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Dealing with the Additional  Pandemics Occurring During COVID-19 Times

Coping with COVID-19

Tip Sheets

Beyond a Perfect Storm

In August 2020, the American Mental Health Counselors Association published a report called "Beyond the Perfect Storm." In the report they cover the national impact of the four components of this "Perfect Storm" which are:
1. The Wave of Institutional Racism and Discrimination
2. The Wave of COVID-19
3. The Wave of Economic Calamity
4. A Tsunami of Mental Health Misery
And lastly the report concludes with the Opportunities to Transform the Mental Health System

To Download this report click here

1. Racial Inequality

All We Need To Do Is Listen and Then Care!

Meet Ernest

June 1, 2020

This is from Caroline Crockett Brock's facebook page:

I am a 45 year old white woman living in the south, and today was the first time I spoke frankly about racism with a black man.

When Ernest, my appliance repairman, came to the front door, I welcomed him in. As this was his second visit and we’d established a friendly rapport, I asked him how he was feeling in the current national climate.

Naturally, he assumed I was talking about the coronavirus, because what white person actually addresses racism head on, in person, in their own home? When Ernest realized I wanted to know about his experience with racism, he began answering my questions.

What’s it like for you on a day-to-day basis as a black man? Do cops ever give you any trouble?

The answers were illuminating.

Ernest, a middle-aged, friendly, successful business owner, gets pulled over in Myrtle Beach at least 6 times a year. He doesn’t get pulled over for traffic violations, but on the suspicion of him being a suspect in one crime or another.

Mind you, he is in uniform, driving in a work van clearly marked with his business on the side. They ask him about the boxes in his car--parts and pieces of appliances. They ask to see his invoices and ask him why there is money and checks in his invoice clipboard. They ask if he’s selling drugs. These cops get angry if he asks for a badge number or pushes back in any way. Every time he is the one who has to explain himself, although they have no real cause to question him.

Ernest used to help folks out after dark with emergencies. Not anymore. He does not work past dinnertime, not because he doesn’t need the business, but because it isn’t safe for him to be out after dark. He says “There’s nothing out there in the world for me past dark”.

Let me say that again. Ernest, a middle aged black man in uniform cannot work past dark in Myrtle Beach in 2020 because it’s not safe for him. He did not say this with any kind of agenda. It was a quiet, matter of fact truth.

A truth that needs to be heard.

When I asked Ernest what ethnic terms he gets offended at, he said that the most offensive term people use is ‘boy’.

Ernest has a bachelors in electronics and an associates in HVAC. He is not a ‘boy’, and the term ‘boy’ in the south implies inferiority in station and status. He came to Myrtle Beach and got a job at Hobart. The supervisor repeatedly used the term ‘boy’. Ernest complained. After several complaints Ernest was fired.

Ernest says most white people are a little scared of him, and he’s often put in a position where he has to prove himself, as though he’s not qualified to repair appliances.

After getting a job for 2 years at Sears appliance, Ernest started his own company, one he’s been running for several years. He is the best repairman we’ve had, and has taught me about washer dryers and how to maintain them myself, even helping me with another washer/dryer set and a dishwasher without charging me. I highly recommend his company, Grand Strand Appliance.

Ernest doesn’t have hope that racism will change, no matter who the president is. His dad taught him “It’s a white man’s world”, and he’s done his best to live within it.

When I asked him what I could do, he said, “everyone needs to pray and realize we’re all just one country and one people”.

I am a 45 year old white woman living in the south. I can begin healing our country by talking frankly with African Americans in my world---by LISTENING to their lived experience and speaking up. I can help by actively promoting black owned businesses. That’s what I can do today.

Let’s start by listening and lifting up. It’s that simple.

=====

Edit: I asked Ernest if I could take his picture and post our conversation on facebook. He thought it was a great idea. As he left my house an hour later, he looked me in the eye and said, "If you ever march, or have a meeting on this topic, or want to change things in Myrtle Beach, I'll stand with you."

What a great idea. Let's begin standing together.

===

Edit: 1pm EST on 6/1. Ernest just called me and we had one of the sweetest moments, both laughing and crying about the response to this post. He started the conversation by saying, "Caroline, I don't know if I should kill you or kiss you--my phone is ringing off the hook!"

He doesn't have a FaceBook profile, so he's coming over later so I can help him set one up. He's been absolutely overwhelmed, as have I, with the response. We're going to be sitting down together to read your comments. They mean so much. In addition, the Myrtle Beach city manager has contacted me and I'm getting all of us together to be sure this doesn't happen in our city any longer. THANK YOU WORLD.

