Summer Round-Up #1: The Pandemic, Schools, and The Economy

The Pandemic, Schools and The EconomyThe summer of 2020 has been unlike any other. Schools across the country did not finish the end of the academic year in person, and many will not be seeing students in person once again this fall. Major events have been canceled or moved online, and we are in the midst of a presidential election that looks quite different from previous elections. On top of all the changes brought by COVID-19, the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in May sparked protests across the country and around the world. In our first blog posts of the 2020-2021 school year, we will look back at key social and political issues from the summer so we may look ahead to the November election and beyond.

Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Over the summer, the COVID-19 pandemic deepened and spread. In May and June, the infection rate seemed to be slowing, but by mid-July, almost 75,000 new cases were being reported daily. As of August 20, the seven-day average for new infections is more than 46,000 per day.1 The duration and depth of the pandemic is forcing citizens and policymakers to confront challenging questions about life under quarantine, the crippled economy, and the appropriate government response.

For additional background on COVID-19 and the government response, please see our posts about reopening the economy and enforcing social distancing.

Back to School COVID-19

One major area of focus is schools. Schools in some parts of the country have reopened;2 in a few cases, they have had to close after an outbreak.3 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its COVID-19 school reopening guidelines to emphasize the importance of schools opening.4 However, images such as this one captured by a Georgia high school student have some parents, students, and teachers concerned.

WATCH: From A Starting Point, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) debate: Should U.S. students go back to school in-person or virtually this fall?

The economy is another major area of concern amid the pandemic. The unemployment rate is now approximately 10 percent. More than 57 million people have lost their jobs in the United States5 and there are growing concerns that many of those jobs will not return, even as the pandemic recedes or a vaccine is developed.6 Policymakers face tough questions about how to respond to the dual public health and economic crises. Some advocate reopening businesses and schools so people can get back to work.7 Others are more cautious, arguing that the infection rate is not under control in many parts of the country.8

WATCH: From A Starting Point, Reps. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) debate: How should states reopen while preventing the spread of COVID?

The government provided a one-time relief check to many Americans and offered supplemental unemployment insurance through the CARES Act, but many people are still hurting.9 The additional unemployment insurance has expired and Congress did not authorize additional measures before going on recess. President Donald Trump signed executive orders to offer additional unemployment insurance benefits, but so far, the program has not dispersed any money and it is unclear if it ever will.10

One proposal, introduced by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), would give every American over the age of 18 $2,000 per month until the end of the pandemic.11 Another more comprehensive bill, the HEROES Act, passed the House of Representatives in May. That bill would provide additional $1,200 payments to most individuals, provide premium pay for essential workers, fund local and state governments, and extend a moratorium on evictions.12

These challenging and complex issues are impacting the lives of all Americans. They are also having a profound effect on the 2020 election. In our next blog post, we will explore key developments in the presidential and congressional races over the course of the summer, highlight significant moments from the Republican and Democratic conventions, and prepare for the final push to Election Day.

Discussion Questions

  • How are schools in your area handling the pandemic? Do you support your school’s plan?
  • What different opinions do people in your community hold about whether or not to go back to school in person?
  • How has the pandemic impacted the economy in your community? Which businesses are struggling? Do you know people whose jobs have been affected?
  • Do you think that restrictions on social gatherings and businesses should be lifted? Why or why not?
  • What, if anything, do you think Congress should do to protect workers, the unemployed, and the economy?

