UMADAOP MAGAZINE Urban Minority Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Outreach Program
ADDRESSING THE PAST TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CHANDRI COLLINS
A Profile with CEO Leah Dennis-Ellsworth Leading Cincinnati to Recovery: Board Chair, Joe Mallory: Leading a Lasting Legacy
Vice President KamalaHarris: The First of Many
Navigating Throug ! Reco " ery
Support Through Advocacy
8 JoeMallory: Leading a Lasting Legacy 10 Leah Dennis-Ellsworth: A Pro ! le 12 Sandra Jones-Mitchell: Support Through Advocacy
20 Robin Chabaz: Takes A Seat 24 Kamala Harris: The First of Many 26 The Black Vote: The Increasing In " uence 30 Racism: Cancel Culture 42 BLM: The Role of Social Media
16 Jerome Crockett: Navigates Through Recovery 18 Chandri Collins: Addresses the Past to Move Forward
Leading Cincinnati to Recovery:
A Profile with CEO Leah Dennis-Ellsworth
with mental health stirred a spirit of advocacy for the underserved and marginalized minority populations. “My passion was to be a guardian and speak to the heart of determination for those suffering to know they can regain the quality of life they lost during their arrested development.” The trailblazer has now gained 40 years of experience in public service. She partnered with the University of Cincinnati psychiatric emergency staff to champion The Mobile Crisis Team. HUD has recognized her efforts in creating a Welfare to Work Program that empowered women to become self-sufficient and prepared to enter the workforce. She has also been an integral part of raising $15 million for programs to reduce and provide preventative and treatment measures to residents of the community. Alongside her brother, Dennis- Ellsworth is the co-founder of the Urban Human Resource Institute, a non-profit organization that operates the Bethesda House. The group home serves African American men dealing with co- occurring chronic mental health challenges and drug addiction.
As the executive director of the UMADAOP of Cincinnati, Leah Dennis-Ellsworth oversees anything pertaining to the organization’s administrative needs. Securing sources of funding, ensuring compliance with insurance regulations, and hiring and overseeing staff are only some of her daily responsibilities. Among the 20 staff members she oversees, Dennis- Ellsworth provides weekly clinical supervision that involves discussing cases and treatment interventions and reviewing patients’ charts. “My role is to advocate for the clients and communities we serve,” she said. Her efforts involve providing education on substance abuse prevention and recovery, as well as participating in community advisory councils. These positions allow her to identify the specific needs of UMADAOP’s target communities. Dennis-Ellsworth believes her passion for the field of mental health and addiction recovery was inspired by her oldest brother. She closely watched his work in the 1960s that provided medication assistance treatment (MAT) to Black communities plagued with heroin addiction around Cincinnati. Seeing another of her siblings lacking quality hospital care during his battle
“My role is to advocate for the clients and communities we serve,”
- Leah Dennis-Ellsworth, Executive Director of the UMADAOP of Cincinnati
Heightened Needs
Her service spans to other areas of the community, as she works with churches to form non-profits and increase their access to resources that can help them better serve the community. While she has received praise for each of these many aspects of her efforts, her most noted work has been developing Whole Again International. The program provides meals to after-school students, churches, and summer youth programs in the Cincinnati area.
As the head of the UMADAOP of Cincinnati, Dennis-Ellsworth’s goal is to build new relationships that can increase funding streams, create new service opportunities, and cultivate and expand ideas to provide evidenced based methods of prevention, treatment, and recovery for minorities around Hamilton County. The collision of the opioid epidemic with the coronavirus pandemic multiplied the need for heightened attention in minority communities. Dennis-Ellsworth and her staff have quickly adapted to apply for additional funding to further the program’s reach. They partner with popup food sites and churches to better reach people and engage and inform them of where hope and recovery are available. “We partner with primary care facilities, local service
organizations, faith based community social agencies, and schools to send the message of hope to help reduce deaths and lack of treatments and increase the rate of recovery.”
Though her work spans many areas, Dennis- Ellsworth’s dedication remains the same. “My ongoing advocacy for residents’ safety, well-being, and quality of life continue to be my primary focus.” Referencing the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, she said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate. To have it makes some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
- Leah Dennis-Ellsworth, Executive Director of the UMADAOP of Cincinnati “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate.
