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lisadtinsley

Health

Black Americans Are Getting Vaccinated at Lower Rates Than White Americans

by lisadtinsley January 25, 2021

By Hannah Recht and Lauren Weber

Photo by @hakannural

Black Americans are receiving Covid vaccinations at dramatically lower rates than white Americans in the first weeks of the chaotic rollout, according to a new KHN analysis.

About 3% of Americans have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine so far. But in 16 states that have released data by race, white residents are being vaccinated at significantly higher rates than Black residents, according to the analysis — in many cases two to three times higher.

In the most dramatic case, 1.2% of white Pennsylvanians had been vaccinated as of Jan. 14, compared with 0.3% of Black Pennsylvanians.

The vast majority of the initial round of vaccines has gone to health care workers and staffers on the front lines of the pandemic — a workforce that’s typically racially diverse made up of physicians, hospital cafeteria workers, nurses and janitorial staffers.

If the rollout were reaching people of all races equally, the shares of people vaccinated whose race is known should loosely align with the demographics of health care workers. But in every state, Black Americans were significantly underrepresented among people vaccinated so far.

Access issues and mistrust rooted in structural racism appear to be the major factors leaving Black health care workers behind in the quest to vaccinate the nation. The unbalanced uptake among what might seem like a relatively easy-to-vaccinate workforce doesn’t bode well for the rest of the country’s dispersed population.

Black, Hispanic and Native Americans are dying from covid at nearly three times the rate of white Americans, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis. And non-Hispanic Black and Asian health care workers are more likely to contract covid and to die from it than white workers. (Hispanics can represent any race or combination of races.)

“My concern now is if we don’t vaccinate the population that’s highest-risk, we’re going to see even more disproportional deaths in Black and brown communities,” said Dr. Fola May, a UCLA physician and health equity researcher. “It breaks my heart.”

Dr. Taison Bell, a University of Virginia Health System physician who serves on its vaccination distribution committee, stressed that the hesitancy among some Blacks about getting vaccinated is not monolithic. Nurses he spoke with were concerned it could damage their fertility, while a Black co-worker asked him about the safety of the Moderna vaccine since it was the company’s first such product on the market. Some floated conspiracy theories, while other Black co-workers just wanted to talk to someone they trust like Bell, who is also Black.

Dose 2 is in! Just some mild arm soreness that will probably be worse tomorrow. I’ll check in tomorrow to give an update. h/t: @gradydoctor for the T-shirt idea#RightToBareArms #ShotOfHope #BlackMenInMedicine pic.twitter.com/56jAu0V5zy

— Dr. Taison Bell (@TaisonBell) January 5, 2021

But access issues persist, even in hospital systems. Bell was horrified to discover that members of environmental services — the janitorial staff — did not have access to hospital email. The vaccine registration information sent out to the hospital staff was not reaching them.

“That’s what structural racism looks like,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “Those groups were seen and not heard — nobody thought about it.”

UVA Health spokesperson Eric Swenson said some of the janitorial crew were among the first to get vaccines and officials took additional steps to reach those not typically on email. He said more than 50% of the environmental services team has been vaccinated so far.

A Failure of Federal Response

As the public health commissioner of Columbus, Ohio, and a Black physician, Dr. Mysheika Roberts has a test for any new doctor she sees for care: She makes a point of not telling them she’s a physician. Then she sees if she’s talked down to or treated with dignity.

That’s the level of mistrust she says public health officials must overcome to vaccinate Black Americans — one that’s rooted in generations of mistreatment and the legacy of the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study and Henrietta Lacks’ experience.

A high-profile Black religious group, the Nation of Islam, for example, is urging its members via its website not to get vaccinated because of what Minister Louis Farrakhan calls the “treacherous history of experimentation.” The group, classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is well known for spreading conspiracy theories.

Public health messaging has been slow to stop the spread of misinformation about the vaccine on social media. The choice of name for the vaccine development, “Operation Warp Speed,” didn’t help; it left many feeling this was all done too fast.

Benjamin noted that while the nonprofit Ad Council has raised over $37 million for a marketing blitz to encourage Americans to get vaccinated, a government ad campaign from the Health and Human Services Department never materialized after being decried as too political during an election year.

“We were late to start the planning process,” Benjamin said. “We should have started this in April and May.”

And experts are clear: It shouldn’t merely be ads of famous athletes or celebrities getting the shots.

“We have to dig deep, go the old-fashioned way with flyers, with neighbors talking to neighbors, with pastors talking to their church members,” Roberts said.

Speed vs. Equity

Mississippi state Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said that the shift announced Tuesday by the Trump administration to reward states that distribute vaccines quickly with more shots makes the rollout a “Darwinian process.”

Dobbs worries Black populations who may need more time for outreach will be left behind. Only 18% of those vaccinated in Mississippi so far are Black, in a state that’s 38% Black.

It might be faster to administer 100 vaccinations in a drive-thru location than in a rural clinic, but that doesn’t ensure equitable access, Dobbs said.

“Those with time, computer systems and transportation are going to get vaccines more than other folks — that’s just the reality of it,” Dobbs said.

In Washington, D.C, a digital divide is already evident, said Dr. Jessica Boyd, the chief medical officer of Unity Health Care, which runs several community health centers. After the city opened vaccine appointments to those 65 and older, slots were gone in a day. And Boyd’s staffers couldn’t get eligible patients into the system that fast. Most of those patients don’t have easy access to the internet or need technical assistance.

“If we’re going to solve the issues of inequity, we need to think differently,” Boyd said.

Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said the limited supply of vaccine must also be considered.

“We are missing the boat on equity,” he said. “If we don’t step back and address that, it’s going to get worse.”

While Plescia is heartened by President-elect Joe Biden’s vow to administer 100 million doses in 100 days, he worries the Biden administration could fall into the same trap.