 

Sources

Featured Image Credit: Demetrius Freeman, New York Times
[1] New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
[2] USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/08/03/every-states-plan-to-reopen-schools-in-the-fall/112599652/
[3] WFYI (Indianapolis Public Television): https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/as-schools-reopen-more-covid-19-cases-confirmed-in-central-indiana
[4] CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/21/health/cdc-covid-19-school-guidelines/index.html
[5] Fox 6 Milwaukee: https://www.fox6now.com/news/millions-of-jobs-lost-to-coronavirus-pandemic-could-take-years-to-return
[6] Politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/06/coronavirus-permanent-unemployment-392022#:~:text=More%20jobs%20are%20disappearing%20for,of%20a%20rapid%20economic%20rebound.&text=Tens%20of%20millions%20of%20Americans,positions%20are%20going%20away%20forever.
[7] Axios: https://www.axios.com/rand-paul-stimulus-recession-9add0781-c1fc-4ebb-89b3-f99ca682c1a1.html
[8] Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2020/08/22/covid-19-there-is-only-onepriority/#33a96a9354bb
[9] CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/12/are-second-1200-stimulus-checks-coming-heres-what-we-know.html
[10] Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/shaharziv/2020/08/10/400-unemployment-extension-start-trump-signs-executive-order-in-lieu-coronavirus-stimulus-package/#de53f7247c78
[11] CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/08/coronavirus-kamala-harris-bernie-sanders-propose-2000-monthly-payments.html
[12] Congress.gov: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6800

 

 

Leadership & Media Engagement in the Digital Age

During this seminar Close Up’s, Chief Development Officer, Mia Charity discusses ‘Leadership & Media Engagement in the Digital Age’ with David Almacy, Founder of CapitalGig LLC.  Learn about the power of media in politics  

A recognized leader in communications, David brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of public relations, digital, media, government and public affairs including positions at Edelman, Waggener Edstrom, The White House, U.S. Department of Education, C-SPAN, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, and the Republican National Committee.   

 

 

 

 

Opening the Economy during COVID-19

During this seminar Close Up’s, Joe Geraghty discusses ‘Opening the Economy during COVID-19 with Michael Carney, Senior Vice President, Emerging Issues with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.  Michael shares how the pandemic has impacted business and education and the logistical challenges communities face associated with the new regulations.   

Mike Carney helps America’s business leaders prepare for the future. Through original research and thought-provoking events, the emerging issues team bridges the gap between theory and practice to prepare for the technological, social, and policy changes that are reshaping the world. 

 

 

 

Protests, Riots, Justice, and the Rule of Law

George FloydOn Monday, May 25, a Minneapolis police officer named Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for over eight minutes.1 The next day, video of the killing went viral; by the end of the day, large groups had begun protesting in Minneapolis. In the week since, protests have spread to many major cities across the country, and some protests have had destructive consequences.2 It is not always clear who starts the violence and vandalism,3 and there is evidence to suggest that responses from the police are making the violence worse.4 In many ways, the scenes mirror the origins of the Black Lives Matter movement in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014—another time when police efforts to respond to protests were met with, or perhaps sparked, violence.5

This week, we are offering three blog posts that grapple with the fundamental questions and challenges posed by recent events. On Tuesday, we shared resources and ideas for discussing race and racism with students. Today’s post will explore the protests and the government response to them.

Over the weekend, what began as nonviolent demonstrations in many cities around the United States became sites of property destruction, fires, and escalating responses from police.6 In editorials and commentary in newspapers, on television, and on social media, people are discussing serious questions about the protests. To help your students explore a few of them, we share some questions and resources below.

Protests, Social Movements, and Violence

Protest and social change have rarely been as smooth as history textbooks and movies make them seem. In our present context, some argue that the violence near the protests undercuts the power of their message. Others, however, point to a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, “I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard.”

Additionally, those who argue that the destruction of property can be justified frequently point to the violent roots of the United States itself, including the Boston Tea Party, and circulate memes like this one.

While the level of violence in the current protests seems to be decreasing,7 it is still important to consider the role of violence in social movements. Here, we share some resources that might help you have those discussions.

  • Fareed Zakaria interviews Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the 1619 Project. Jones offers an explanation of the violence and offers historical context.
  • In his New York Times column, Ross Douthat argues that violent protests do not work.
  • Dylan Scott argues on Vox.com that it is wrong to focus too much on the violent protests, and that people are missing the main story.
  • This episode of The Daily podcast from the New York Times offers in-depth reporting on the protests over the weekend.
  • In an interview with WBUR, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill argues that protests should be framed as “acts of rebellion,” not riots.

