{"id":2165018,"date":"2024-02-01T13:49:06","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T18:49:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/squad-democrat-pressley-slams-walgreens-for-closing-locations-in-minority-communities-demand-answers\/"},"modified":"2024-02-01T13:52:28","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T18:52:28","slug":"squad-democrat-pressley-slams-walgreens-for-closing-locations-in-minority-communities-demand-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/squad-democrat-pressley-slams-walgreens-for-closing-locations-in-minority-communities-demand-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrat Pressley criticizes Walgreens for shutting down stores in minority areas: &#8216;Seeking explanations"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsquad-democrat-pressley-slams-walgreens-for-closing-locations-in-minority-communities-demand-answers%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2165018&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Rep. Ayanna Pressley Slams Walgreens for Closing Locations in Minority Communities<\/h2>\n<p>On the House floor, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) passionately criticized Walgreens\u200d Pharmacy for its decision to close its location in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Joined by Sens. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Pressley demanded answers \u2064from Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Shame on you, Walgreens,&#8221; Pressley \u200cexclaimed. &#8220;As a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/5-woke-corporations-who-condemned-georgia-while-still-doing-business-with-china\/\" title=\"5 \u2018Woke\u2019 Corporations Who Condemned Georgia \u2026 While Still Doing Business With China\">multibillion-dollar corporation<\/a>,\u200c Walgreens needs to stop divesting from black and brown\u2063 communities and start investing in \u200dthem.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Having a website with talking\u200d points about\u200c health\u200d equity and underserved communities is not enough,&#8221; she\u200b added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Walgreens cited local market dynamics and changing customer buying habits as reasons for the closures.\u200b However, Pressley argued that\u200d these closures disproportionately affect minority communities.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Addressing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA),\u2064 Pressley criticized Walgreens for planning\u2063 to close another \u200dpharmacy in \u2062the Massachusetts \u200b7th\u2063 District, a community \u200bthat is 85% black and Latino.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When a Walgreens leaves a neighborhood, they disrupt the entire community and take away essential items like baby formula, diapers, asthma inhalers, life-saving medications,\u2063 and jobs,&#8221; Pressley emphasized.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;These closures \u2063are not arbitrary, and they are not innocent. They are\u200c life-threatening acts of\u200c racial and economic discrimination,&#8221; she declared.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Pressley also highlighted the closure of other Walgreens locations in low-income communities, such as Mattapan and Hyde Park within Massachusetts&#8217; 7th Congressional District.<\/p>\n<p>In response\u200c to the closure, Pressley, Markey, and Warren sent a letter to Walgreens urging the company not to close its Roxbury location. They argued that these closures contribute to the existing racial \u2063and\u200d economic disparities in these neighborhoods.<\/p>\n<p>The closure \u200bof the Roxbury location proceeded as planned, leaving the \u2063community without a nearby pharmacy. The \u200cWashington Examiner reached out \u200bto Walgreens, Pressley, and Warren for comment.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are the potential consequences\u2062 of retail pharmacies closing in low-income and minority neighborhoods?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ry neighborhood of Boston, which \u200cis predominantly \u2062African American. Pressley called the move a &#8220;direct attack on the health and well-being&#8221; of the \u2062community\u200b and accused Walgreens of perpetuating racial and\u2063 economic disparities in healthcare access.<\/p>\n<p>Pressley&#8217;s \u200bcriticism comes in the context \u200cof a wider trend of retail\u2062 pharmacies closing their doors in low-income and minority neighborhoods across the country. These closures leave\u2063 residents with limited access to essential medications, health screenings, and other healthcare\u2064 services. This lack of \u200daccess exacerbates existing health disparities, as residents in these\u200b communities already face higher rates of \u2063chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and\u200b asthma.<\/p>\n<p>In her passionate speech, Pressley highlighted the importance of pharmacies as vital community resources,\u200d particularly for those\u200c without reliable transportation or who face other \u200dbarriers to accessing healthcare. She pointed out that the closure of \u200dthe Roxbury Walgreens would force \u200dresidents to travel long distances to \u2063access basic medications, causing unnecessary financial burdens and additional health risks.<\/p>\n<p>Pressley also criticized \u2062the inconsistency in Walgreens&#8217; decision-making, pointing out that the\u200c company only seems \u2064to close its locations in minority communities. This raises concerns about\u2062 whether race \u200cand economic factors play a role in determining which stores to shutter.<\/p>\n<p>The congresswoman called on Walgreens to prioritize racial\u2063 equity and\u200b demanded transparency in their decision-making process. She stressed the need for corporate responsibility in ensuring equitable access to\u2064 healthcare\u2062 services, especially in communities that are \u200balready marginalized and underserved.<\/p>\n<p>Walgreens&#8217; decision \u2063to \u200bclose its Roxbury location is not an isolated\u200b incident. In recent years, numerous retail pharmacies have closed their doors in minority communities, leaving \u200cresidents with few alternatives. This\u2062 trend reflects\u2063 a larger issue of healthcare disparities faced by\u200b marginalized communities across the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Research \u2064has shown \u200cthat \u200cthe \u200babsence of pharmacies in low-income neighborhoods \u2062has far-reaching consequences. In addition\u2064 to\u200c limited access to prescription\u2064 medications, these communities also face barriers to receiving \u2064important immunizations, health screenings, and preventive care. As a result, health\u2062 conditions \u200bgo undiagnosed and untreated, leading to worsening health outcomes and higher healthcare costs in the long run.<\/p>\n<p>Addressing this issue requires a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-orders-l-a-to-offer-housing-to-homeless-population-on-skid-row-says-city-and-county-created-a-legacy-of-entrenched-structural-racism\/\" title=\"Judge Orders L.A. To Offer Housing To Homeless Population On Skid Row, Says City And County \u2018Created A Legacy Of Entrenched Structural Racism\u2019\">multi-faceted approach<\/a>. Firstly, there needs to be increased investment in community health centers \u2062and clinics,\u200d particularly in underserved neighborhoods. These centers can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tzachi-israel-helps-equip-idf-troops-on-the-frontlines\/\" title=\"Tzachi Israel supports IDF troops at the front\">provide essential healthcare services<\/a>\u200b and bridge the gap left by the closure of retail pharmacies.<\/p>\n<p>Secondly, there is a need\u2062 for legislation that holds \u2063corporations accountable for their\u2062 decisions to shutter stores in \u2064marginalized communities. This legislation \u200bshould promote transparency and require corporations to assess\u2063 the potential impact\u2063 of closures on community health outcomes.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, there\u2064 needs to be \u200da comprehensive effort to address the systemic issues \u200bthat perpetuate healthcare disparities. This includes investing in education and job opportunities in minority communities, addressing structural racism in healthcare delivery, and expanding health insurance \u200ccoverage.<\/p>\n<p>Closing pharmacies in minority communities is not just a business decision; it has profound effects on \u200cthe health and well-being of\u200b the residents. Rep. Ayanna Pressley&#8217;s condemnation of Walgreens&#8217; decision to close its Roxbury location highlights the\u200d urgent need for action to address healthcare disparities and ensure equitable access for \u200dall communities. It is a call to corporations, lawmakers, and society as a whole to prioritize the health and lives of marginalized populations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) criticized Walgreens Pharmacy for shutting down stores in minority communities. She, along with Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren, called for explanations and demanded answers regarding the closure of the Roxbury location in Boston, Massachusetts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2670,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2165018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2165018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2670"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2165018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2165018\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2165018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2165018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2165018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}