NAACP to Host Emergency Tele Town Hall ​Ahead of Coronavirus' ​Likely Impact on Communities of Color

Baltimore (March 11, 2020) --On Sunday, March 15, at 8 pm ET, the NAACP will host an Emergency Tele Town Hall about Coronavirus: COVID-19 and its potential impact on communities of color.

As a civil rights organization and stewards of human rights, the NAACP is feverishly working to ensure that the policies and practices that are born out of this pandemic justly address the health, economic and social needs of all people.

In the United States alone, nearly 1,300 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. Because of the racial and economic inequalities embedded within our country's infrastructure, the effects of the Coronavirus are likely to be compounded in Black and Brown communities.

"The truth is, there are so many within this nation that are disenfranchised from receiving adequate and affordable care due to socio-economic circumstances, said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, NAACP. "This virus will have dire consequences on so many, but specifically African Americans, which suffer from higher rates of chronic illness."

With guidance from our Emergency Management Task Force, our Environment and Climate Justice program have put together Ten Equity Implications of the Coronavirus Outbreak in the U.S.

Marjorie Innocent, Ph.D., senior director of health programs, NAACP stated, "The safety and well-being of our communities is our primary concern, and we will continue to advocate for access to quality, affordable, and timely healthcare and the elimination of race-based discrimination so that the effects of this virus don't linger long after the outbreak is managed."

The Emergency Tele Town Hall will feature health experts and panelists who will speak to how we can lessen the negative repercussions of this pandemic on our communities. 

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