And the lack of public data makes it difficult to spot such racial inequities in real time. Fifteen states provided race data publicly, Missouri did so upon request, and eight other states declined or did not respond. Several do not report vaccination numbers separately for Native Americans and other groups, and some are missing race data for many of those vaccinated. The CDC plans to add race and ethnicity data to its public dashboard, but CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund said it could not give a timeline for when.

Historical Hesitation

One-third of Black adults in the U.S. said they don’t plan to get vaccinated, citing the newness of the vaccine and fears about safety as the top deterrents, according to a December poll from KFF. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.) Half of them said they were concerned about getting covid from the vaccine itself, which is not possible.

Experts say this kind of misinformation is a growing problem. Inaccurate conspiracy theories that the vaccines contain government tracking chips have gained ground on social media.

Just over half of Black Americans who plan to get the vaccine said they’d wait to see how well it’s working in others before getting it themselves, compared with 36% of white Americans. That hesitation can even be found in the health care workforce.

“We shouldn’t make the assumption that just because someone works in health care that they somehow will have better information or better understanding,” Bell said.

In Colorado, Black workers at Centura Health were 44% less likely to get the vaccine than their white counterparts. Latino workers were 22% less likely. The hospital system of more than 21,000 workers is developing messaging campaigns to reduce the gap.

“To reach the people we really want to reach, we have to do things in a different way, we can’t just offer the vaccine,” said Dr. Ozzie Grenardo, a senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer at Centura. “We have to go deeper and provide more depth to the resources and who is delivering the message.”

That takes time and personal connections. It takes people of all ethnicities within those communities, like Willy Nuyens.

Nuyens, who identifies as Hispanic, has worked for Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center for 33 years. Working on the environmental services staff, he’s now cleaning covid patients’ rooms. (KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.)

In Los Angeles County, 92% of health care workers and first responders who have died of covid were nonwhite. Nuyens has seen too many of his co-workers lose family to the disease. He jumped at the chance to get the vaccine but was surprised to hear only 20% of his 315-person department was doing the same.

So he went to work persuading his co-workers, reassuring them that the vaccine would protect them and their families, not kill them.

“I take two employees, encourage them and ask them to encourage another two each,” he said.

So far, uptake in his department has more than doubled to 45%. He hopes it will be over 70% soon.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

January 25, 2021 0 comment

Race + Culture

Unmet Need for Afterschool Programs Skyrockets in the Black Community, With Four Million Black Children Without the Access to Afterschool Their Parents Want

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

Satisfaction with afterschool programs has reached a new high among African American parents, but unmanageable costs and limited access are preventing many Black students from participating. The result is tremendous unmet demand for afterschool in the Black community. In fact, for every Black child in an afterschool program today, three more are waiting to get in.

That is a key finding from America After 3PM, a new household survey commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance and conducted by Edge Research. It finds that the families of 24.6 million children in the United States — more than ever before — are unable to access an afterschool program and many report that cost is a barrier. America After 3PM exposes significant inequities, with the parents of 58% of Black, 55% of Latinx, and 46% of white children not currently in an afterschool program saying they would enroll their child if they could.

The new study finds that, due to barriers including cost, access and transportation, the number of Black children in afterschool programs has declined from 2.4 million in 2014 to just 1.5 million today. The decline means more Black students lack essential supports that can help them succeed. It also signals that, while publicly funded afterschool programs have helped millions of students, public dollars are not nearly sufficient to keep up with demand today.

The study is based on responses from more than 30,000 U.S. families, including 3,774 African American families. Building on household surveys conducted in 2004, 2009 and 2014, it offers a pre-pandemic snapshot of how children and youth spend their afternoons and has significant implications for our post-pandemic world. It also includes a separate survey of parents conducted this fall; in it, nearly half of Black parents (47%) report stress due to providing learning support while their child’s school is operating virtually, and concerns about their ability to juggle work with monitoring their child’s distance learning (46%).

“Black parents say afterschool programs are doing stellar work in helping meet many of their children’s academic, social/emotional and other needs. But investments in afterschool have not kept up with demand, and that puts millions of children and youth at risk. The pandemic, which is taking an especially high toll on communities of color, is exacerbating the harm,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “Quality afterschool programs are essential to student success in school and life. If we want to emerge from this pandemic strong, we need to provide all our children and youth access to the enrichment opportunities and resources afterschool programs provide. We’re not doing that now, and Black families are among those who are struggling even more as a result.”

January 24, 2021 0 comment

Arts + Culture Film

Fathom Celebrates Black History Month With First Film Series This February

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

This February, Fathom Events will launch the company’s first Black History Month film series, Fathom Events Celebrates Black History Month, in cinemas across the U.S.

Movie-goers will have the opportunity to delve into the diverse lives, historic accomplishments and award-winning filmmaking of some of the most influential African American entertainers in modern history. The five-film series includes acclaimed feature films that highlight the lives, experiences and impact of American musical icons, a documentary that explores an entertainer’s groundbreaking work with NASA, and a faith-based drama about the importance of family and lifelong faith.

The lineup for the 2021 Fathom Events Celebrates Black History Month film series is:

Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA
Ray
Get on Up
God’s Compass
TCM Big Screen Classics: Boyz n the Hood 30th Anniversary

“Fathom specializes in curating and distributing a wide variety of content for all movie-goers. We are privileged to utilize our platform to honor Black History Month with films that bring important stories to the big screen,” said Ray Nutt, Chief Executive Officer, Fathom Events. “We hope this film series will reach new audiences who will learn about the amazing contributions of these entertainers and experience some great movies.”

