On December 22, 2020, WPTI Executive Director Sharon Sewell-Fairman published an op-ed in City Limits, titled, “How We Can Rebuild NYC’s Hospitality and Retail Industries.” The piece addresses the critical state of the city’s hospitality and retail sectors, and the impact this has had on New York City workers – with nearly one-third of all workers receiving unemployment benefits, and a disproportionate impact on people of color, young adults, immigrants, and entry-level workers.

Few sectors have been hit harder than retail. Even before the pandemic, many of NYC’s 32,000 brick-and-mortar businesses were struggling against strong competition from e-commerce and national chains, shifting consumption patterns, and fast rising costs of operation.