How do we talk about equity, justice, and inclusion in the time of Covid-19?

Within the wicked problem of Covid-19 lies a web of interacting factors that cause certain groups of people to be disproportionately affected by Covid-19. Perpetually difficult social determinants of health create unfair opportunities regarding physical health. #SDOH

To read more about these, visit https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/index.htm

Systemic social and health inequities put people from racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of contracting and dying from Covid-19.

People of color (with a large variety of experiences) on average, are more likely to be disproportionately represented in essential work, have less access to healthcare, live in multigenerational and/or crowded housing,

have preexisting conditions that predispose them to Covid-19 infection, work jobs that do not accommodate remote work, experience educational and income gaps… the list goes on.

Statistics are an incredibly important method for conveying information in a concise, impactful manner. Here is a nice synthesis of Covid-19 hospitalization and death by race/ethnicity by the CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-death-by-race-ethnicity.html

While statistics are meaningful and efficient, their language and intended outcome is not always accessible for someone you are speaking to. This is a 'sticky factor' that makes it difficult to talk about equity, justice and inclusion.

Solution? Learn and talk about the real experiences of others. Oftentimes, real experiences are easier for people to identify with. We are human, after all. Relatability is often key to a lasting impact.

Try posing a hypothetical -- think about the struggles your family would experience if they lived under different, less privileged circumstances.

Now here's a call-to-action: how can we make equity, justice and inclusion more central in this conversation? When Covid-19 comes up, critically evaluate privilege.

Talk about statistics surrounding disproportionate infection. Educate yourself on these health disparities and learn how to comfortably talk about them. Think about how and why you have access to healthcare and testing. Ask difficult questions and challenge your peers.

Start the conversation on twitter! RETWEET this thread. Move these ideas around.

KEY INSIGHT: Why should you want to talk about this? Understanding these trends impacts YOU. In recognizing these trends, we can pinpoint where clusters of Covid-19 infection lie.

In order to slow the spread of Covid-19, we must target and provide extra support to areas with high spread rates.

In spreading awareness of these trends, it might literally have an impact on how quickly this pandemic ends for everyone. The sooner we support these disadvantaged groups, the sooner we can slow the spread.

Directly stated, by making the concepts of equity, justice and inclusion the central points in conversations about Covid-19, you are promoting awareness, support, and community unity.

Small support networks can replicate to become a foundation of concrete change. Covid-19 is not our only pandemic, and the interactions between these wicked problems compound to create much more complicated problems.

Be a unit of change. I promise you, the outcome is much larger than the work expended by you. Retweet this thread and you have already participated.