4 minute read
COVID-19: A Message on Health & Healing for the Black Community
By Cynthia Vasquez
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COVID-19 left its mark over the world. The main message it left behind for the Black community, specifically? We’ve earned our right to enter a state of health conscientiousness and healing. After all, we’re among the marginalized communities who are hit the hardest during moments of national (or global) catastrophe.
We’re a collective of people known for taking life and survival into our own hands. Many moments in history show that we were left behind both in the past and present. Ultimately, forgotten or disregarded by the government on many accounts. All because it didn’t know what to do with us after years of second-class citizenship. While it sounds dreary, COVID-19 laid this truth bare once data on the ethnic demographics left most susceptible to the virus was released.
CDC data shows Black people are nearly four times more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19. We’re also over two times as likely to die because of virus-related health complications. As of April, Black people comprise 21% of COVID-19 deaths, while only representing 13.4% of the nationwide population. Only the US-Latinx community compares to the staggering amount of people who fell ill and passed away during the silent battle that coronavirus imposed over the entire world.
racial disparities that existed before a global pandemic. Across the board, Black people were over three times as likely to work in healthcare support. Seven other industries deemed essential include: transportation, wholesale, cleaning and maintenance, and food preparation. These are high-contact working-class industries that don’t require extensive education.
The bottom line: we can’t afford to be sick all the time! COVID-19 left behind a big message and it was to take our health into our own hands (again). Even though local healthcare resources can be virtually nonexistent, that doesn’t mean we aren’t capable of caring for ourselves to prevent major health difficulties.
You might ask, why?
Well, for starters, the racial disparities that existed before a global pandemic. Across the board, Black people were over three times as likely to work in healthcare support. Seven other industries deemed essential include: transportation, wholesale, cleaning and maintenance, and food preparation. These are high-contact working-class industries that don’t require extensive education.
The bottom line: we can’t afford to be sick all the time! COVID-19 left behind a big message and it was to take our health into our own hands (again). Even though local healthcare resources can be virtually nonexistent, that doesn’t mean we aren’t capable of caring for ourselves to prevent major health difficulties.
Meditation is as easy as an app search or going on YouTube for guided courses. Finding a quiet room in your house to just sit and be mindful for tento-fifteen minutes a day is possible. For obvious reasons, vulnerability won’t always be second nature in our communities. But that doesn’t mean we can’t seek support during a time when it’s really needed. Not just for our sake, but for the people around us that we impact. We’re living in a time where a therapist is only a Google search away, and sound frequencies can make us feel way more grounded than a cigarette.
Becoming conscious of our diets isn’t meant to be a question, anymore. Demanding better food options throughout our communities needs to start with a change in mentality toward food. For instance, we keep hearing food is medicine but are we really taking that into account? Food is medicine means that we’ll have to decide between swapping the collard greens and grits out for some kale and carrots. It means looking into teas and other herbal remedies instead of relying on OTC-medicine and doctors trips. We’re so focused on the cure for things, that we forget to realize the causes are linked to our everyday decisions.
Just because it’s healthy doesn’t mean it won’t taste good, either. Believe it or not, there are other ways to satisfy our souls without grease! And yes, it’s difficult at first, but when you can wake up in the mornings without feeling tired, you’ll be happy. When your stress and anxiety levels are down, you’ll thank yourself for having the discipline to do it. When you can feel your overall health improve, you’ll be grateful for doing it for yourself or loved ones.
As a community, we know that it’s time to take better care of ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically. Our bodies, spirits, and minds are connected. If one is lagging, then the other suffers. We’ve earned and deserve the right to foster a healthy future. One that isn’t plagued by imbalances of mental, spiritual, and physical complications. It’s not a luxury, but a reality that we owe to ourselves.
