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.