Leading a Lasting
Legacy, with UMADAOP of Cincinnati’s Board Chair
J oeMallory is theboard chair of theUMADAOP of Cincinnati and the son of theorganization’s founder. Nearly 40 years ago,WilliamMallory Sr. was instrumental in creating a structure the stateof Ohiowould recognize as the ! rst of its kind in the country.“Social workerswere tellingmy father that therewasn’t an organization focusingondiversity or cultural competency in the spaceof addiction services.” WhileMallory’s father never pressuredhimor his brothers to followhis path of work, his actions in reachingout to the community’s underserved members presented himas a rolemodel to many, particularly his sons. Hewas the ! rst Black and longest-servingmajority leader in theOhio Houseof Representatives.“My father was solution-
“Mymissionwas to make sure it didn’t fail.” - JoeMallory
oriented, and always solvedproblems for those who asked for his assistance,”Mallory said.“As I got older, I startedpayingmore attention to howhe made a di # erence for people. Hewas so consistent and interested in using his position to helpothers. Hewasmy rolemodel, and I wanted to continue that legacy of helpingothers anduplifting the community.” Before joining theboardof UMADAOP of Cincinnati in 2018, JoeMallory served in theUS Navy.When he returnedhome, hebecame a professional model for 10 years andworked at theUS Postal Service. He later ran for o $ ce andbecame the vicemayor of Forest Park,Ohiobeforebeginningwork at the Hamilton County Boardof Elections as an election administrator for 19 years. He retired in 2019. A year prior to retiring from the Boardof Elections, Mallory accepted a boardpositionwith UMADAOP of Cincinnati in 2018. He’dpreviously served seven years on the largest addiction services board in southwesternOhio and felt his experiencegave him the insight needed too # er leadership and stability for UMADAOP.“Mymissionwas tomake sure it didn’t fail.” In 2019,Mallory’swork in redirecting the organization’s focus earned him theposition of board chair. He spent his ! rst threemonths as chair building relationships in the community, accumulating resources that would contribute to the strength of its programs and recruiting credentialed sta # .Oneof his prizedhireswas its executive director, Leah Dennis-Ellsworth.“Shewas a godsend because,with oversight fromour boardmembers,
wewere able toestablishpolicies that would keep all our functions running and focus on recerti ! cation andhaving credentialed and certi ! ed successors in place for various positions. Dennis-Ellsworth has done an amazing jobpositioningUMADAOP tobe a leading agency for culturally competent mental health and addiction services inOhio.” While theorganization has progressed in thequality and reach of its services,Mallorybelieves there are additional elements that can contribute togreater community impact.“Increasing the stability of its programstructure, expanding itsmedically assisted treatment programandowning an independent space are someof our goals for the near future.” Through all of its progress, deepening the organization’s community impact remains the focus. “We’re still trying tobuildbridgeswith all minorities within theCincinnati area.What started as African American and Latino cultural competency has grown intobeingmore intentional about reachingout to theHispanic community aswell.”Providing relevant community services and reducing the recidivism rate are also continual objectives.“Wewant to treat the wholeperson andmake surewe’re assisting them to have a pathway to ameaningful and productive life.” ElectedCincinnati NAACP president inNovember, Mallory is also advocating for racial and social justice. He says hiswork between UMADAOP and theNAACP have much overlap in the area of building relationships and sustainablepoints of action that produce resources and policies for positive community change.
“As I got older, I startedpayingmoreattention to howhemadeadi ! erence for people.” - JoeMallory, Board Chair of UMADAOP
Support Through Advocacy
In 1993, Sandra Jones-Mitchell founded what would become one of Cincinnati’s most grounded community organizations. Her spirit of advocacy led her to serve some of the area’s most vulnerable population. Through her organization, Serving Older Adults Through Changing Times (SO-ACT), Mitchell works to connect senior citizens with existing community programs and services to help them continue living prosperous lives.
It’s about making sure our seniors are not falling through the cracks.
- SANDRA JONES-MITCHELL
Sparking Passion
All that I do is about trying to implement inclusion and go that extra mile for the seniors in this community.
Her love for working with the community’s seasoned population began when she was an activity coordinator for a local nursing home. “I was only responsible for overseeing two activities, but I was always trying to find what else I could be contributing.” In her spare time, she would visit some of the residents in their rooms to learn more about their history and greatest accomplishments while assisting them with their daily hygiene routines. That interest sparked her passion for learning how to better engage with her residents and expand that care outside of the home. Her next position was at a county facility offering assistance to people with disabilities. During her 30 years working with the county, Mitchell started SO-ACT. ,he nonprofit organization®s mission focuses on learning about the needs of senior citizens and educating them and their families about available resources. “It’s about making sure our seniors are not falling through the cracks.” Food distribution, drug treatment, and medicine disposal services are all outreach efforts Mitchell has partnered with to provide advocacy for seniors during the planning and execution of these events. She also serves as a community partner to UMADAOP of Cincinnati. She assists with organizing outreach programs, creating intervention strategies, and raising awareness on the many effects the opioid epidemic can have on various demographics. Her goal is to ensure no population is overlooked in preventing
- SANDRA JONES-MITCHELL
and treating substance abuse. “They or their family members may be struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, and I want to ma e sure they®re able to find the support they need. Helping them discard old medications lying around the house can also prevent drug misuse, and that’s an area that could be easily overlooked.” Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Mitchell has placed heightened awareness to furthering partnerships with organizations offering socially distanced events. “It’s taken a lot of creativity,” she said. “But it has to be done to make sure we’re not putting anyone in a position that may not be safe.” Because she works with a population that is especially vulnerable to contracting the virus, she has been working to connect them with virtual events. “Many of the people I work with aren’t familiar with video calls or online support groups. They don’t know these options are available to them.” Advising planning committees on how to include these individuals in their programs and make them accessible has become another part of her efforts. In the many years of her work throughout Cincinnati and surrounding communities, Mitchell’s dedication and passion for advocacy have only grown. While her work has earned her numerous awards, she’s most rewarded seeing seniors valued and included. “All that I do is about trying to implement inclusion and go that extra mile for the seniors in this community.”
