Thanks to Marcia Mayne of Date With a Book, who sent this to me today:

Dear Friends,

Like many of you, I watched with horror yesterday morning as the Today Show aired a video of a woman, dressed in hospital gown, rolled off the chair she was in onto the floor of Kings County Hospital. She twitched a little, turned, then stopped moving.

Several people, including 2 security guards – one rolled himself in the chair he was sitting in, took a look and rolled back to his post – and a doctor, saw the woman on the floor and did nothing. Finally, a female nurse/hospital employee walked over to the woman, and used her foot to try to rouse her. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I couldn’t help thinking how uncaring and detached we have become. The irony of the matter is that a hospital is where we all expect that we will be
treated with some degree of compassion if not dignity.

When the reporter announced that she was from Jamaica and her family could not afford to repatriate her remains, I figured we as a community should rally round and help.

Today, I decided to see what, if anything the consulate was doing. From what I was able to gather, Ms. Green has 6 children, apparently all in Jamaica, ages 29-14. I was told that the city will pay for
her funeral and they are trying to get expedited visas to get members of her family here for her funeral which has been scheduled for this Sunday. Because of the July 4th holidays, the embassy in Kingston
will be closed so they might not be able to get the visas in time. I imagine the funeral might be postponed.

Her body will be sent back to JA for burial.

I asked at the consulate if they or anyone else was setting up a fund for her and her children but the response was vague. Apparently, the CG, Chuck Shumer and Yvette Clarke are working on the arrangements.

It also seems Ms Green was here illegally. No-one knows what impact that will have on her case – I’m sure there will be one. She had been the sole support for her children. She lost her job, fell behind
and things began to spiral downward. It’s really a sad, sad story. Ms. Green, 49, lived in relative obscurity in Brooklyn. In death, she has become a symbol of what is wrong with this country and its healthcare system. (She has over 7,500 links on Google!) Ironic, isn’t it?

Anyway, my friend Lavern McDonald, just alerted me to a meeting tomorrow in Brooklyn at 7:00 pm at Mike’s Int’l Restaurant, 552 Flatbush Avenue (Lincoln Road and Maple Street)to discuss the community’s response. Please try to make it and please spread the word.

Esmin Green is me and you.

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Marcia M. Mayne
Date with a Book
Literary Publicity