Police and Governments Respond to the Unrest

A second major question facing citizens is how local, state, and national government should respond during this time of protest. President Donald Trump has called for a strong police, and even military, response.8 This has led many Americans to debate the best path forward in responding to the violence that surrounds the protests. Here are some resources that may help you explore government responses to protests with your students:

  • Radley Balko explores this question in an article published shortly after the protests in Ferguson in 2014.
  • FiveThirtyEight and the The Marshall Project argue that de-escalation by police does more to keep protesters and police safe.
  • President Trump explains the role that he sees for government during the protests.
  • The June 4 episode of The Daily podcast from the New York Times looks closely at the protests and police actions at the White House.
  • This opinion article in The Guardian argues that police are more responsible for the violence than the protesters because of their tactics.
  • In this op-ed published in the New York Times, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) calls for using troops to quell the protests.
  • Retired General James Mattis, President Trump’s former secretary of defense, argues in a letter circulated to the media that using the military is not appropriate or constitutional.

We hope that these resources help you examine these complex, challenging, and vital issues with your students. If you have other resources to share with teachers and students, please submit them in the comments below.

Sources

Featured Image Credit: Evan Garcia/WTTW News
[1] New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/article/george-floyd-protests-timeline.html
[2] CNN: https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-06-01-20/index.html
[3] New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-protests-white-supremacists-antifa.html
[4] The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/01/george-floyd-violent-rioters-america-police-officers
[5] Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-cops-made-things-worse-in-ferguson-2014-8
[6] Vox: https://www.vox.com/2020/5/30/21275574/george-floyd-protests-minneapolis-detroit
[7] New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/06/02/us/02reuters-minneapolis-police-protests-pentagon.html?searchResultPosition=10
[8] Politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/01/trump-slams-governors-as-weak-crackdown-on-protests-294023

 

 

Religious Liberty & COVID-19

During this seminar, Close Up’s Joe Geraghty discusses Religious Liberty & COVID-19 with Benjamin P. Marcus, Religious Literacy Specialist with the Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum Institute.  Benjamin talks about the First Amendment and the restrictions places on religious institutions during the pandemic. 

Mr. Marcus has developed religious literacy programs for public schools, universities, U.S. government organizations, and private foundations, and he has delivered presentations on religion at universities and nonprofits in the U.S. and abroad. He has worked closely with the U.S. State Department, Interfaith Youth Core, the Foundation for Religious Literacy, and the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme in the United Kingdom. 

 

 

Discussing Race & Racism with Students

black lives matter

Over the past week, we have witnessed an outpouring of grief and rage that reminds us—again—that democracy is always in the making and that we have a responsibility both to reflect and to act. As civic educators, we naturally turn our attention to what we can do, and what we can teach, that might further advance dialogues about freedom, equality, and justice. We hope that through our resources and the resources of others, and through discussions with teachers, we can help you have rich, meaningful dialogue with students about these complex issues.

To that end, this week we will offer three blog posts to help you grapple with the fundamental questions and challenges posed by recent events. The first, this post, provides resources and ideas for discussing race and racism with students. Wednesday’s post will explore the protests and the government responses to those protests.

Hopefully, the resources we share here help you and your students, but we also want to hear from you. What resources, lessons, questions, and ideas do you turn to when trying to help students better understand the important issues raised by the protesting?

Resources

To discuss race and racism:

  • The National Museum of African American History and Culture has created a resource called Talking About Race. The conversation guides and reflection questions help individuals think about and discuss race.
  • Teaching Tolerance offers Strategies for Reducing Racial and Ethnic Prejudice. These strategies help teachers think about the goals of discussions about race and prejudice, as well as reflect on their own positions and experiences.
  • Black Lives Matter at School has created and curated a wide range of resources to help teachers and students investigate issues relating to race and racism in America today.
  • In a short article published in ASCD, Dena Simmons explains How to be an Anti-Racist Educator.