-Jerome Crockett “We’re here for them”
Recovery Through Navigating
WHAT WE’RE ABOUT
contact for clients needing assistance or support outside of the hours of regularly scheduled programs “If I was responsible for bringing you to the door, I’m going to stay with you.” Working in his position has allowed him to see the need for the assistance the organization gives within the community. “The people I see who are suffering from addiction and even those who have a friend or loved one dealing with it may not be able to get the support they need at home or around the people they know. We have to all stand together and help one another. UMADAOP serves all, so if there are people who are suffering from addiction, my job is to get them there.”
Jerome Crockett serves as a community navigator for the UMADAOP of Cincinnati. He helps clients get to and from their various sessions, court cases, or other appointments to ease their transitions during recovery. “We’re here for them,” he said. “That’s what we’re about with UMADAOP and the recovery series.” For clients who have to attend court appearances, Crockett serves as a voice for how they have been improving since they started attending UMADAOP programs.
As a member of the Peer Recovery Workforce, Crockett is a point of
-Jerome Crockett “If I was responsible for bringing you to the door, I’m going to stay with you.”
A PEOPLE PERSON
For more than seven months, Crockett has been a valued member of the UMADAOP of Cincinnati, bringing in some of its highest numbers of referrals. He was introduced to the organization after meeting its executive director, Leah Dennis-Ellsworth. “She was at my church doing outreach. We talked, and she thought I would be a good help to the program helping with outreach.” Since starting with the organization, Crockett has brought in about 50 people to start their journeys to recovery with the UMADAOP of Cincinnati. “I’m a people person. I can reach out and talk to just about anyone, and in that friendship, I’m able to bring people in at great numbers.” He says he doesn’t see his work as a job but as an opportunity to help underserved parts of the community. “It’s such rewarding work when you’re able to help someone because there have been many times where I needed someone to help me. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to be helpful for those in need.” Crockett believes he will continue serving in his position for years to come. “I feel one of the greatest accomplishments or one of the greatest things someone can actively do is to be a servant of the Lord. I know he’s put me in a position to be out here and help others.”
!" M #$% Fo &' a &( “To be able to give something back is a joy.” -Chandri Collins A ) d & es *+,- !.% Pa */
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“It was almost like I had been sleepwalking through life. At some point, I realized that’s not who I was or was raised to be.” - Chandri Collins
A Seat at the Table: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Workplace
Robin Shabazz is entering her second year as a UMADAOP of Cincinnati board member. Her responsibilities include supporting the organization’s executive director and reviewing and approving major activities. As an HR representative, she also handles team questions related to human resources and legal matters. ! e work she does with UMADAOP is often closely intertwined with that of her company. In 2018, Shabazz founded the Eastledge Group. ! e management consulting " rm specializes in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within its clients’ workplaces. It provides customized development training with one-on-one and group coaching. It also supports organizations with existing diversity and inclusion practices looking to mature their programs. Shabazz recently published training materials
and facilitated sessions on managing unconscious bias by using cultural intelligence, speci " cally in " elds related to mental health and addiction treatment. ! e Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services sponsored the training that brought organizations like UMADAOP and county public health agencies to attend. “My goal is to help
individuals become more skilled at leading and interacting with individuals in this multicultural world,” she said.