Tickets for Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA, Ray and TCM Big Screen Classics: Boyz n the Hood 30th Anniversary are available now at http://www.FathomEvents.com/blackhistorymonth or at participating theater box offices. Visit the Fathom Events website to purchase tickets for all titles in the series which will become available closer to the event date. Please continue to check the Fathom Events website and sign up for alerts. (theaters and participants are subject to change)

Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA (2020)
DATE: Tues., Feb 2
CAST: Nichelle Nichols, Ashley Eckstein, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Dorn, George Takei and Pharrel Williams.
DIRECTED BY: Todd Thompson

In 1977, with just four months left, NASA was struggling to recruit scientists, engineers and astronauts for their new Space Shuttle Program. That is when Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura, challenged them by asking the question, “Where are my people?” With NASA’s backing, she embarked on a national PR blitz, recruiting 8,000 of the nation’s best and brightest, including the trailblazing astronauts who became the first African American, Asian and Latino men and women to fly in space. This is her—and their—story.

ADDED VALUE: Following the feature presentation, fans will be treated to an exclusive behind the scenes documentary about the making of Woman in Motion, which includes additional interviews with Nichols and other notable guests from the documentary, deleted scenes and additional footage from the making of the film.

Ray (2004)
DATE: Tues., Feb 9 & Sat., Feb 13
CAST: Jamie Foxx, Regina King and Kerry Washington
DIRECTED BY: Taylor Hackford
SCREENPLAY: James L. White

Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx (Dreamgirls) stars as the one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who overcame impossible odds to become a music legend. Ray is the triumphant and remarkable story of one of America’s true musical geniuses, Ray Charles. From his humble beginnings in the South through his meteoric rise to the top of American music charts, Ray’s inspirational journey is a tale of hope, redemption and the power of the human spirit. “Ray is Electrifying” hails Peter Travers of Rolling Stone. Witness the incredible true story of a musician who fought harder and went further than anyone could imagine.

Get on Up (2014)
DATE: Tues., Feb 23 & Sat., Feb 27
CAST: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, and Viola Davis
DIRECTED BY: Tate Taylor
SCREENPLAY: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth

Based on the incredible life story of the Godfather of Soul, Get On Up gives a fearless look inside the music, moves, and moods of James Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Chadwick Boseman (42) stars as Brown, and is joined by Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis, Jill Scott, Craig Robinson, and Dan Aykroyd in the Tate Taylor directed drama.

God’s Compass (2016)
DATE: Thurs., Feb 25 & Fri., Feb 26
CAST: Karen Abercrombie, T.C. Stallings, Jazelle Foster and Joey Ibanez.
DIRECTED BY: Stephan Schultze

On the night Suzanne Waters celebrates her retirement, she is faced with a series of decisions that change her life forever. Trusting God’s direction, her truth becomes clear as she takes in a troubled teenager, Eli, and her family embarks on the journey of adoption, healing, and renewed faith.

2016 “Best Screenplay” winner – International Christian Film Festival.

ADDED VALUE: An exclusive introduction from beloved lead actress, Karen Abercrombie, as she revisits God’s Compass for its special return to the big screen.

TCM Big Screen Classics: Boyz n the Hood 30th Anniversary
DATE: Sun., Feb 28 & Wed., Mar 3
CAST: Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Morris Chestnut, and Larry Fishburne
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: John Singleton

Writer/director John Singleton’s acclaimed debut is a graphic and powerful look at life in South-Central Los Angeles as a trio of young men attempt through different means to escape the violence-filled life of the streets.

Singleton was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay at the 64th Academy Awards®, making him the youngest person and the first African-American to be nominated for Best Director.

January 24, 2021 0 comment

Arts + Culture Business

Michele Ghee named CEO of EBONY & JET MAGAZINE

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

Bridgeman Sports & Media has installed Michele Ghee as CEO of iconic brands EBONY & JET. This historically rooted brand celebrates 75 years of chronicling Black life in America. With that, it now embarks on its future with Ghee boldly holding the reigns. A brand known for unapologetically documenting the courageous contribution of Blackness to the American landscape, its new CEO states, “Everything we say will come through the lens of Black journalists. We will ensure there is a safe space for Black journalism to thrive. I’m a little Black girl from Oakland, CA. I’m not apologizing for any of it. Our voices matter. We are History in the making!”

I’m a little Black girl from Oakland, CA. I’m not apologizing for any of it. Our voices matter. We are History in the making!

This titan of industry understands the privilege and responsibility of stepping into a leadership role within the culturally embedded Ebony and Jet brands. “Mr. Johnson was a visionary who operated with courage. He made a commitment to the Black American journey and in the process, he left an unforgettable legacy,” says Ghee.

According to the new CEO, Ebony and Jet will hold true to those simple fundamental principles of documenting stories of Black Culture as it raises the brands’ profile to reach a global community. “Our brands’ main responsibility will be to focus completely on what our beloved audience wants and needs with bold informed editorial, brilliant content, and the opportunity to connect with like minded people. Paying homage to Mr. Johnson’s legacy means that my team will carve-out and create our own path. We will NOT succumb to the status quo.”

Of this appointment new owner Eden Bridgeman states, “We are honored to have Michele Ghee at the helm to steward these iconic brands. With a proven track record over a storied career thus far and a passion to bring her life experiences to Ebony and Jet we are excited at the future she will create. The next chapter of Ebony and Jet’s history will be told for generations to come and having her continue to authentically document, innovate, and uplift the culture will be keys to our success.”

Michele Thornton Ghee is proud and honored to serve as the CEO of 1145 Holdings LLC. The company includes all assets related to Ebony and Jet. She is charged with creating the vision and activating the strategy for these iconic brands as she steers them into the 21st century. The Brand value proposition will be embedded in Information|Inspiration|Inclusion. Ghee has worked in the media and entertainment space for over a quarter of a century. She has generated billions of dollars in revenue while working for some of the most powerful companies in the world including WME, CNN, A&E, The History Channel and BET Networks. While at BET, Michele created and ran the first and only network for black women: BETHer. This award-winning titan of industry is an expert in many areas including; leadership, culture, strategy, customer service, revenue generation, diversity, equity and inclusion and relationship building. She currently resides in New Jersey with her husband Tony and two kids Taylor and Jordan.

