Black Americans suffer disproportionately from COVID-19. Here’s what you can do.
One and a half million sick. 85,000 dead. Americans whose lives have been shattered—or taken—by the coronavirus pandemic. We’re all suffering in these difficult times—but as the pandemic progresses, it becomes clearer that Black Americans are suffering disproportionately. Though Black Americans only make up about 13 percent of our population, preliminary Centers for Disease Control data suggests they account for 30 percent of COVID-19 cases. This disparity increases in cities like Chicago, where a staggering 68 percent of those dead from COVID-19 are Black. Some elected leaders have vowed to investigate the cause of this disparity. Some blame Black folks for being at higher risk. The truth is that Black communities are hit hardest not because coronavirus discriminates, but because people do. The same institutional roadblocks that have historically impeded Black social mobility are to blame for the devastating toll COVID-19 is taking on Black communities.
Black communities are hit harder because they’re on the frontlines. Black Americans are overrepresented in essential jobs—think mass transit, retail or food service. The Current Populations Survey found that 38 percent of Black Americans work in essential industries, whereas only 27 percent of white Americans do. Those of us who have been low-wage workers know that benefits like health insurance or sick leave are typically nonexistent. I work at a nonprofit organization in Lexington. My job isn’t essential to keep the economy running, but I’m able to work from home. Black Americans are often left with no choice but to continue showing up, despite the increased risk to their families.
COVID-19 has compounded already bad health outcomes for Black Americans. According to US News & World Report, Black communities are at higher risk for preexisting conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Numerous studies have shown that structural racism is responsible—not poor individual choices. Even within the healthcare system, Black Americans are likely to experience bias. For Black Americans, it is easier to get sick, and once sick, more difficult to receive proper care and to recover—all because of racial disparities.
America is built on a foundation of slavery and colonization. I was once unaware of how I benefit from my whiteness. An analogy made it clear. Imagine that life is a marathon. In a fair race, we all run the same distance, with start and finish lines in the same place. Simply because I am a white person, I get a head start, 20 feet closer to the
I’m also privileged to be able to protect my family’s health by working from home. I’m privileged to have a job when over 20 million are unemployed. It’s not my fault that I have these advantages, but it is my responsibility to use them for the benefit of marginalized people. White folks are great at getting emotional about injustice, but terrible at admitting we benefit from it. I challenge you to go a step further and actively work for justice by giving directly to communities of color.
▪ Chanelle Helm is an organizer with Black Lives Matter Louisville. She’s raising funds at tinyurl.com/502mutualaid to support Black families in Kentucky.
▪ Creighton Leigh is an organizer with Voix Noire. I’m raising funds for her food security work at tinyurl.com/covidfund. She assists Black families across Kentucky and nationally.
▪ Amy Jones is raising funds at tinyurl.com/ny-covid to combat COVID-created food insecurity nationally.
A strong community cares for its most vulnerable. If you’re staying #HealthyAtHome because you can #WorkFromHome, then give to one of these fundraisers and share it with your network. These funds go directly to people in crisis, not to personnel or overhead. A more compassionate, just, and equitable world is possible, but we must use our privilege to make it happen.
Ethan Hawes is a community advocate for people who use drugs and a fundraiser for racial justice efforts.
This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 2:23 PM.