This week on Gateways, Ben and Tracy look at how Gateway Cities are responding to the spread of coronavirus. As Ben says, “One of the special things about Gateway Cities is they have, in their DNA, resiliency.”
They discuss examples of how cities like Worcester and Fall River are shifting their attention to actions to help the homeless and frontline healthcare and service workers in these unprecedented time.
We then hear how Lawrence has risen to the occasion as Ben speaks with Derek Mitchell, founding executive director of the Lawrence Partnership. They discuss how the “Immigrant City” banded together to tackle the 2018 Columbia Gas explosions in Merrimack Valley, when homes and businesses were destroyed. The economic effects of that disaster linger today as coronavirus shutdowns descend on the city. Mitchell emphasizes the power that comes from trusting working relationships between businesses, public officials, and individuals, which helped his community in 2018 and will certainly be of aide as the spread of COVID-19 takes its toll.