To discuss race and racism in U.S. history:

 

Sources

Featured Image Credit: Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket

 

Enforcing Social Distancing & Wearing Masks

COVID 19 Open SignIn order to combat the spread of COVID-19, people are making many changes in their habits and routines. Two central recommendations of public health officials are that people remain socially distant1 by staying six or more feet from people and avoiding non-essential trips outside the home, and that people wear masks when in public.2 This has raised questions about the government’s authority to impose social distancing and mask restrictions, as well as the rights and responsibilities of business owners to protect their employees and customers.

In some cities and towns, the government has attempted to enforce social distancing and mask wearing with sometimes troubling results. For example, in New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. for several weeks, police arrested at least 40 people for failing to wear masks or practice social distancing. Of those 40 people, 35 were black, reigniting concerns over racial disparities in the policing.3 As city officials in New York and other communities consider new ways to enforce public health regulations, some cities try novel approaches. For example, in Clearwater, Florida, the city is employing civilian ambassadors to walk the beaches and remind people of social distancing guidelines.4

WATCH: Americans Celebrate Memorial Day Amid Coronavirus Pandemic (CBS News)

Many people are upset by the social distancing guidelines and efforts to enforce them. There have been anti-shutdown protests in many states across the country and around the world5, including armed protests at the state capitol in Michigan.6 While such protests are constitutionally protected, the very act of protesting may be spreading the virus.7 Those who are upset at efforts to enforce public health measures have come into conflict with people, such as grocery store, retail, and restaurant employees who are responsible for enforcing their employers’ policies.

WATCH: Face Mask Rules Lead to Violent Confrontations

These challenges are straining our society in new ways, raising questions about the authority of government, the rights of individuals, and the meaning of the common good. In a future post, we will examine the ways in which the definition of freedom is being contested in these times.

Discussion Questions

  1. What are some reasons that people might have to insist on not wearing masks in public places?
  2. Should stores and other establishments be allowed to ban people who do not wear masks or follow social distancing guidelines?
  3. How should local governments encourage people to follow public health guidelines? Should police be involved to issue fines and make arrests? If not, why not? What other mechanisms do communities have?
  4. What role do we all have in preventing the spread of the virus?
  5. Should governments have the authority to enforce public health guidelines? Why or why not?

Further Resources:

  • Can businesses refuse to serve customers who don’t wear masks? (from KIRO-7, Seattle’s ABC News affiliate)
  • “6 Feet People!!!!” When Petty Neighbors Become Social Distancing Police (from Slate)
  • Top 10 Excuses Offered For Not Wearing Masks Despite Covid-19 Coronavirus (from Forbes.com)
  • Reopening Sparks The Debate About Who Should Enforce Social-Distancing Rules (from NPR)

 

Sources

Featured Image Credit: Mike Hewitt, Getty Images via Forbes.com
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[3] New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/07/nyregion/nypd-social-distancing-race-coronavirus.html
[4] National Public Radio: https://www.npr.org/2020/05/15/857144397/police-back-off-from-social-distancing-enforcement
[5] Vox.com: https://www.vox.com/2020/5/20/21263919/anti-lockdown-protests-coronavirus-germany-brazil-uk-chile
[6] BBC.com: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52496514
[7] The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/18/lockdown-protests-spread-coronavirus-cellphone-data#maincontent

 

COVID-19 and Political Reform

During this seminar, Close Up’s Joe Geraghty discusses ‘COVID-19 and Political Reform’ with John Milewski, Director of Digital Programming & Managing Editor and Host of the Wilson Center ON DEMAND from Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.  John speaks with Joe about government funding and political reform in the wake of COVID-19 in regards to health care, education and business. 

John Milewski is a veteran broadcast journalist and communications professional with extensive experience as moderator, interviewer, anchor, reporter, and producer.  For 20 years he served as executive producer, moderator, and managing editor of Close Up on C-SPAN, one of the longest running news and public affairs discussion programs in cable television history. He also served as host of the award-winning radio and television program, Dialogue, a production of the Wilson Center. 

