It’s going to take months if not years for us to truly understand how big of an impact COVID is having on our society and economy. Unfortunately, there is data that shows the pandemic is disproportionately impacting African Americans. In fact, majority-black counties have three times the rate of infections and nearly six times the rate of deaths as majority-white counties, according to the analysis.
The question, of course, is why.
Some of the reasons I found were:
1. African Americans hold more essential jobs
2. African Americans have more underlying health
issues, with less access to health care
3. The dissemination of information is not reaching
African Americans effectively
There is so much wrong about all of those reasons. Our society has got to change how we view and
respond to people of color and their specific conditions. There is so much to do. Diversity and
inclusion efforts are only the beginning.
February is Black History Month. Please find a way
to celebrate, while staying safe.