For me, LinkedIn is a special platform filled with myriad talent demonstrated by accomplishments both professional and personal that are regularly posted. It is its own motivational and living body of work made up of this thing we call the collective human experience. From time to time, I am moved to add my voice in a meaningful way with a message that transcends…This is one of those times. The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the world up profoundly causing us to take stock of LIFE. I specifically want to spark two points of deep thought and discussion it has revealed – stereotyping and vaccine hesitancy and its relationship with racism.
As an unapologetically African-American woman who is proud to be who I am, I appreciate and celebrate all this country represents and the opportunities that abound. We need to get to a place that we stop stereotyping each other, which is unfortunately an inherent flaw that works both ways. Instead, accept each other unconditionally as the individuals we are by our character as Dr. King ascribed to. If we do this, we will get to that place we all yearn for. While there is some degree of hesitancy in the African-American community, I can’t believe it doesn’t transcend across all of America.
I personally know many in the African-American community who want the vaccine, have been vaccinated, have sought out information, and informed others about it. I’m sure this is the case across the country in every community regardless of race. There is no place COVID-19 has not touched so the discussions are taking place. I can appreciate those whose narrative is that African-Americans are hesitant but I don’t think it’s more than other Americans. We are not hesitant. That’s the stereotype component this post addresses.
The second point is racism and healthcare disparity which has been acknowledged and continues to exist. I believe this is the true causality of why the number of vaccinations in our community is behind the curve of total vaccinations. I read a recent article on the topic of disparity in health care on the New England Journal of Medicine. It struck me so profoundly because it spoke to my story as an unapologetically black woman in America and was the impetus for me reaching out. This is the racism component to this post that we as Americans continue to struggle with.
I don’t pretend to know the answer to this critical problem. I will leave that up to the experts to solve. It’s just unimaginable that racism and healthcare disparity is presenting as some new epiphany. I do have a suggestion for the experts. Please do the work utilizing a broad scientific study with more than empirical data but solutions to eradicate this scourge before painting the narrative with the broad brush of stereotype that does not speak to the current state of affairs.
This post is a synopsis of my personal experience that informs the expert position I have lived as an African-American. I reside in metropolitan Atlanta but had to drive 200 miles round trip to get my vaccination. What is that reality?? – Stereotyping or Racial Disparity in Healthcare. That’s my picture receiving my shot. My hope is that I piqued your curiosity to view the milieu of the African-American from an authentic place. Now, I ask that you gain more insight on these points of thought and discussion. Please check out the link to read the article entitled “Without Sanctuary”. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2030623?query=WB
~~Marsha