PYNK Lemonade The Squeeze | Volume 5

Page 26

COVID-19: A Message on Health & Healing for the Black Community

We’ve earned and deserve the right to foster a healthy future. By Cynthia Vasquez

C Photo from Adobe Stock

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.

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.

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 You might ask, why? Well, for starters, the THE SQUEEZE

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WINTER 2021


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