creating a strategic process
! ough the three areas are often used interchangeably, diversity, equity, and inclusion have various distinctions. Diversity, Shabazz says, primarily speaks to how an organization or agency represents the population. Race, ethnicity, inherent traits, and acquired traits, such as level of education, marital status, and " nancial status, are factors that de " ne the scope of representation. Inclusion examines ways to leverage diversity to ensure there’s equal participation in decision-making, performance management, professional development, and promotion. “It’s that proverbial seat at the table and ensuring everyone has one that matters,” Shabazz said. Equity involves giving each individual what they need to succeed based on their unique situation. “A heterosexual cisgender white man, for example, has needs that di # er from those of an African American queer woman. ! ings might look di # erent for each of them.” Equity helps organizations move away from analyzing their options from the standpoint of a one-size- " ts-all approach and into having policies and procedures that are $ exible enough to address individual needs. To create strategic processes around incorporating these elements into the core of an organization, Shabazz begins by assisting its members in creating a common language around diversity, equity, and inclusion. “Every organization might de " ne these elements di # erently, so we have to ensure they " t within their company culture and help them create a vision statement.” ! e statement then serves as a tool to direct the future actions of the agency and make sure these practices are embedded in existing and later business practices. One example is centered on the recruitment and hiring process. “We want to make sure the organization is looking at job boards that target minority groups, such as Black and indigenous people. We also examine the agency’s selection policies and practices to address any bias in those processes.” ! e team then works to create a timeline for advertising and other elements to increase the agency’s standards of diverse representation. From her 30 years in the space of promoting workplace diversity, Shabazz believes her work within her company and UMADAOP is vital to increasing the prosperity of the Cincinnati community and others across the county. “It became very clear to me that one of the largest needs out there was around really helping organizations " nd diverse talent. ! ere are so many individuals who are Black, indigenous, and people of color, and there’s an incredible amount of talent they bring to every " eld. It’s just about being intentional about changing what you currently do to be deliberate about making decisions that invite them in and help them succeed.”
Kamala Harris: The First of Many
Dressed in a purple coat and ensemble and with pearls around her neck, Kamala Harris stood beside the podium with her right hand on the Bible. A smile was pressed onto her lips as she waited to repeat the phrases of her oath of o ! ce as the newly elected vice president of the United States. She was both the " rst woman and Black woman to stand in that position. Born in Oakland, California to parents who emigrated from India and Jamaica, Harris grew up in the environ- ment of advocacy. Her parents were justice advocates and o # en brought her to demonstrations during the Civ- il Rights Movement. At a young age, she was introduced to activists like Constance Baker, Charles Hamilton Houston and Supreme Court Justice $ urgood Marshall. She has said these individuals were role models whose work furthered her interest in attending law school. She boasts educational accomplishments and graduated from Howard University and the University of California’s Hastings College of Law. Once in her career, Harris became the " rst Black woman to serve as the district attorney for the county of San Francisco. In 2017, she was elected to the Senate and was only the second Black woman to serve in that position. $ rough her work, Harris has backed and sponsored legislation supporting criminal justice reform, an- ti-lynching and policies bene " tting women and young girls. In her " rst speech as vice president-elect in No- vember 2020, she said she hopes to inspire and encourage other women across the country to shatter the barriers surrounding them in school, work and politics. “While I may be the " rst woman in this o ! ce, I won’t be the last because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.” During her initial campaign, Harris became one of only 11 Black women in the history of the United States to run for president. $ ough none of them won their
political races, the representation and historic events of their campaigns o # en encouraged minority voter registration and created valuable points of inspiration and progress for women and African Americans. Harris tailored her running points to Black Americans and con- sistently underlined her Jamaican and Indian roots.
“We did it, Joe. We did it.”
When she accepted Joe Biden’s re % uest to join his campaign as vice president, she further opened a path that had been previously uncharted for minority groups across the country. “We did it, Joe. We did it,” she said a # er learning of their victory. While the iconic words signaled the end to e & orts to win the election, they were a celebration of progress for the women, Black Ameri- cans and other minority groups who later watched the reaction. All throughout her campaign and the election, Kama- la Harris’ " rst name was o # en mispronounced, raising % uestions of how to enunciate the syllables containing the Indian meaning of “lotus ' ower.” Many Black men and women could identify with having names over which native English tongues would stutter. Hearing her name spoken correctly, however, in front of an audi- ence of the country’s top politicians and to the ears of millions of Americans on inauguration day solidi " ed the tone of representation and respect Harris, her role models and activist predecessors have advocated for.
My mother would look at me, and she’d say, ‘Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last. That’s why breaking those barriers is worth it. As much as anything else, it is also to create that path for those who will come after us. - Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States “ ”
The Increasing Influence of America’s Black Vote Since 1992, no candidate has won the Democratic nomination without receiving a majority of the black vote
A s Biden took his official oath during the presidential inauguration alongside Kamala Harris on Jan. 20, 2021, he and Black voters across the country were aware of their pivotal factor in the two leaders winning the election. This was reflected during the voting period in cities with large populations of Black voters. Preliminary national exit polls showed about 87% of Black voters favored Biden over Trump. Those numbers were specifically divided between the votes of 19% of all Black men and 9% of all Black women in America. Exit poll data also show that Black Americans represented more than 50% of all Democratic voters in Geor - gia. Large numbers were also reflected in states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. In February 2020, Rep. James Clyburn, the House majority whip and highest-ranking African American in Congress, endorsed Biden three days before the South Carolina primary. Many Demo - cratic voters living in the southeastern state said Clyburn’s endorsement was a swaying factor in their decision to vote for Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris. Last year, the number of votes Black Americans accounted for was more than triple what they were only a few decades ago. While the influence of the Black vote held a significant role, its power was overtly apparent in the 2016 campaign that followed the 2008 election garnering 13% of Black votes, 95% of which were for Barack Obama. It’s why Donald Trump focused so much of his campaign on winning the vote of Black Americans during his 2016 campaign. “What do you have to lose by trying something new, like Trump? I will produce for the inner cities. I will produce for the African Americans,” he said. Trump’s effort to appeal to African Americans portrayed the growing dynamic of catering to Black voters that had been growing since much earlier years in history. In 1972, Shirley Chisholm launched what was a historic campaign and became the first African American to run for a Democratic presidential nom - ination. She’d become the first Black U.S. Congress - woman and was a co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus. Under her slogan “Unbought and Un - bossed,” Chisholm wanted her campaign to be an in - augural avenue for other Black Americans to run for the presidency. She strived to change the narrative that only white men could run for or hold the coun - try’s executive position. and her campaign picked up record numbers of votes from Black women.