January 24, 2021 0 comment

Arts + Culture

Motown Celebrates MARVIN GAYE’S WHAT’S GOING ON With Three Digital Releases

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

Motown’s “Prince Of Soul,” Marvin Gaye, was already a hit artist for nearly a decade when, in 1971, he reached new heights with his album What’s Going On. An immediate landmark recording, it was the first of Gaye’s albums to break the top ten of Billboard’s Top LPs, and quickly became Motown’s best-selling record. To this day, What’s Going On is hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time, earning the number one spot on Rolling Stone magazine’s 2020 list of “The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.”

Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On: Deluxe Edition
What’s Going On: Deluxe Edition
What’s Going On: The Detroit Mix
Funky Nation: The Detroit Instrumentals

On January 22nd, in celebration of this groundbreaking album while also marking the 50th anniversary of the title song’s release as a single, UMe issued three digital collections that honor the depth of Gaye’s album.

First, Motown/UMe has consolidated several What’s Going On-related releases into one new digital collection, What’s Going On: Deluxe Edition/50th Anniversary (Available HERE). This includes the original album, plus 12 bonus tracks featuring each of the LP’s original mono single versions and their B-sides, two of which are different takes – “God Is Love” and “Sad Tomorrows,” an earlier version of “Flying High (in the Friendly Sky)” – while the pre-album single version of “What’s Going On” has no “party” intro and a false fade. Also included is the title song’s earliest mix, initially made as a reference for Motown’s in-house quality control department before horns and strings were added; a dramatic instrumental mix; a “Coffeehouse Mix” by Grammy-winning engineer Russ Elevado that emphasizes the track’s previously buried acoustic guitar, originally available on a Record Store Day exclusive 10″ EP for the album’s 45th anniversary in 2016. Also included from that same 2016 release is a “What’s Going On” duet with Motown artist B.J. the Chicago Kid. Other tracks are an early working version of “Symphony,” written by Marvin with Smokey Robinson, in which Marvin sings over and over, “what’s going on?” while the song of the same name sat unreleased; and the instrumental “I Love the Ground You Walk On,” recorded during the same waiting period.

Also available as a standalone digital release, What’s Going On: The Detroit Mix (available HERE) is the album’s original hometown mix, cancelled by Marvin at the last minute to be redone in Los Angeles. While the recordings were mixed in April of 1971, they remained unreleased until 2001, when they were included in the album’s 30th Anniversary 2CD Deluxe Edition. The Detroit Mix showcases a more relaxed, stripped back and percussive feel to the album, as well as unique track segues and some additional lyrics.

In addition, UMe has released Funky Nation: The Detroit Instrumentals (Available HERE), a group of 14 tracks that Gaye recorded in late summer and fall of 1971, after the initial release of What’s Going On. Instead of touring in the wake of the album’s success, Gaye cut funk and rock jams with a one-time-only band led by Motown’s then-touring drummer Hamilton Bohannan: 17-year-old Ray Parker, Jr., Melvin Ragin, a.k.a. “Wah Wah Watson” (himself just 20) and Leroy Emmanuel of the Fabulous Counts (a relatively experienced 25-year-old) on guitars, and Michael Henderson, age 20, on bass. Gaye played keyboards and percussion. While a few tracks on Funky Nation had been issued across previous special releases, most of the tracks were newly issued on the What’s Going On 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition in 2011, and now for the first time they will be getting their own individual digital release.

Fifty years later, the influence and meaning behind this legendary record continues to ring true. The single “What’s Going On” originated as a response to police brutality at a protest in Berkeley, CA and coincided with personal tragedy in Gaye’s life as well as Gaye’s brother’s time fighting in Vietnam. The compounding experiences sparked the poignant plea that became the full-length LP What’s Going On. Calling out to a broken country, Gaye searched for reason and hope in a world that felt desperate and senseless; a sentiment that many share now more than ever.

Marvin Gaye continues to hold his place as one of the greatest singers, composers and producers of all time, and in this half a century What’s Going On has proven itself to be one of the world’s most unforgettable records.

January 24, 2021 0 comment

Arts + Culture Business

Cayman Kelly Shares His Top Five Tips for Working Toward Your Dream in 2021

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

Author and radio personality Cayman Kelly recently outlined his top tips for planning and achieving personal goals, to help his fans usher in a beneficially transformative New Year. Author of the #1 Bestselling Amazon memoir, “From $6 an Hour to a Million Dollar Dream,” Cayman has long served as a role model who helps people understand that they have the power to change their lives and achieve a brighter future. With humble beginnings as a minimum-wage worker with big aspirations – later leveraging his talent and million-dollar voice to achieve success – Cayman’s own journey is a testament that he lives what he preaches.

When asked about the potential for 2021, Cayman remarked: “If any year is ready for a series of upshifts and positive changes, it would be 2021. We’ve all been through so much this past year, with the pandemic just making everything more difficult for folks. But now is a good time to take a long, hard look at your life, see what changes you want to make, and begin to shift events in your daily routine to move closer to where you want to be. Positive goals take positive action. And every journey toward something better starts with a few simple steps.”

Cayman Kelly’s Top Five Tips for Working Toward Your Dream

Set goals, take positive action, and begin building a network of support.
Deal with the haters and naysayers in your life.
Properly define and understand success, while you learn from failure.
Keep yourself sharp, while avoiding stagnation and burnout.
Stay true to your own unique gifts and purpose.

“Good parents always tell their kids that they should follow their dreams, that they can achieve anything they want in this life,” Cayman said. “But how do we expect our kids to actually do that if we aren’t modeling that same behavior ourselves? If we stay stuck in a job we hate, or in a relationship that is toxic, or if we completely give up, we teach our kids to do the same. The first move to living a better life has to start with action, while also removing negative influences in your life.”

