Are “vaccine hunters” helping achieve racial equity in vaccinations or increasing disparity and fear? How can we begin addressing systems that continue to benefit white people and some others, while leaving many Black and brown people in perpetual need of assistance to get resources that were taken from them? Maurice Cook, of Serve Your City DC/Ward 6 Hub DC Mutual Aid joins “Community thru Covid” to discuss these and related matters.
Some progress has been achieved in terms of Black people being vaccinated here in DC. See change in vaccination numbers between March 2 and March 19 (as of 3/25, last update was on 3/19/21). The number of Black people receiving at least one dose rose from less than 14,000 in early March (of roughly 65,000 vaccinated) to 25,000 (out of roughly 100,000) by March 19.
But stark, steep, and deadly disparities persist, as this Washington Post March 25 article shows. See maps here (visual description below).
Also on this show: Update on juvenile incarceration and Covid-19. Visit previous interview with Josh Rovner, of the Sentencing Project, for many still-current insights. Recent update here.
“Community thru Covid” airs Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. EASTERN Tune in on We Act Radio (audio) and YouTube Live. Or check back for recordings posted shortly after air time. Subscribe for regular updates.
For more, related political education, see “DC 101” monthly series:
January, Housing and gentrification
February, Schooling and the “reopening fiasco”
Community Safety. March 29, 6 p.m. Here’s the FB event.
Anyone Black or Brown in DC or Maryland: Call 202-964-0991 for help scheduling a vaccine.
Hours are Mon-Fri 1 – 7 pm and Sat/Sun 12 – 5 pm or leave a message.
See also: Pandemics and Economics in History #6: Disease, Plots, and Animosities for full text of this week’s episode plus citations and additional links.
Description of Washington post map graphic:
Left hand map shows vaccinations by ward:
Ward 3 – 12.2%. Ward 4 – 9.3%. Ward 2 – 8 %. Ward 5 – 7.9%. Ward 6 – 7.7%. Ward 1 – 7.2%. Ward 7 – 5.4%. Ward 8 3.9%.
Right-hand map shows deaths by Ward, with deaths per thousand residents at 2.3 in Ward 8; 2.1 in Ward 5; 2.0 in Ward 7; 1.8 in Ward 4. 1.3 in Ward 1. 1.1 in Ward 6. 0.7 in both Ward 2 and Ward 3. Source: DC’s Department of Health as reported in The Washington Post.
Community Thru CRT: 