Summary: We are all consuming a lot of information not only about this virus (COVID-19) and evaluating the government's response, at all levels. So coming to the front of the class we are bringing some science based facts from microbiologist Coqui Negra and some facts about how our various levels of government and bureaucracy work in a crisis from New York City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal.<br> <br> Our Guests<br> Coqui Negra has an undergraduate degree in clinical laboratory science and a PhD in microbiology and immunology. Her research centered on Gram negative pathogenesis and she did postdoctoral research in a vaccine development center. After a decade of educating clinical laboratory science students, she moved to a scientific society to work on clinical laboratory policy in Washington, DC.<br> <br> Helen Rosenthal represents the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the New York City Council and is Chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity. Over the past six years, Helen has passed legislation to stop sexual harassment in the workplace, trained NYPD in victim-centric and trauma-informed investigations of sexual assault, improved health outcomes for black women in pregnancy and childbirth, and addressed gender wage parity. In her first term, Helen chaired the Council’s Committee on Contracts, where she focused on increasing funding and expediting payment for social service contracts. She championed worker co-operatives and focused on procurement reform for the 21st century. She also co-chaired the Women’s Caucus. In both terms, Helen was selected to join the Council’s Budget Negotiating Team and has been a vocal supporter of tenants, labor, safe cycling, and pedestrians. Helen was elected to the New York City Council in 2013 with the highest vote total of any candidate for City Council in New York City, a feat she repeated in her 2017 re-election. In 2017, she was endorsed by the New York Times [“valorously supported a school desegregation plan for her district in the face of opposition from various interests],” the New York Daily News, and the Amsterdam News.