“Relationships are a big key to getting to a positive place in your life – a place where you can begin to launch actionable plans for a happier future. Skills are important too. My skills were crucial to helping me get to where I am. But it was keeping a good attitude, and fostering genuine relationships with important, trustworthy people that ultimately helped me open a lot of doors.”

For the latest news on appearances, ESPN show announcements, or information on the release of the upcoming “The Cayman Kelly Show,” go online. Or follow Cayman on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

About Cayman Kelly: The National Voice of ESPN and Monday Night Football

Cayman Kelly is a multimedia professional, host, actor, author, radio personality and leading voice-over artist known for his smooth and contemporary prime-time sound. Kelly began his promising career as a voice-over artist for the BET, and has since created a wide variety of materials for television promos, including TV Land, TV One, Cartoon Network, Bounce and others. His catalog of hosted events and voice-overs is long and distinguished, including multiple major music festivals like Essence, Capital Jazz, St. Kitts, Bermuda, and U Street; a voice performance for “Grand Theft Auto V”; album-release parties for India Aria, Jennifer Hudson, Bobby Brown, Patti Labelle and Alicia Keys; and interviews with Jamie Foxx, Mo’Nique, Janet Jackson, and Mary J. Blige.

Kelly is also the imaging voice for multiple radio stations, including POWER 105.1 in New York, hosting the “The Breakfast Club,” and a popular national show on SiriusXM’s Heart & Soul. Recently, Kelly was chosen as the new voice for ESPN and NFL Monday Night Football – the first African American to achieve that position. Learn more about his life and work at: http://www.CaymanKelly.com.

January 24, 2021 0 comment

Health

Association of Black Cardiologists Advocates for Vaccinations in Communities of Color

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

Our nation has reached a grim milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic: over 400,000 Americans have died from complications of the coronavirus. Black Americans are 3.7 times as likely as white Americans to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and 2.8 times as likely to die.

Blacks and people of color are not inherently more susceptible to COVID-19 illness and mortality, however, existing structural racism contributes to the health disparities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social determinants of health place many people of color at heightened risk for poor COVID-19 outcomes, including disparities in healthcare coverage and access; disproportionate representation in “essential” jobs that often carry greater virus-exposure risk; crowded housing conditions; and disparities in income, education and wealth.

A Kaiser Health News analysis of state health-department data that reported vaccine recipients’ race and ethnicity, reported that Black vaccination rates are three to five times lower than White vaccination rates.

Members of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) are on the front lines where they are providing quality cardiovascular care for millions of disadvantaged Americans, including those suffering from complications of the coronavirus disease.

ABC members also lead and support research to test effective vaccines and therapies. The ABC Cardiovascular Implementation Study (CVIS) utilizes innovative approaches to collect real world data at the point of care. Through these efforts, the ABC will continue to work with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), research institutions, healthcare providers, ABC community health advocates and other strategic partners to promote access to effective vaccines and therapies, as well monitoring of long term effects.

Advocacy is at the heart of ABC’s work to ensure that comprehensive health policies address access to affordable healthcare, structural racism, and social determinants of health. The organization is especially proud of its grassroots work to engage Blacks and other communities of color through its signature “Spirit of the Heart” education and wellness program as well as churches, beauty salons and barber shops.

The Association also supports equitable vaccination programs, as well as a comprehensive science-based public health approach, including wearing masks, hand washing and social distancing.

ABC members share their vaccination experience and the reasons they recommend the vaccine for themselves, their patients and families:

We have a sacred obligation to take care of each other to the best of our ability using available knowledge. For me, that means ensuring that we put the brakes on the ravages of this pandemic on my family and other people of color, especially black and brown folks as well as other disadvantaged persons, hence taking the vaccine is a no-brainer for me.
– Dr. Michelle Albert, University of California, San Francisco; President, Association of Black Cardiologists

I have completed both doses of the vaccine with very minor side effects; by sharing this experience as well as our research work on vaccines, I hope to reassure my patients and our healthcare staff.
– Dr. Elizabeth Ofili, Morehouse Healthcare, Atlanta, GA; Chair of the Board, Association of Black Cardiologists

I took the vaccine to protect myself and my loved ones against Covid-19 and to incentivize black and brown people to do the same by showing that it is safe to get the shot. This gives real meaning and purpose to leadership.
– Dr. Richard Allen Williams, Los Angeles, CA; Founder, Association of Black Cardiologists

It came down to fear versus wisdom. When I looked at the science and weighed the risk it became clear I should take the vaccination. Finally, I wanted to keep my family safe and healthy, so I chose to get the vaccine.
– Dr. Marcus L. Williams, Private Practice, Newark, New Jersey, Past President of the Association of Black Cardiologists

As a doctor, I have to go out to work. I took the vaccine. I’m doing my part to keep my immediate family safe. I’m also hoping this allows us to get back to normal.
– Dr. Priscilla Pemu, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA

I received my second vaccine dose over two days ago and I have nothing to report. My recommendation is get vaccinated as soon as you can but continue good public health precautions.
– Dr. Phillip Duncan, Private Practice, Richmond VA, Past Board Chair of the Association of Black Cardiologists

I posted my vaccine photos and patients are responding positively. They have told me that they will get the vaccine also.
– Dr. Osita Onyekwere, Private Practice, Anniston, AL.