In 1976, on the day before the New Hampshire primary, presidential candidates Sargent Shriver, Morris Udall, Jimmy Carter, Henry Jackson, Fred Harris and Milton Shapp were the Democratic names on the ticket. This election was like the oth - ers during its time, as all-white spreads of candidates were typical. The Voting Rights Act was just 10 years old at the time, and Black voters would only make up 10% of the voting population. In 1984, however, the leader of Operation PUSH, Rev. Jesse Jackson, became the second African American to run for president. His campaign en - couraged extensive voter registration among African Americans. Black voters in New Jersey, for example, represented 20% of the June Democratic primary electorate. This was nearly triple the percentage these votes accounted for in 1980. On Super Tues - day, Jackson received 21% of votes in Georgia, a state known for its large Black population. His campaign expanded the role of Black voters in U.S. elections. Forty years later, by the time campaigns began for the 2020 election, much had changed, and Black voter registration was steadily on the rise as the U.S. displayed one of its most diverse list of candidates. There were four Black major Democratic candidates, including Wayne Messam of Florida, Cory Book - er of New Jersey, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California. A much wider spread of representation on the Democratic ticket brought higher percentages of Black voters to the polls. These numbers were exponentially higher and incomparable to the 1976 election and several others of its time. Since 1992, no candidate has won the Democratic nomination without receiving a majority of the black vote. As a minority group, the growing influence of the votes of Black Americans will often be respon - sible for bringing historical change to the United States. Last year, the number of votes Black Americans accounted for was more than triple what they were only a few decades ago.
Then and Now: A Look at Two of America's Most Prolific Racial Justice Movements
The protests and demonstrations that followed characterized black Lives Matter as a grassroots movement
T wo movements. Two vastly di ! erent periods in history. One cause. " e Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements were cre- ated for the purpose of establishing and furthering positive societal practices and treatment of African Americans. " ough they di ! er in time periods, leaders and speci # c motivating events, they were both led and founded upon activism for justice and equality for Black people. Started in the mid-1950s, the Civil Rights Movement was a social movement with the goal to end discrimination and racial segregation toward African Amer- icans. It was known for its non-violent approaches to addressing and calling attention to acts of racial discrimination. Lunch counter sit-ins and the Montgom- ery Bus Boycott that involved 42,000 people and lasted more than a year are some of its most notable examples. Black Lives Matter is an international political and activist movement that be- gan in 2013 within the Black community to demand and support practices against violence toward African Americans. Dismantling platforms and operations that are breeders for racial violence and police brutality are one of its foundation- al pillars. In its early development and throughout demonstrations and protests, social media users rapidly increased the prominence of the movement by circu- lating the hashtag “#BlackLivesMatter.” " e Black Lives Matter Network was later formed and provides an online platform for organizers and activists to share plans, resources and goals. Posts and conversations arose a $ er the unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmer- man, a neighborhood watch coordinator. Zimmerman was acquitted following Martin’s death. " e protests and demon- strations that followed characterized Black Lives Matter as a grassroots move- ment whose participants were o $ en will-
ing to radically approach their cause. For both the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements, violence of- ten ensued, even if not intended by its participants. Demonstrators during the 1950s and 60s were met with # re hoses cranked to dangerous pressures, attacked by police dogs and shot by police. " ose involved in Black Lives Matter protests have been protesting police brutality both outside of and within their demon- strations. On Aug. 10, 2014, protests and riots brewed a $ er 18-year-old African American Michael Brown was shot and killed by a white police o % cer in Fergu- son, Missouri. Tensions grew between protestors and police, and o % cers arrived in riot gear to dispel crowds looting and vandalizing property. " e following day, police deployed tear gas and rubber bul- lets at protestors. " e movement again received height- ened international attention a $ er George Floyd was killed outside a convenience store by a white police o % cer. More than 20 million people were estimated to have participated in the national protests as thousands of others also marched in the streets of countries around the globe. “I can’t breathe,” “No justice, no peace,” “Defund the police” and “Don’t shoot” were words that became common during these protests. With the modern-day widespread use of social media, people around the world are able to learn about and participate in Black Lives Matter demonstrations. During last year’s protests, activists in other countries plastered the movement’s hashtag as they tore down and shattered statues of historical # gures who were known to be slave owners. " e global attention placed on these events brought national attention to the movement and a continued understanding of the events and calls for change that fueled the Civil Rights Movement.
