Carmen Reese Foster, an assistant professor of practice in social work and executive director of the nonprofit Coalition of Black Social Workers, recently assessed how Black social workers have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened racial tensions.
In the summer of 2020, when George Floyd was murdered, a wave of activism spread throughout the country. People protested. Antiracism books became bestsellers. Diversity, equity and inclusion jobs increased by 55%, and the top 50 U.S. public companies pledged $49.5 billion to tackle racial justice issues. At the same time of this racial reckoning, COVID-19 was disproportionately affecting communities of color in the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. In addition, anxiety and depression rates were rising rapidly among Black people.
Read Foster’s full article on The Conversation.
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