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  • Roxane Gay, welcome to The Daily Social Distancing Show.

  • (laughs) Hey, Trevor. How are you?

  • I'm doing okay. I mean, sometimes, I feel like

  • the world is ending, and I stress about everybody.

  • And then, at other times, I feel like we're gonna get out of it.

  • I know I'm extremely lucky that I can still work.

  • -How are you doing? -You know, it's the same.

  • I'm extremely lucky that I can still do

  • at least part of my job.

  • People still, I think, want to read,

  • especially now that they have some time.

  • But I'm also worried about the state of the world

  • and the more vulnerable people in it,

  • because if I find it difficult,

  • what are people who are living paycheck to paycheck

  • and on the margins of society-- like, how are they feeling?

  • So, I think about that a lot.

  • You... you've had a really interesting, um, role

  • in shaping a conversation in and around coronavirus

  • and what we can do as people to help each other.

  • And that conversation has been around how we help.

  • You know, um, there are many organizations

  • that are trying to help.

  • There are many philanthropies

  • that are trying to help, etcetera.

  • But you've come out with what many people think

  • is a radical idea, and you've just said,

  • "Give people money if you can.

  • Just give human beings money."

  • Why do you say this, and how did you get to this idea?

  • Well, you know, the reality is

  • that if we're gonna sit around waiting for the government

  • or non-profits to get it together enough

  • to actually help people,

  • people are gonna go hungry in the meantime.

  • Their electricity is gonna be cut off in the meantime.

  • A lot of what people need right now is just cash,

  • and no questions asked.

  • And so I was thinking about, you know,

  • how drastically I had lost my income,

  • and I just thought: Well, I can probably weather this

  • for a few months, but what about people who can't?

  • And so I just decided: Well, let me...

  • give some people some money, because I know that...

  • right now people are trying to stock up on groceries

  • and water and...

  • (chuckles): toilet paper.

  • And so I wanted to be able to help a few people to do that.

  • And, you know, especially when you have to wait, like,

  • four or five weeks, or more, for a $1,200 one-time check

  • from the government-- you know, it's not enough.

  • And, you know, in a better world,

  • the government would handle this.

  • But we don't live in a better world,

  • we live in this world, and so those of us with means,

  • I think, have to do our part to whatever extent we can.

  • I won't lie, when I first saw your tweets

  • and what you were doing, the-the-the pessimist in me

  • immediately jumped out, and I... 'cause I panicked.

  • I was just, like, you know, I saw you tweeting,

  • saying: If you need money, let me know,

  • and I will send you money.

  • And immediately, I was, like: Roxane,

  • people are gonna scam you, how do you trust everybody,

  • how do you know that people need the money,

  • how do you... Like, how have you dealt

  • with the conflict of information in your mind?

  • You know, I did worry about that.

  • And most... most people seem to be really worried

  • about me getting scammed.

  • You know, I don't have time to play detective and CSI everyone.

  • So if you are really running a scam for $100,

  • then your karma is, you know, whatever happens to your karma

  • (chuckles): is what happens to your karma.

  • You know, I may have been scammed,

  • but I can live with that knowing that more people

  • who are genuine and who actually need the help

  • are being helped than people are scamming.

  • You, um, have received praise from so many different people

  • for inspiring this.

  • Um, I would argue one of the biggest names

  • who came out in support of what you're doing,

  • um, is President Barack Obama,

  • who tweeted about you and said: What Roxane is doing is amazing.

  • As communities, we need to come together and help.

  • Um, you-you... I've heard you say that you had

  • sort of conflicting feelings about this,

  • because on the one hand you were happy that Barack was...

  • I mean, it's Barack Obama who's saying, you know,

  • congratulations, and he's inspired by your cause,

  • but at the same time you felt like he could be doing more.

  • -What did you mean by that? -You know, I think that he

  • has spent a lot of his post-presidency,

  • as is his right, being decidedly apolitical,

  • and I... right now we need leaders to step forward

  • and say that what Donald Trump and his administration are doing

  • is unacceptable.

  • They are absolutely letting American people die.

  • It's avoidable.

  • And, you know, a former president has some clout.

  • He should say something.

  • But at the same time, I'm, like, super honored and flattered

  • (chuckles): that he mentioned me

  • and was aware of what I was doing.

  • But I think tension is fine.

  • Like, I'm totally fine holding him accountable for his power

  • and what he can do with it, while also being appreciative

  • of the recognition.

  • You've always been somebody who has engaged in and written about

  • communities and people

  • who are the most marginalized in society.

  • You know, as the coronavirus is growing,

  • as the outbreak is spreading, and as-as, um,

  • its effects are being felt by communities,

  • black people and the amount of suffering they're experiencing,

  • black Americans specifically,

  • is unfortunately becoming a story again,

  • where it's, like, oh, once again

  • black people are bearing the brunt

  • of something that is happening in America.

  • Uh, firstly...

  • what do you think this says about America?

  • And secondly, what do you think can be done, if anything?

  • Well, it showed that what those of us

  • who have been talking about inequality all along

  • are talking about is that the inequities are systemic.

  • And when something like a pandemic happens,

  • those inequities become even more pronounced.

  • And we're seeing that now

  • with the truly horrifying mortality rates

  • for coronavirus in the black community.

  • And so what we need to do is create actual systemic change,

  • to suggest that perhaps universal basic income

  • and Medicare for All

  • are no longer farfetched left-wing fantasies

  • but realities everyone is going to benefit from,

  • but especially black people.

  • Before I let you go, you are helping people directly.

  • You have organizations that you feel are doing an amazing job.

  • If somebody's watching this thing, Roxane--

  • I also want to help, I want to do something--

  • uh, where do they even begin, what advice would you give them?

  • You know, I think it's, look at what's going on

  • in your community and decide which organizations

  • are the best for you and where you want to spend your dollars.

  • I think food banks are a really good place

  • to send your money right now,

  • and, uh, Planned Parenthood,

  • and RAINN, because domestic violence rates are increasing

  • at really alarming rates, now that everyone's at home

  • and people are feeling economic pressure.

  • So I just think it's, what are your interests,

  • and... um, how can you...

  • best direct whatever expendable money you have

  • to those organizations.

  • All right. Well, thank you so much for your time.

  • Look after yourself.

  • Um, stay healthy, mentally especially,

  • because you're on Twitter so much out there.

  • And, uh, hopefully, I'll be seeing you...

  • I'll be seeing you soon on the other side.

  • Yeah, you will. It's great to see you again.

  • Nice seeing you, Roxane. Bye.

Roxane Gay, welcome to The Daily Social Distancing Show.

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