Students have created Facebook groups to expose racist behavior from other students.
S ocial media has long been a source of entertain- ment and opportunity to connect with friends and family and establish new social circles. However, in light of the movement against recent acts of racial injustice and police brutality, it has become a hub of platforms many people are using to expose actions, be- haviors and language that are primarily racist or sexist. Among the Black community, this has become a power- ful avenue for pursuing justice on a social level. As conversations and perspectives from the Black Lives Matter protests continue to linger, people on social me- dia have become quick to highlight racist behavior and effectively “cancel” the people behind that content. The online movement is often referred to as “cancel culture” and involves people shaming and withdraw- ing support from businesses and individuals known to engage in racially offensive behavior.
In May 2020, a white New York woman, Amy Cooper, was ridiculed on social media after a video circulated showing her calling the police on a Black man, Christian Cooper, who was birdwatching in Central Park. After Christian asked Amy to put her dog on a leash, Amy said she was calling the cops. “I’m going to tell them there’s an Afri- can American man threatening my life,” she said. Chris- tian recorded the conversation and posted the video to social media. People spread her name across the Internet as the video went viral. Many of them contacted Amy’s employer about her racially prompted actions, and she was fired the next day. In February 2021, Chris Harrison, the host of the reality TV series “The Bachelor,” announced he was “stepping aside” from his role on the show. In an interview during the franchise’s first season with a Black bachelor, Har - rison discussed photos from one of the show’s contes- tants. Her photos included images of her attending an Antebellum party three years prior. Though celebrating pre-Civil War history can be an offensive point of conver- sation for many Black viewers, Harrison’s opinion on the contestant’s photos showed what seemed to be support as he defended her attending the party. After seeing and receiving a host of posts and comments responding to his interview, Harrison announced his temporary departure from the show. In schools across the country, students have also created Facebook groups among their peers to expose and dis- cuss racist behavior from other students. In some cases where the behavior was taken to authority figures and deemed to be racist, severe consequences have resulted. Some students have had their college admission revoked and received deductions from their scholarships. Social media can often be an echo chamber for racism and hateful rhetoric. While cancel culture does not only apply to behaviors involving racism, it has become a tool many users define as an obligation of social activism and holding people accountable for their words and challeng- ing them to more productive actions.
“Social media has become a hub of platforms people are using to expose racist or sexist behavior.”
L ast year, in the midst of economic turmoil and other effects from the coronavirus pandemic, protestors gathered in cities across the nation to demand justice for acts of violent racism and police brutality. As a result, millions of Americans and people around the world followed the progression of these cases. Many of them have since developed with updates on charges and court decisions. AHMAUD ARBERY Nearly two months after the video was leaked in May 2020, Gregory and Travis McMichael were arrested and charged with aggravated assault and for the murder of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery. In late December, lawyers for the McMichaels filed several motions. One of them asked that Arbery not be called a “victim” during the trial, stating it would cause prejudice. Another motion requested the court show only one photo of Arbery during the trial and that the photo be of himself and not include anyone else. Both men have pleaded “not guilty” to charges of felony murder and malice, and their defense attorneys denied any racist motives in the shooting. GEORGE FLOYD In October, the judge assigned to the former Minneapolis officers’ cases dropped the third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, the officer who pinned George Floyd’s neck to the ground outside the Cup Foods corner store. The ruling said evidence did not show Chauvin’s actions threatened anyone’s safety but Floyd’s. In early February, prosecutors filed a motion requesting a judge to reinstate a third-degree murder charge against Chauvin. They also requested to add third-degree murder charges to Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and Alexander Kueng, the other three former officers involved in the case. BREONNA TAYLOR In September, the grand jury indicted Brett Hankinson for three counts of first-degree "wanton endangerment." Hankinson was one of three officers who executed the no-knock warrant for Tay - lor’s apartment. The charges came after the grand jury decided the shots Hankinson fired put the people in the apartment next to Taylor’s in danger. Myles Cosgrove, another of the three involved officers, and a detective who prepared the search warrant for Taylor’s apartment raid were officially fired in January. Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, the third officer involved in the case, is still on administrative reassignment. RAYSHARD BROOKS On Jan. 25, Fulton County’s chief prosecutor, Fani Willis, asked the state to transfer Rayshard Brooks’ case outside of her office. Brooks was shot and killed outside a Wendy's restaurant by Garrett Rolfe, an Atlanta Police Officer in June. Willis said the former district attorney used video - clips from the shooting in his campaign commercials for reelection. She stated the conduct was unethical and should prevent her office from handling the case. A month after the statement, Rolfe’s attorneys filed to dismiss the case based on Willis’ decision. ELIJAH MCCLAIN On Jan. 9, Colorado’s attorney general announced a grand jury would investigate the case of Elijah McClain. The 23-year-old died after police officers placed him in a chokehold and injected him with 500 milligrams of ketamine. They were responding to a 911 call about a “suspicious person” wearing a ski mask. Jacob Blake Prosecutors decided not to file criminal charges against the officers involved in Jacob Blake’s shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Ben Crump, an attorney for Blake’s family, said he would file a lawsuit and continue fighting for racially just practices in policing. The victim's family reported Blake was paralyzed from the waist down after the shooting, and Blake was admitted to a Milwaukee hospital. In October, he was released from the hospital and entered a spinal rehabilitation center.
