The first authors of this publish are white. We all know that we will’t totally perceive the Black expertise — and that we might get some issues incorrect. If we mess up, we wish to hear that suggestions.
This week, as protests towards racism and police brutality fill our newsfeeds alongside persevering with protection of the coronavirus pandemic, we’re taking time to replicate on the interconnectedness of those public well being crises.
Many main well being organizations — just like the American Medical Affiliation and American Public Well being Affiliation — have launched statements in latest days affirming that racism and police brutality are public well being crises not less than as pressing and life-threatening as coronavirus. And because the drastic racial disparities in COVID-19 dying charges present, when a Black particular person dies of COVID-19, they’ve additionally and equally been killed by systemic racism as a determinant of well being — a reason for dying that speaks to structural issues far past violence.
In order well being communicators, we acknowledge that prioritizing the specter of the pandemic over systemic threats to Black lives is a false selection. And we have now a duty to keep away from selling this false selection in our messages. For instance, after we speak concerning the potential of protests to unfold coronavirus, we have to keep away from blaming protesters for this potential hurt — or implying that the chance of spreading coronavirus outweighs the disproportionate danger of illness, violence, and dying Black folks face every single day on this nation.
We additionally want to obviously condemn police violence and escalation at protests. And after we speak concerning the danger of coronavirus spreading, we should always begin by calling out militarized police ways that enhance that danger, like forcing protesters into crowded areas or utilizing tear gasoline.
Right here at We ❤ Well being Literacy Headquarters, we’ll hold doing our personal analysis, educating ourselves, and listening to you, our readers. We’re right here for feedback and questions on how well being communicators can higher deal with police brutality, racism, and white supremacy within the time of COVID-19. And whereas we don’t anticipate our Black readers to take on the labor of training us, we wish to use our platform to share assets created by Black folks and to amplify Black voices.
Tweet us @CommunicateHlth or e mail: wehearthealthliteracy@communicatehealth.com