The coronavirus pandemic has exposed glaring health and economic disparities among communities of color, and has been particularly dangerous for African Americans. According to CDC data, one third of people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19 are African American, yet African Americans only account for 13% of the U.S. population. At the root of this distressing disparity is not just underlying health conditions that put black Americans at elevated risk – diabetes, hypertension, obesity and asthma – but a host of factors tied to structural racism, including poverty, lack of access to healthcare, low-wage employment and chronic stress.
A robust discussion took place on Tuesday, April 28, on what this means for the St. Louis region and what measures are being taken to improve response and recovery for communities of color.
Featuring:
Angela Fleming Brown
Chief Executive Officer, St. Louis Regional Health Commission
David Dwight IV
Executive Director & Lead Strategy Catalyst, Forward Through Ferguson
Sean Joe
Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor of Social Development; Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis; Director, HomeGrown STL
Jason Purnell
Associate Professor, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis; Director, Health Equity Works
Moderated by:
Cynthia Williams, Assistant Dean for Community Partnerships, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis
Atia Thurman, Associate Director, Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis
This event was sponsored by the Brown School, Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Forward Through Ferguson, HomeGrown STL, Health Equity Works, and the Social Policy Institute.
COVID-19 webinar series
- April 28, 2020: COVID-19 and Race: The Disproportionate Impact on the Health of Communities of Color
- Jun 2, 2020: Tracking the Social and Economic Impact of COVID-19
- Jun 30, 2020: COVID-19 and Race: Health and Economic Disparities in the Latinx Community
- Aug 13, 2020: COVID-19 and Race: Educational Equity in a New Era
- May 28, 2020: COVID-19 and Race: Devastating Loss and Emotional and Mental Health
- Jun 11, 2020: COVID-19 & Race: Political Action and Power in the Face of Adversity
- Jul 9, 2020: COVID-19 & Race: Talking to Children About Race and Social Justice
- Feb 24, 2021: A Community Based Response to COVID-19 in a Historic Urban Neighborhood
- Mar 17, 2021: The COVID Vaccine: Race, Risk Factors, and Equity in Vaccine Distribution
- Feb 8, 2022: COVID-19 Variants & Vaccinations – Where Are We Now?
April 28, 2020 at 10:00 am