What’s the Progress? Updates on Racial Injustice Cases of 2020
Protestors gathered in cities to demand justice for acts of violent racism and police brutality
A Rooted History:
Concerns Among CovidVaccines in the Black Community
DON’T THINK IT DOESN’T AFFECT YOU.
Millions watched as a Black intensive care nurse in Queens, New York received the first dose in the country of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
On a mid-December Monday in 2020, the Unit- ed States recorded a coronavirus death toll topping 300,000. The 10th month of lockdown restrictions brought record low numbers of holiday travel for family visits, continued effects of economic stress both on federal and inde- pendent levels and the compounding difficulty of students receiving virtual instruction. Mil- lions watched as a Black intensive care nurse in Queens, New York received the first dose in the country of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Though a leading name among vaccine production, the Pfizer vaccine has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. News reports also detailed side effects that occurred following some of the initial administrations of the vac- cine in various parts of the country. While these facts produced hesitation or questioning about the safety of the vaccine among many, the Black community had a greater amount of reluctance to consider. Now nearly three months into countrywide vaccine distribution, doses are going to groups of healthcare workers and employees in fields with higher risks of transmitting the virus. A report from a data tracker through the CDC stated more than 60% of these doses have gone to white people, whereas only 6% have gone to African Americans. While demographics and varying vaccination phases throughout states are factors that contribute to this disparity, historical events and patterns are perhaps the greatest factors that account for this significant differ - ence. In 1932, in partnership with the Tuskegee Insti- tute, the U.S. Public Health Service recruited hundreds of rural Black men to participate in a study they were told would treat them for “bad blood,” an all-encompassing term at the time that referenced a span of conditions and ailments. Officially named the Study of Untreat - ed Syphilis in the Negro Male, the goal was to “observe the natural history of untreated syphi- lis” among Black populations. The study’s partic- ipants, however, were not provided the scope of these intentions and were denied the education
or resources that could give them the knowl- edge needed to make informed decisions about their participation. During the study, the men were given free meals, medical exams and burial insurance. They were not aware, however, the purpose of the study was to deny them medical treatment during the process. Instead of lasting the six months it initially prom- ised, the study continued for 40 years. Penicillin was widely introduced as an antibiotic to treat syphilis in 1947, yet it was not offered to the study’s participants. They were also not given the option to halt their involvement in the study and receive treatment if desired. When a federal advisory board was called in to assess the ethics of the study, the panel found the men had been misled and the study was “ethically unjustified.” A year later, settlements and reparations were distributed. However, the hindsight perspective of the study reflects a trusted group of govern - ment medical researchers intentionally omitting vital information from a group of men either seeking treatment or volunteering to participate in a study they believed would lead to the treat- ment of syphilis. Now nearly 50 years later, as a pandemic shakes the globe, the Black community is reminded of the injustices of that experiment. A host of Black educational and medical leaders across the coun- try have voiced their support of the coronavirus vaccine and are encouraging African Americans to receive it. While some say the continued rise of vaccination numbers will assuage concerns, a justified amount of anxiety around the doses is still present for many.
