DISPARITIES PRESENT IN COVID-19
To understand this in current worldly events, statistics have shown that African Americans are facing a larger death rate than their white counterparts regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in Chicago, black individuals make up about 30% of the overall population, and 70% of all COVID-19 deaths involved black individuals (Yancy). In addition, 14% of Michigan's population is black but has 40% deaths and has 33% of confirmed cases in the state (Yancy). This pattern is continued throughout many of the states given that about 6.5% of the US population comprises black men alone (DuVernay). The data proves that although there is an evident health care disparity due to race/ethnicity, in reality, it is more of a disproportionate difference to other variables other than access to care (Yancy).
A huge factor consideration is the job market and many essential workers consist of African Americans, in fact, they are commonly overrepresented in these service jobs. Historically speaking, these jobs show an obvious reflection of African Americans being kept at the bottom of the economic ladder (Bouie). Historically, African Americans have gone from being slaves to the lowest level of labor workers which is what is still prominent today. Reflecting on these statistics regarding the pandemic as well as recognizing these historical contexts, this community suffers at a higher rate because of concentrated poverty that marks their communities as well as biased employment and racial hierarchy that keeps them at the bottom (and unequal pay) and all other unconscious discriminatory factors that limit them as citizens.