NEW AD: Community Leader Slams Tillis Comments on Latinos, Demands Unemployment Extension

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 21, 2020

NEW AD: Community Leader Slams Tillis Comments on Latinos, Demands Unemployment Extension

Tillis Must Stop Blaming Latinos for Coronavirus Spread, Take Action to Support Struggling North Carolinians

Raleigh, N.C. - Today, Piedmont Rising released a new digital ad demanding that Senator Thom Tillis stop blaming North Carolina’s Latino community for the spread of coronavirus in the state and take action to help struggling North Carolinians by extending federal unemployment insurance. The ad, entitled “All Of Us,” features Irene Godínez, Executive Director of Poder NC and a leader in the state’s Latino community. The ad will run on Facebook for two weeks.

Last week, Tillis falsely claimed that Hispanic North Carolinians were not adhering to mask-wearing and social distancing requirements, sparking local and national outrage from community members and activists. In fact, according to a Pew Research study conducted in June, Hispanic respondents were more likely to report regularly wearing masks than white respondents. Yesterday, Tillis told CNN he did not regret his comments.

“Senator Tillis’ comments were disgraceful, and he owes North Carolina’s Latino community an apology,” said Piedmont Rising Executive Director Casey Wilkinson. “Instead of falsely blaming his Latino constituents who are the victims of racial disparities in health care and the economy, Tillis should be working to expand access to health care and extend federal unemployment insurance for struggling North Carolinians.”

Script

Sen. Thom Tillis: “In the Hispanic population we have seen less consistent adherence to social distancing and wearing a mask.”

Godínez: Senator Thom Tillis is blaming Latinos for the spread of the coronavirus in North Carolina.

Instead of blaming others, Senator Tillis should take action to help North Carolinians through this crisis. But he won’t commit to stopping federal unemployment insurance from expiring this month.

We need Senator Tillis to stand up for all of us. Call Senator Tillis and tell him to stop federal unemployment insurance from expiring.

###