Populations Among Black Why COVID-19 Are Rates Higher
A report from the CDC in April 2020 found that 33% of patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 were Black, although Black people made up only 18% of the studied population. Pre- existing conditions such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension and obesity disproportionately impact the African American commu- nity and heighten one’s risk of becoming susceptible to the vi- rus. These conditions also increase the chance of complications if the virus is contracted. Evidence has shown that structural inequities in social as- pects, like poverty and access to healthcare, play a determining role in one’s overall health and quality of life. Racial minority groups are often especially vulnerable to these changes due to fewer available resources compared to other groups. This leads to an increased risk of not receiving proper healthcare that is crucial in the time of a global pandemic. A report from the CDC listed a variety of factors that are steady contributors to inequalities that expose minority groups to higher risks of seeing the effects from the virus. Discrimination, a lack of access to healthcare, wealth gaps and housing limita- tions are only some of the inequities that plague many Black communities. As discrimination affects countless areas of life, its existence in systems designed to provide care and life-saving support can be deadly. In healthcare systems, it decreases or revokes stan- dards of quality care. When paired with lower rates of insurance
among Black communities, as compared to their white coun- terparts, access to quality care becomes nearly nonexistent. COVID testing, vaccines and care during hospitalization can become extremely expensive and prevent someone in need of care from pursuing treatment. As disparities of income and educational levels are present between racial groups, one’s ability to leave a job that is put- ting them at risk for contracting the virus is lessened, whereas someone with a higher paying job may be in a financial po - sition that gives them more flexibility to leave that job. Bus drivers, train operators and custodians are overrepresented by people in the Black community. These are essential jobs that often require long hours and do not offer adequate health benefits to offset gaps in accessing affordable healthcare and treatments. While conclusive results have not been finalized to show if efforts to quell these disparities have been effective, many governmental and healthcare agencies are making targeted attempts to address some of these healthcare gaps. Some lo- cal initiatives are offering increased hours at testing sites to account for employees working jobs outside of the standard 9-5 schedule. Eliminating the underlying causes of disparities in wealth, healthcare and education would be instrumental in shaking these effects but will require years of dedicated work from community organizations and lawmakers at all levels.
This leads to an increased risk of not receiving proper healthcare that is crucial in the time of a global pandemic
Racial minority groups are often especially vulnerable to these changes due to fewer available resources compared to other groups
Crisis Growth THE and Support of BLACK-OWNED Businesses During THE Economic In a 2020 Pew Research study, 43% of Black adults surveyed reported they or someone else in their house - hold either was laid off or took a pay cut because of the pandemic, compared to 38% of white Americans who were surveyed.
able to rehire staff members that were laid off due to the financial stresses of the pandemic. For those that were not able to bring on their full staff, the increase in revenue went to paying all or portions of their building leases or purchasing prod- uct resources to keep up with the sudden surge in customer support. While customer contributions were soaring during this period, governmental assistance was at a low. As access to busi- ness funding has been historically more difficult for Black businesses to achieve than their white counterparts, receiving federal relief assistance during the pan- demic was also a struggle. With the distri- bution of the Paycheck Protection Pro- gram (PPP), only 20% of these loans were allocated to areas in the country with a lower proportion of Black businesses. The Small Business Majority group reported that 23% of Black owners who did not receive a PPP loan were told their appli- cations to receive the loan were denied, whereas only 9% of white owners from the survey were denied funding.
During this time, however, there was a surge of Black entrepreneurship and pro- motion of these businesses that served as additional sources of income for the minority group. In 2020, events around racial unrest led to heightened conversations around how to support independence and pros- perity among Black people. At a time when jobs and finances were at a spot of turmoil for many people, supporting Af- rican Americans financially became a fo - cal point. Buying from Black businesses was the most direct way to accomplish this and served as a way to increase wealth distribution among the communi- ty. It would also be an avenue to gradu- ally close the Black-white wealth gap. In June, many owners felt the surge of customers supporting their business- es. Many saw double, sometimes triple, their monthly earnings in the span of weeks. Customers slashed their frequent allegiance to large companies like Ama- zon, Target, and mall-based stores and redirected their attention to the local mi- nority shops trying to keep their doors open. Because many people were tighten- ing their wallets after experiencing the economic downturn from the pandemic, already established businesses encoun- tered difficulties in maintaining a con - sistent customer base. However, buyers showed up virtually in droves to support Black businesses in whatever ways were feasible. Hashtags like “#Blackbusiness,” #Blackowned,” and “#Buyblack” were trending on social media platforms as users encouraged supporting local busi- nesses and purchasing from Black-owned companies. Facebook donated $40 mil- lion in grants to small Black businesses across the country, and Yelp reported a 617% increase in reviews containing phrases like “black-owned.” As a result of these actions focused on financially assisting these business - es, Black companies saw an exponential climb in customer engagement, height- ened brand awareness and press cover- age along with their increase in service requests and product orders. Many were
Buyers showed up virtually in droves to support Black businesses in whatever ways were feasible.
Though federal support was generally lacking for these minority businesses, the strides of the business owners con- tinued. Black people who still had their jobs during the pandemic expanded their work hours to create businesses they ran in their time outside of their full-time jobs. Social media accounts, company websites and blogs dedicated pages of their platforms to creating informational content specifically for Black business owners. The momentum from the busi- ness support of 2020 paired with the growth of Black ownership generated a continued increase in the interest and founding of Black-owned businesses that were started with the hope of leading generational wealth and providing inde- pendence from biased financial systems.
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