Initiative calls on leaders to help vulnerable Black communities

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, UNITES STATES , December 18, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Covid-19 Black, a health initiative aimed at reducing the spread of Covid-19 and improving overall health in the Black and African Ancestry community, today launched a new video featuring the leaders of three major foundations: Nicole Taylor, President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation, and Maurice Jones, President, and CEO of LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation).

The three executives joined up with Covid-19 Black as part of a strategic outreach effort designed to provide Black communities with critical information delivered by a trusted source.

In the short video, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Blackwell, and Mr. Jones speak candidly about the systemic racism that has plagued our nation for centuries, creating health and economic disparities that predispose Black communities to the devastating consequences of Covid-19.

“We need to keep safe, and we need to make sure members of the Black community understand what’s at risk, who’s at risk. Our lives depend on it,” said Taylor.

The disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Black communities necessitates education and resources targeted specifically to the Black community. The Covid-19 Black initiative aims to deliver information where it is most needed in a culturally competent way.

“If we’re disproportionately impacted by these issues, we also need to have strategies that are tailored specifically to Black communities in order to address those who have been most impacted,” said Blackwell.

The video also touches on the critical role Black leaders can play in keeping communities safe and creating a more equitable society going forward.

“As a member of the Black community, I know that I’m part of a larger story, a story that includes people who before had to navigate slavery, had to navigate Jim Crow, had to navigate separate but equal, had to navigate not being able to vote without being intimidated,” said Jones. “That’s my story. I’m a part of that story, and it’s my job to make sure that I do my part to keep that story going in a positive direction.”

Unity Care Founder and CEO André Chapman, who launched the Covid-19 Black initiative, said, “The only way to slow the spread and mitigate the incredible loss is to educate and engage our community with trustworthy, consistent and factual information, thereby empowering individuals to take charge in the fight against the virus.”

Covid-19 Black is a health initiative of nonprofit organization Unity Care, in partnership with the Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet of Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. To watch the video and learn more about Covid-19 Black, visit https://covid19black.org/.

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About the Unity Care Group
Founded in 1993 to provide quality youth and family programs for the purpose of creating healthier communities through life-long partnerships, Unity Care provides housing and supportive services across nine Bay Area Counties in northern California. To learn more about Unity Care visit www.unitycare.org.

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