Executive Privilege and the Supreme Court

privilege and the supreme courtLast week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases involving President Donald Trump’s tax returns and financial records, Trump v. Mazars and Trump v. Deutsche Bank. During the 2016 election, then-candidate Trump broke with tradition and refused to release many of his financial records and tax returns. The president is suing his accountants and banks to prevent them from releasing his personal financial information to Congress. President Trump claims that executive privilege protects him from releasing any of this information to Congress; attorneys for the House of Representatives argue that executive privilege does not apply here.1 So, what is executive privilege and why is it in dispute?

Executive Privilege: Defined as Being Ill-Defined

Executive privilege is commonly defined as “shielding the president from having to disclose some internal executive branch communications.”2 However, as soon as anyone tries to define what communications count as privileged, there is often disagreement, some of which is likely political in nature and depends on the party occupying the executive branch.

The system of checks and balances makes the issue murkier. Since executive privilege is usually cited in disputes between two branches of government, the legislative and executive, the judicial branch tries to avoid weighing in so as not to favor one branch over the other. As a result, most guidance on executive privilege comes not from judicial rulings but from Department of Justice memoranda, which can be interpreted differently and modified with each new administration.3

Historical Use of Executive Privilege

The two most famous Supreme Court cases dealing with executive privilege are United States v. Nixon and Clinton v. Jones. In Nixon, President Richard Nixon claimed that executive privilege protected him from having to release the Watergate tapes to the special prosecutor. In a 8-0 decision, the Supreme Court ruled against the president on the basis that criminal activity was under investigation, which directly spoke to the president’s duties as chief executive.4

In Clinton v. Jones, executive privilege was invoked to stop President Bill Clinton from having to testify in relation to a sexual harassment accusation brought against him from before he was president. The Court also ruled against Clinton and established that activities prior to assuming the office of president were not protected.5

What Is In Dispute This Time?

If the Supreme Court has already ruled that activity prior to assuming the office of president is not protected, then why is there an unsettled question in these cases? In both United States v. Nixon and Clinton v. Jones, the legislative branch was not directly involved.

President Trump’s attorneys and other legal scholars argue that it is inappropriate for the judicial branch to rule on a dispute between two other co-equal branches of government, and that executive privilege is necessary to prevent Congress from burdening the president with legal battles. They argue that it is unclear why Congress is seeking the president’s financial information; particularly in the absence of a criminal charge, there is no standing to compel the president to release the information. Finally, they argue that the motives of the Democrat-controlled House are political, and that the chamber seeks to compel the president to release his records specifically to hurt his chances of reelection in November.6

The case being made by the House is that executive privilege has already been ruled as not absolute, that it only protects information related to the performance of presidential responsibilities, and that if the Supreme Court were to rule in favor of President Trump, it would unacceptably limit the oversight duties that Congress is supposed to have over the executive branch as part of the system of checks and balances. The House has also argued that the records it is seeking do not belong to the president but to Mazars and Deutsche Bank, which have both agreed to obey the subpoena.7

Discussion Questions

  1. Should there be a law requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns and financial statements?
  2. Should the president have special protections, like executive privilege, that are not shared by individuals outside of the executive branch?
  3. What, if any, information should a president be allowed to keep private?
  4. Some argue that the importance and the highly political nature of the president’s role necessitate special privileges and protections, so political opponents cannot unfairly prevent the president from his/her duties. Others argue that for the very same reasons, the president should be subject to a higher standard and have the same protections as, or even fewer protections than, average citizens. What do you believe?

