We are facing a crisis, and we have to face it honestly: communities of color – particularly Black communities in Chicago, Suburban Cook County and cities and towns all across the state – disproportionately shoulder the health conditions that lead to worse outcomes in COVID-19.

That’s a product of generations of systemic disinvestment in communities of color compounded by disparities in health care delivery systems and access. 
 
Acknowledging that truth is just one step – our actions have to reflect our reality.

The number one way to do that is testing.

I’ve called on the federal government to step up in the ways that only they can, but in the meantime, my team has worked to expand testing where we have the ability – and ensure we’re not testing any one community more than any others.

We also have worked to massively expand hospital capacity directly in communities where we predict need to exceed our existing capacity – adding thousands of beds at our existing institutions and are standing up new supportive facilities.

My team and I are continuing to operate with our eyes trained on these disparities because that is the only way to address them.

We are working to hold ourselves accountable in everything that we do.