Please get the vaccine. This can save your heart too!
– Dr. Barbara Hutchinson, Private Practice, Annapolis, MD, Past President of the Association of Black Cardiologists

I felt the vaccine would prevent me from getting seriously ill if infected with COVID-19 and it is also a way to help end the pandemic. Also, clinical trials have shown the vaccines to be safe and effective.
– Dr. Joe Hargrove, Private Practice, Little Rock, AR, Past Board Chair of the Association of Black Cardiologists

About ABC

Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the disparities related to cardiovascular disease and achieving health equity such that all people can live long, healthy lives. Membership is open to all interested in the care of people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, including health professionals, lay members of the community (Community Health Advocates), corporate and institutional members. For more information, visit http://www.abcardio.org and connect with ABC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

January 24, 2021 0 comment

Health

Black Doctors Work to Make Coronavirus Testing More Equitable

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

By Nina Feldman, WHYY

When the coronavirus arrived in Philadelphia in March, Dr. Ala Stanford hunkered down at home with her husband and kids. A pediatric surgeon with a private practice, she has staff privileges at a few suburban Philadelphia hospitals. For weeks, most of her usual procedures and patient visits were canceled. So she found herself, like a lot of people, spending the days in her pajamas, glued to the TV.

And then, at the beginning of April, she started seeing media reports indicating that Black people were contracting the coronavirus and dying from COVID-19 at greater rates than other demographic groups.

“It just hit me like, what is going on?” said Stanford.

At the same time, she started hearing from Black friends who couldn’t get tested because they didn’t have a doctor’s referral or didn’t meet the testing criteria. In April, there were shortages of coronavirus tests in numerous locations across the country, but Stanford decided to call around to the hospitals where she works to learn more about why people were being turned away.

One explanation she heard was that a doctor had to sign on to be the “physician of record” for anyone seeking a test. In a siloed health system, it could be complicated to sort out the logistics of who would communicate test results to patients. And, in an effort to protect health care workers from being exposed to the virus, some test sites wouldn’t let people without cars simply walk up to the test site.

Stanford knew African Americans were less likely to have primary care physicians than white Americans, and more likely to rely on public transportation. She just couldn’t square all that with the disproportionate infection rates for Black people she was seeing on the news.

“All these reasons in my mind were barriers and excuses,” she said. “And, in essence, I decided in that moment we were going to test the city of Philadelphia.”

Black Philadelphians contract the coronavirus at a rate nearly twice that of their white counterparts. They also are more likely to have severe cases of the virus: African Americans make up 44% of Philadelphians but 55% of those hospitalized for COVID-19.

Black Philadelphians are more likely to work jobs that can’t be performed at home, putting them at a greater risk of exposure. In the city’s jails, sanitation and transportation departments, workers are predominantly Black, and as the pandemic progressed they contracted COVID-19 at high rates.

The increased severity of illness among African Americans may also be due in part to underlying health conditions more prevalent among Black people, but Stanford maintains that unequal access to health care is the greatest driver of the disparity.

“When an elderly funeral home director in West Philly tries to get tested and you turn him away because he doesn’t have a prescription, that has nothing to do with his hypertension, that has everything to do with your implicit bias,” she said, referring to an incident she encountered.

Before April was over, Stanford sprang into action. Her mom rented a minivan to serve as a mobile clinic, while Stanford started recruiting volunteers among the doctors, nurses and medical students in her network. She got testing kits from the diagnostic and testing company LabCorp, where she had an account through her private practice. Fueled by Stanford’s personal savings and donations collected through a GoFundMe campaign, the minivan posted up in church parking lots and open tents on busy street corners in Philadelphia.

It wasn’t long before she was facing her own logistical barriers. LabCorp asked her how she wanted to handle uninsured patients whose tests it processed.

“I said, for every person that does not have insurance, you’re gonna bill me, and I’m gonna figure out how to pay for it later,” said Stanford. “But I can’t have someone die for a test that costs $200.”

Philadelphians live-streamed themselves on social media while they got tested, and word spread. By May, it wasn’t unusual for the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium to test more than 350 people a day. Stanford brought the group under the umbrella of a nonprofit she already operated that offers tutoring and mentorship to youth in under-resourced schools.

Tavier Thomas found out about the group on Facebook in April. He works at a T-Mobile store, and his co-worker had tested positive. Not long after, he started feeling a bit short of breath.

“I probably touch 100 phones a day,” said Thomas, 23. “So I wanted to get tested, and I wanted to make sure the people testing me were Black.”

Many Black Americans seek out Black providers because they’ve experienced cultural indifference or mistreatment in the health system. Thomas’ preference is rooted in history, he said, pointing to times when white doctors and medical researchers have exploited Black patients. In the 19th century American South, for example, white surgeon J. Marion Sims performed experimental gynecological treatments without anesthesia on enslaved Black women. Perhaps the most notorious example began in the 1930s, when the United States government enrolled Black men with syphilis in a study at Tuskegee Institute, to see what would happen when the disease went untreated for years. The patients did not consent to the terms of the study and were not offered treatment, even when an effective one became widely available.

“They just watched them die of the disease,” said Thomas, of the Tuskegee experiments.

“So, to be truthful, when, like, new diseases drop? I’m a little weird about the mainstream testing me, or sticking anything in me.”

In April, Thomas tested positive for the coronavirus but recovered quickly. He returned recently to be tested again by Stanford’s group, even though the testing site that day was in a church parking lot in Darby, Pennsylvania, a solid 30-minute drive from where he lives.

Thomas said the second test was just for safety, because he lives with his grandfather and doesn’t want to risk infecting him. He also brought along his brother, McKenzie Johnson. Johnson lives in neighboring Delaware but said it was hard to get tested there without an appointment, and without health insurance. It was his first time being swabbed.

“It’s not as bad as I thought it was gonna be,” he joked afterward. “You cry a little bit — they search in your soul a little bit — but, naw, it’s fine.”

Each time it offers tests, the consortium sets up what amounts to an outdoor mini-hospital, complete with office supplies, printers and shredders. When they do antibody tests, they need to power their centrifuges. Those costs, plus the lab processing fee of $225 per test and compensation for 15-30 staff members, amounts to roughly $25,000 per day, by Stanford’s estimate.

“Sometimes you get reimbursed and sometimes you don’t,” she said. “It’s not an inexpensive operation at all.”