 

Sources

Featured Image Credit: Old Town Crier: https://oldtowncrier.com/2019/11/30/executive-privilege-and-impeachment/
[1] Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/05/11/congress-trump-could-both-be-losers-supreme-court-this-week/
[2] SCOTUSblog: https://www.scotusblog.com/2019/10/executive-privilege-congress-subpoena-power-and-the-courts-a-brief-overview-of-a-complex-topic/
[3] Ibid.
[4] Portland Press Herald: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/05/13/the-conversation-historic-power-struggle-between-trump-and-congress-reviewed-by-supreme-court/
[5] SCOTUSblog: https://www.scotusblog.com/2019/10/executive-privilege-congress-subpoena-power-and-the-courts-a-brief-overview-of-a-complex-topic/
[6] Lawfare: https://www.lawfareblog.com/oral-argument-summary-supreme-court-hears-trump-financial-documents-cases
[7] Ibid.

 

Racial Equity and COVID-19

Virus Outbreak RaceThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is stressing our healthcare system, our economy, and parents trying to teach their children at home. It is also highlighting significant COVID-19  racial disparities in access to quality health care.

According to an April survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, Black, and Hispanic people are more likely than white people to know someone who has been seriously impacted by the virus.1 In New York City, the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States for several weeks, the mortality rate from the COVID-19 was twice as high among Black and Hispanic people than the rate among white people.2

There have been similar patterns in Chicago,3 Milwaukee,4 and Louisiana.5 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights several major reasons for the disparities. These include:

  1. Neighborhood and Physical Environment: Members of racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to live in communities with less access to groceries and other basic goods, and therefore have to rely on public transportation. They are also more likely to live in densely populated communities and in multi-generational households.
  2. Work Circumstances: In major urban centers, “essential” workers are more likely to be members of racial and ethnic minorities. People who work in these settings have more chances to be exposed to COVID-19 because these types of jobs require frequent or close contact with the public, involve activities that cannot be done from home, and may lack benefits such as paid sick days.
  3. Underlying Health and Health Care Conditions: Racial and ethnic health disparities related to COVID-19 are also caused by a disproportionate lack of access to quality health care, health insurance, and/or linguistically and culturally responsive healthcare.6

Learn more about the connection between residential segregation and health

In addition to these structural issues that the CDC highlights, some argue that racism itself is partially to blame. A recent study indicates that racism in medical school may influence whether newly graduated doctors go to work in underserved communities.7 Furthermore, microaggressions—subtle expressions of racism and bias that people of color face in their daily lives—lead to stress and have an impact on health outcomes, according to recent research.8

Clearly, the disparities that we are seeing in the impacts of COVID-19 and Black and Hispanic communities are not new. However, it is possible that the pandemic will give these issues new attention and help them gain an increased sense of urgency. The roots of this problem run deep and connect to many other issues facing the United States.

Discussion Questions

  1. Did it surprise you to learn that the health impacts of COVID-19 are different by race? Why or why not?
  2. How high a priority should it be to address these issues during the outbreak?
  3. How high a priority should it be after the outbreak?
  4. What kinds of solutions would you propose to address the issues described here?

 

 

Sources

Featured Image Credit: AP PHOTO/BEBETO MATTHEWS
[1] Pew Research Center: https://www.people-press.org/2020/04/14/health-concerns-from-covid-19-much-higher-among-hispanics-and-blacks-than-whites/?utm_source=AdaptiveMailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20-04-14%20COVID%20Personal%20Health_GEN%20DISTRO&org=982&lvl=100&ite=5966&lea=1326331&ctr=0&par=1&trk=
[2] New York City Health Department: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/imm/covid-19-deaths-race-ethnicity-04082020-1.pdf
[3] National Public Radio: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/06/828303894/in-chicago-covid-19-is-hitting-the-black-community-hard
[4] U.S. News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york/articles/2020-03-27/milwaukees-black-community-hit-hard-by-coronavirus
[5] CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/06/health/us-coronavirus-updates-monday/index.html
[6] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/racial-ethnic-disparities/index.html
[7] The Nation’s Health: http://thenationshealth.aphapublications.org/content/49/8/E30
[8] Center for Health Journalism: https://www.centerforhealthjournalism.org/2017/11/08/how-racism-and-microaggressions-lead-worse-health