Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry, Rev. Thomas Bowen and Rev. Karen Curry help kick off The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church’s ‘Faith In The Vaccine’ event.
FAITH IN THE VACCINE
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By Rev. Karen Curry OVID-19 has been hitting black and brown communities in the United States particularly hard, and many people have been literally praying for relief. While the expedited production of vaccines has been unsettling for some, others view it as an answer to prayer.
District of Columbia (DC) residents who desired to take the vaccines eagerly anticipated being able to do so in their own communities. However, residents in underserved areas of the city found that appointments were immediately and repeatedly filled by persons outside of their communities who were better able to navigate online portals, physically able to wait in long lines in-person or simply were bold enough to strategize ways to get appointments despite residency or other eligibility requirements. DC residents did appointments despite residency or other eligibility requirements. DC residents did not take those interceptions lightly, and loudly voiced their displeasure to
their local council members, to the mayor and their pastor. Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry, pastor of The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church (PABC) in SE, Washington, D.C., had been serving on DC Health’s Scientific Advisory Committee and heard from his congregants members, loud and clear, that something needed to be done to remedy the injustice. In his discussions with the leadership of DC Health, Dr. Curry suggested that the city engage churches to serve as vaccine clinics to more effectively reach DC residents and seniors, especially those in the city’s underserved areas of Wards 5, 7 and 8. Other city officials also heard
April/May 2021 Capital Baptist Newsletter
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