On Saturday, April 4 the International District held a press conference responding to Mayor Sylvester Turner’s call on Friday for donations of PPEs to “frontline” public and healthcare personnel, to announce a donation of 10,000 medical masks underwritten by IMD funds through its coronavirus task force.

International District Board Chair, Wea Lee stated “We are proud to be one of the first donors to Mayor Turner’s effort. Like me, many of the business owners and customers in the International District are immigrants to the United States. The Asian-American community in Houston is proud to help fight the coronavirus because we always want the best for the city we chose as our place to work hard, raise families and enjoy our freedoms.”

Congressman Al Green was on hand and thanked the International Management District for its donation of 10,000 procedural masks to the City of Houston to help supplement the shrinking inventory of PPE. He stated that he was grateful to local community leader Mr. Wea Lee for bringing this valuable contribution to his attention. He also arrived wearing his own homemade mask to stress the fact that people can make their own masks noting that it is critically important to make sure to leave PPE’s to the medical community.

State Representative Hubert Vo was also on hand to join Congressman Green in thanking the International District for the donation of masks. The Representative also responded to a question from a reporter regarding the false rumors circulating in the community about the virus and discrimination against local restaurants. The Representative stated “While we understand false rumors are circulating, we are doing all we can to dispel those rumors by sharing factual information with the public.” Congressman Green echoed similar sentiments stating “We are all in this together and wherever discrimination exists, we must work to defend against it and this is one of those times when we must be ruled by facts, not fear.”

International District Donates 10,000 PPE Masks