Liberian Population On Staten Island Concerned About Discrimination In Wake Of Ebola Scare
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Health officials held a town hall meeting on Ebola on Friday on Staten Island, which is home to one of the largest Liberian communities outside of West Africa.
As many as 8,000 Liberians live in the Clifton section of the borough, known as "Little Liberia."
Many feel there is a stigma being attached to their community in the wake of the Ebola outbreak. Liberia is one of three West African countries hit hardest by the disease.
Health Officials To Hold Staten Island Town Hall Meeting To Address Ebola Concerns
"I think so because people feel, as a Liberian, that I brought Ebola to the country, so people are afraid to come around Liberians," one man told WCBS 880's Jim Smith.
"They are not aware how they can contract the disease or not," another man told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck. "They make me feel bad because plenty of Liberians live on Staten Island, so as a Liberian, I'm feeling bad."
Health Officials To Hold Staten Island Town Hall Meeting To Address Ebola Concerns
"People around here say 'it's the Ebola Zone.' No. It's not the Ebola Zone. People here have been to Africa. So they may be African immigrants, but they are here," Rev. Bamidele Awopetu told CBS 2's Sonia Rincon.
"It's a disaster. We don't know to solve it. The only thing we can do is pray to God. That's all we can do," resident Kona Banwon added.
Rev. Awopetu, who is from Nigeria, said he's been hearing about discrimination against West Africans.
"Somebody was telling me now they have a sister in another state. This woman just went to work and they asked her 'where are you from?' She said from Sierra Leone. Right away they fired this woman. So that's wrong," Awopetu said.
Liberian Population On Staten Island Concerned About Discrimination In Wake Of Ebola Scare
Charles Roberts is from Liberia, but he said he hasn't been there in years. However, that hasn't stopped people from taking out their Ebola fears on him.
"If you come from Africa, more specifically from the West, people are running away from you. They don't want to get closer to you," Roberts said.
Another man said he was told recently not to get into a friend's car because he is from Liberia.
Health Commissioner Mary Travis Bassett and others dispelled some of the rumors about Ebola and answer any questions at the town hall meeting, which was held at P.S. 57 on Palma Drive.
"I am completely confident that we will have no widespread Ebola outbreak," Bassett said.
Liberian Population On Staten Island Concerned About Discrimination In Wake Of Ebola Scare
She told the packed crowd Friday night that anyone exhibiting symptoms should seek help regardless of their immigration status.
"Everyone has the right to receive care regardless of immigration status," she said.
Assie Jalloh was one of the more than 100 people who showed up to the meeting to learn the truth about Ebola and to work to erase the stigma.
"At this time of the year, everybody travels to Africa. And right now, a lot of people aren't going," she said.
She also heard from people like Oretha Bestman-Yates who had a slight fever after returning from Liberia. Her boss won't let her return to work after getting clearance from her doctor.
"So since August 5, after this point, I have not worked," she said.
The number of people killed by Ebola in West Africa reached 4,500 this week. People in Staten Island's Liberian community told Rincon they support screenings at the airports for symptoms.
"People are concerned and very scared about what they don't know, because people don't know who is coming from Liberia and other parts of West Africa," said Deacon Telee Brown of the Staten Island Liberia Ebola Fund.
"The forum tonight is going to help a whole lot in helping to bridge the gap, when it comes to information ... information that people need in dealing with people from Liberia and other countries that are dealing with Ebola," Brown said.
He said there are still lots of myths about how the disease is spread, adding the community has to be armed with information way ahead of time and know what to do, just in case.
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