After its first few months, the consortium came to the attention of Philadelphia city leaders, who gave the group about $1 million in funding. The group also attracted funding from foundations and individuals. The regional transportation authority hired the group to test its front-line transit workers weekly.

To date, the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium has tested more than 10,000 people — and Stanford is the “doctor on record” for each of them. She appreciates the financial support from the local government agencies but still worries that the city, and Philadelphia’s well-resourced hospital systems, aren’t being proactive enough on their own. In July, wait times for results from national commercial labs like LabCorp sometimes stretched past two weeks. The delays rendered the work of the consortium’s testing sites essentially worthless, unless a person agreed to isolate completely while awaiting the results. Meanwhile, at the major Philadelphia-area hospitals, doctors could get results within hours, using their in-house processing labs. Stanford called on the local health systems to share their testing technology with the surrounding community, but she said she was told it was logistically impossible.

“Unfortunately, the value put on some of our poorest areas is not demonstrated,” Stanford said. “It’s not shown that those folks matter enough. That’s my opinion. They matter to me. That’s what keeps me going.”

Now, Stanford is working with Philadelphia’s health commissioner, trying to create a rotating schedule wherein each of the city’s health systems would offer free testing one day per week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The medical infrastructure she has set up, Stanford said, and its popularity in the Black community, makes her group a likely candidate to help distribute a coronavirus vaccine when one becomes available. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services visited one of her consortium’s testing sites, to evaluate the potential for the group to pivot to vaccinations.

Overall, Stanford said she is happy to help out during the planning phases to make sure the most vulnerable Philadelphians can access the vaccine. However, she is distrustful of the federal oversight involved in vetting an eventual coronavirus vaccine. She said there are still too many unanswered questions about the process, and too many other instances of the Trump administration putting political pressure on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, for her to commit now to doing actual vaccinations in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.

“When the time comes, we’ll be ready,” she said. “But it’s not today.”

This story is part of a partnership that includes WHYY, NPR and KHN.

January 24, 2021 0 comment

Health

Poor and Minority Children With Food Allergies Overlooked and in Danger

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

By Sandy West

As Emily Brown stood in a food pantry looking at her options, she felt alone. Up to that point, she had never struggled financially. But there she was, desperate to find safe food for her young daughter with food allergies. What she found was a jar of salsa and some potatoes.

“That was all that was available,” said Brown, who lives in Kansas City, Kansas. “It was just a desperate place.”

When she became a parent, Brown left her job for lack of child care that would accommodate her daughter’s allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat and soy. When she and her husband then turned to a federal food assistance program, they found few allowable allergy substitutions. The closest allergy support group she could find was an hour away. She was almost always the only Black parent, and the only poor parent, there.

Brown called national food allergy advocacy organizations to ask for guidance to help poor families find safe food and medical resources, but she said she was told that wasn’t their focus. Support groups, fundraising activities and advocacy efforts, plus clinical and research outreach, were targeted at wealthier — and white — families. Advertising rarely reflected families that looked like hers. She felt unseen.

“In many ways, food allergy is an invisible disease. The burden of the disease, the activities and energy it takes to avoid allergens, are mostly invisible to those not impacted,” Brown said. “Black and other minority patients often lack voice and visibility in the health care system. Add the additional burden of an invisible condition and you are in a really vulnerable position.”

An estimated 6 million children in the United States have food allergies, 40% of them with more than one. Though limited research has been done on race and class breakdowns, recent studies show that poor children and some groups of minority children not only have a higher incidence of food allergies than white kids, but their families also have more difficulty accessing appropriate child care, safe food, medical care and lifesaving medicine like epinephrine for them.

Black children are 7% more likely to have food allergies than white children, according to a 2020 study by Dr. Ruchi Gupta, at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. To be sure, the study shows that Asian children are 24% more likely than white children to have food allergies. But Black and Hispanic children are disproportionately more likely to live in poor communities, to have asthma, and to suffer from systemic racism in the delivery of medical care.

And finding allergen-free food to keep allergic kids safe can be costly — in both time and money.

“Many times, a mother is frank and says, ‘I have $20 to $40 to buy groceries for the week, and if I buy these foods that you are telling me to buy, I will not be able to feed my entire family,’” said Dr. Carla Davis, director of the food allergy program at Houston’s Texas Children’s Hospital.

“If you are diagnosed with a food allergy and you don’t have disposable income or disposable time, there is really no way that you will be able to alter your diet in a way that your child is going to stay away from their allergen.”

Fed up with the lack of support, Brown founded the Food Equality Initiative advocacy organization in 2014. It offers an online marketplace to income-eligible families in Kansas and Missouri who, with a doctor’s note about the allergy, can order free allergy-safe food to fit their needs.

Nationwide, though, families’ needs far outstrip what her group can offer — and the problem has gotten worse amid the economic squeeze of the COVID pandemic. Job losses and business closures have exacerbated the barriers to finding and affording nutritious food, according to a report from Feeding America, an association of food banks.

Brown said her organization more than doubled its clientele in March through August, compared with the same period in 2019. And though it currently serves only Missouri and Kansas, she said the organization has been fielding an increasing number of calls from across the country since the pandemic began.

For low-income minorities, who live disproportionately in food deserts, fresh and allergy-friendly foods can be especially expensive and difficult to find in the best of times.

Food assistance programs are heavily weighted to prepackaged and processed foods, which often include the very ingredients that are problematic. Black children are more likely to be allergic to wheat and soy than white kids, and both Black and Hispanic children are more likely to be allergic to corn, shellfish and fish, according to a 2016 study.

Some programs allow few allergy substitutions. For example, the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children allows only canned beans as a substitute for peanut butter. While nutritionally similar, beans are not as easy to pack for a kid’s lunch. Brown questions why WIC won’t allow a seed butter, such as sunflower butter, instead. She said they are nutritionally and functionally similar and are offered as allergy substitutions in other food programs.

