it is necessary. Based on the numbers, Baker's plan has worked. Even as the U.S. is reporting record numbers of daily cases, the number of new COVID-19 positives in Massachusetts is falling. Worcester County went without a reported coronavirus-related death for the first time in three months on June 27, and Massachusetts did the same three days later. What was a scary and unpredictable pandemic seems slightly more manageable now, as the world waits for a vaccine and strives for herd immunity, when the economy can finally go back to full throttle. e outbreaks happening right now in Florida, Texas and Arizona are clear evidence of the problems caused by reopening the economy too early. Each of those states now has to roll back their plans, again asking businesses to shutter. To once again get our businesses open and Central Massachusetts residents employed, we can't be forced to shut down our economy. Our hospitals can't be overwhelmed with coronavirus patients, and a previously unimaginable death toll can't be allowed to cause permanent emotional and economic scars. Don't be like David Blondin, the owner of Prime Fitness Gym in Oxford, who so defiantly reopened his business during the worst of the Massachusetts COVID-19 hospitalization that the town had to be forced to cut off his water and electricity. at type of reckless will only get more people killed and end up causing long- term economic harm. Fitness centers can easily become super spreaders of the coronavirus, and they need to have proper sanitation policies and social distancing efforts in order to reopen. Any business owner running defiantly against the recommendation of health officials – for whatever reason – is selfishly dragging down the entire community. None of this has been easy. Baker, in being overly cautious, appears to have likely saved lives and put the economy back on track toward a smart and total reopening, even if it did cause significant economic harm over the last three months. We're not through the coronavirus pandemic, by a long shot, so it is important we all remain vigilant and play our role. W Walk the walk against racism S crolling through social media is always a great way to get a pulse on the times, from official statements, profile filters, and hashtags. You would have to be an ostrich to not see the Black Lives Matter movement is one of the hottest topics right now. It gives me mixed emotions; ones sometimes fraught with despair, sadness and an- ger, and above all, exhaustion. I've seen numerous blacked out pictures, shared articles, and read countless official statements from all types of organiza- tions. Ones you would expect (Cherry Garcia has never tasted better), and others, unexpected. It's all the same theme, "We believe that black lives matter." at's great, but what are you actually doing to ensure that? As the person responsible for social media for my orga- nization, I stay away from vanity metrics. It's not about how many likes a post receives, it's about action. e Black Lives Matter movement isn't a trend. BLACK LIVES MATTER. ere are no if, ands, or buts about it. is isn't about a few weeks of posting; it's about making a change. Are you walk- ing the walk or just talking the talk? What organizations do you patronize? Does the compa- ny's leadership accurately represent the community and the values you want to be associated with? Do they act accord- ingly with their statements against social injustice? If you can't confidently answer, "Yes!" to those questions, it's time to find another place to shop. Ibram X. Kendi, bestselling author and founding director of the Antiracist Research & Policy Center at American University, said, "Being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism and regular self-ex- amination." A great way to do that is by educating yourself on the issues. ere are many resources available to help better understand the reason behind the movement; you can start by reading one of Kendi's books. Speaking of self-examination – have you considered your own actions? On the same day that George Floyd's video was released, another video surfaced that morning of a white woman calling the police on a Black man in a New York City park. e woman came under immediate fire and quickly issued the standard "I am not racist" apology. Amy Cooper was the one breaking the rules and called the police not out of fear as she claimed, but because she knew she could use them to her advantage. Her call was dripping in coded language and stereotypes. While not all occurrences are this dramatic, I can say from experience they do happen, even in the workplace. ink about what you say about your colleagues of color, are you perpetuating stereotypes? Take action in making a change. ere are many organi- zations working on eliminating racism, empowering people of color, educating our youth, and protecting civil rights. You could volunteer, you could donate, or you could do both. Racial justice is not a trend, and it's on all of us to keep the momentum going. Melanie Bonsu is the director of development & marketing/ communications for the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts. BY MELANIE BONSU Special to the Worcester Business Journal Melanie Bonsu W WO R D F R O M T H E W E B Facebook feedback "Sorry for my pessimism, but that's not happening." – Donald Ichton, June 30, about Worcester's plans to open the Polar Park baseball stadium in spring 2021 "It doesn't help as far as tax revenue, but it's very convenient." – Mike Kennedy, June 30, about a planned expansion for a Marlborough plaza across from Apex Center Tweet of the Week "It'll pay for itself from tax revenue from new buildings! But we need to provide tax cuts for those new buildings?" – Dan Callahan (@dancallahan), June 30, on the developments surrounding the planned $132-million Polar Park. e city-owned ballpark, set to host the Worcester Red Sox as soon as April 2021, is relying on tax revenue from new construction outside the ballpark to pay for much of the cost. The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. F or businesses out there still closed under Gov. Charlie Baker's March 24 shutdown order, we feel your pain. Nearly all businesses and residents seemed on board three months ago to put the economy in a coma to stem the spread of the coronavirus, but as offices, restaurants, retailers, manufac- turers and hotels have reopened under the first two phases of Baker's plan, it is tough for those Phase ree and Four businesses like fitness clubs, bars and large venues who must wait weeks or months to begin to find their new normal.

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