Black Clergy For Vaccination Empowerment!
To Whom It May Concern:
As the world continues to be ravaged by a devastating pandemic, a sad reality emerges in America. America’s racist legacy intensifies and complicates the impact of the disease upon African Americans and people of color. African Americans are disproportionately affected by COVID19 because of a history of neglect, poverty, and poor healthcare. To make matters worse, the out-going President failed to adequately provide a national strategy, largely because of his racially charged re-election concerns. The high infections and death within the African American community were clearly not a concern of or priority to the current administration.
However, as a vaccine comes forth, the African American community holds legitimate suspicions about its efficacy and safety. A history of insensitivity to the health of the African American community, brutal medical/scientific experiments, compounded with racially insensitive diagnoses and treatments justifies the current resistance to the vaccination.
Yet, in the midst of this urgent need to allay the fears of the African American community is the inexplicable ignoring of the continuing vitality of the faith community and the role of the Black preacher. The Black preacher-pastor represents an indispensable source to access the African American community. If CDC, the scientists, healthcare workers, and politicians really want to allay the fears of the African American community, we believe the Black preacher-pastor to be critical.
Suggestions: Involve the Black-Preacher/Pastors in the process by:
Collaborate with the major and minor black denominations to connect with local pastors and faith leaders.
Provide lay-oriented medical sessions to inform and educate the pastors and faith leaders of the content, efficacy, and safety of the vaccine.
Empower pastors and faith leaders with simple tools to encourage the community’s participation.
Allow willing pastors and faith leaders to be videoed taking the vaccination.
Without the visible, informed, and active support of faith leaders, the vaccination process will continue to be a formidable undertaking in the African American community.
BLACK CLERGY FOR VACCINATION EMPOWERMENT!