Making matters worse, low-income households pay more than twice as much as higher-income families for the emergency medical care their children receive for their allergies, according to a 2016 study by Gupta. The kids often arrive at the hospital in more distress because they lack safe food and allergy medications — and because asthma, which disproportionately hits Black and Puerto Rican children and low-income communities, complicates allergic reactions.

“So, in these vulnerable populations, it’s like a double whammy, and we see that reflected in the data,” said Dr. Lakiea Wright-Bello, a medical director in specialty diagnostics at Thermo Fisher Scientific and an allergist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Thomas and Dina Silvera, who are Black and Latinx, lived this horror firsthand. After their 3-year-old son, Elijah-Alavi, died as a result of a dairy allergy when fed a grilled cheese instead of his allergen-free food at his preschool, they launched the Elijah-Alavi Foundation to address the dearth of information about food allergies and the critical lack of culturally sensitive medical care in low-income communities.

“We started it for a cause, not because we wanted to, but because we had to,” said Thomas Silvera. “Our main focus is to bring to underserved communities — especially communities of color — this information at no cost to them.”

Recently, other advocacy groups, including Food Allergy Research & Education, a national advocacy organization, also have started to turn their attention to a lack of access and support in poor and minority communities. When Lisa Gable, who is white, took over at the group known as FARE in 2018, she began to diversify the organization internally and to make it more inclusive.

“There wasn’t a big tent when I walked in the door,” said Gable. “What we have been focused on doing is trying to find partners and relationships that will allow us to diversify those engaged in the community, because it has not been a diverse community.”

FARE has funded research into the cost of food allergies. It is also expanding its patient registry, which collects data for research, as well as its clinical network of medical institutions to include more diverse communities.

Gupta is now leading one of the first studies funded by the National Institutes of Health to investigate food allergy in children by race and ethnicity. It looks at all aspects of food allergies, including family life, management, access to care and genetics.

“That’s a big deal,” said Gupta. “Because if we really want to improve food allergy management, care and understanding, we really need to understand how it impacts different groups. And that hasn’t been done.”

January 24, 2021 0 comment

Life

Black Hair Matters: How Going Natural Made Me Visible

by lisadtinsley January 24, 2021

By Cara Anthony

The night before I chopped off my hair, I got nervous.

This decision felt bigger than me, given all the weight that Black women’s hair carries. But after three months of wearing hats and scarves in a pandemic when trips to the hairdresser felt unsafe, I walked into a salon emotionally exhausted but ready to finally see my natural hair.

I thought a few tears would fall, but, as the last of my chemically straightened hair floated to the floor like rain, I felt cleansed. Free. I laughed hysterically as I drove away from the salon.

Friends and family cheered me on virtually, but my father quietly worried about my decision. My dad grew up in the Jim Crow South, where many women straightened their hair to land jobs, husbands and respect. Before my big chop, he never said much about my hair beyond the occasional compliment, which is why I was surprised when he issued a warning.

“Watch it out there. Your hair is cut now,” he blurted when he saw me walking out of the house.

My mother heard him but remained silent. She had her own set of concerns. She was worried about me looking less professional.

I also had to help my now 4-year-old daughter understand why I decided to go natural. We’ve watched the animated “Hair Love” a million times. We’ve read books like “Happy Hair” by Mechal Renee Roe, “I Love My Hair!” by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley and my personal favorite, “Don’t Touch My Hair!” by Sharee Miller.

Still, my daughter had a hard time adjusting to my new haircut, often asking when I planned to get my hair styled again. She preferred my extensions, saying she thought I looked more like a princess that way. I gently explained that my hair is a style — and the one I choose — even if it’s not long and straight.

My family’s emotions about my hair left me tangled.

Of course, the styling of Black hair has been fraught for centuries. The CROWN Act, which passed the U.S. House in September and is now pending in the Senate, is intended to protect Black people from discrimination in schools, housing and employment based on their hairstyle. But such a law, even if passed, cannot stop bigotry, bullets and the emotional battle that comes with being a Black woman in America as seen through something as simple as our hair.

I hadn’t considered talking to my daughter about how hair could affect her personal safety until my father broke his silence. A haircut shouldn’t influence your life expectancy.

On the night of my haircut, I drove to the store more aware of how others would perceive my new look. My father, however, was more worried about my safety because my silhouette could possibly be mistaken for a Black man’s frame.

We live in the Midwest, just outside St. Louis, where natural hair still makes a statement for Black women. If my buzz cut made me look more like a Black man, would the cops in our town treat me differently? In my dad’s eyes, my femininity increased my chances of making it home safely.

His comments also led to a conversation about the intersection between racism and sexism. Without reading the crucial work of scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw and other activists, my father intuitively understood that society has placed Black women in a blind spot, where our gender and our race make us invisible in many ways.

But that space isn’t safe, is it? A Eurocentric feminine hairstyle can’t protect Black women from the many deadly forms of racism.

Police officers can see us. Since 2015, at least 48 Black women have been killed by the police. I’m guessing the style of their hair didn’t matter to the officers pulling the triggers. In the past few years, the #SayHerName campaign has put a spotlight on their killings, but society still pays less attention to the police killings of Black women. While most people have heard of George Floyd, Michael Brown and Breonna Taylor, fewer know about Kathryn Johnston, Korryn Gaines and India Kager.

In death and life, our rights and our achievements don’t seem to hold as much weight compared with those of our male counterparts or our white ones. Yet, many Black women go to great lengths to be accepted in this country.

In the past few weeks, I’ve listened to other Black women in my life vent about their hair and navigating racism. We’ve shared our fears, hair horror stories and moments of victory. I’ve come to realize that my haircut wasn’t just about changing my style. It was also about reclaiming my crown after years of letting society control it.

January 24, 2021 0 comment