Edit 6/2 9am. Just got off the phone with Ernest and the local news. They will be interviewing us today, and it will be on the local news in Myrtle beach tonight. I'll post it on my page later.

This is how we change our country. Normal folks. One town at a time.

COVID-19 Impact on Immigrants and Dreamers

On Coping.us, there is a new section on DACA and Immigration. Specifically there is a section on the COVID-19 Impact on Immigrants and Dreamers. This new section has a powerful message that all of us who know little to nothing about DACA, Undocumented Immigrants or Immigration policy ought to read and do more research on. There are excellent links on this section which you can explore to enlighten yourself more. The section is called DACA and Immigration Issues in Light of COVID-19 just click on the Link with name and you will reach it.
Impact of COVID-19 on Immigrant Communities
The current global pandemic has significantly affected millions causing disproportionate health (CDC, 2020) and economic effects (Congressional Research Service, 2020).
It has uncovered significant disparities in the impact of COVID 19 by race and ethnicity with particularly poor outcomes for Latinx and Blacks (Overton, 2020).
The current COVID 19 pandemic presents as another reason for portraying and stigmatizing undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers as agents of disease
and as a public health hazard to the U.S. (Trump, 2020).
● The COVID 19 pandemic has exposed the irony inherent in these negative attitudes.
● Over 27,000 DACA recipients are healthcare practitioners supporting occupations on the frontline of responding to COVID 19 ( Svajlenka, 2019)
● During the pandemic, many undocumented immigrants are also deemed “essential”,
performing other jobs that are keeping the U.S economy afloat.
● Despite the invaluable service they are providing and the sacrifices they are making, these undocumented immigrants are excluded from receiving and benefits or resources, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, including emergency aid for college students. The COVID 19 pandemic has exposed the irony inherent in these negative attitudes.
● Over 27,000 DACA recipients are healthcare practitioners supporting occupations on the frontline of responding to COVID 19 (Svajlenka, 2019)
Amid the COVID 19 pandemic, recent events have exacerbated and intensified fear among the DACA recipients.
● On April 21, 2020, reports from an internal investigation revealed that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has access to DACA recipients personal information (Lind, 2020). (Talk: Thinking While Black at The Philip Lind Initiative is a Speakers Series at the University of British Columbia Vancouver Campus at https://lindinitiative.ubc.ca/series/thinking-while-black/ )
● This shocking revelation during the current pandemic is another example of anti-immigration action that bestows unprecedented levels of fear to an already vulnerable community.
DACA recipients and their families are at risk for diminished health given the many complex stressors that they face, which are often chronic and compounded by harsh living conditions and limited or no access to adequate health, social, and legal services (Garcini et al.,2016).
● Common and chronic stressors among young undocumented immigrants and their
families include:
     ○ acculturative stress, identity confusion
     ○ feelings of alienation, social exclusion
     ○ discrimination, stigmatization
     ○ fear of deportation, threat of family separation
     ○ restricted access to resources, loss of rights
     ○
limited educational and work opportunities (Garcini et al.,2016).
● In the face of additional unexpected and threatening events, such as natural disasters or health crises, DACA recipients and their families are likely to be at increased risk for diminished health and social outcomes.
● The combined stress of having to face the COVID 19 pandemic with limited resources and healthcare access compounded with the possible termination of their protected status can seriously compromise the physical and mental health as well as of their social networks.
COVID-19 Rise in Anti-Asian Racism

COVID-19 Fueling Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia Worldwide at Human Rights Watch May 12, 2020 at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/05/12/covid-19-fueling-anti-asian-racism-and-xenophobia-worldwide

'I Will Not Stand Silent' 10 Asian American Reflect on Racism During the Pandemic and the Need for Equality at Time June 25, 2020 at: https://time.com/5858649/racism-coronavirus/

Asian-American youth struggling with COVID-19 and Racism at Children's Minnesota August 10, 2020 at: https://www.childrensmn.org/2020/08/10/asian-american-youth-struggling-covid-19-racism/

Prejudice Toward Asian-Americans in the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Effects of Social Media Use in the United States at Frontiers in Communication June 12, 2020 at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2020.00039/full

Why Asian and Black Americans continue to experience COVID-19-related discrimination - and what you can do about it at Market Watch Julyu 17, 2020 at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-asian-and-black-americans-continue-to-experience-covid-19-related-discrimination-and-what-you-can-do-about-it-2020-07-10

Asian American Experiences of Racism during COVID-19 at NYU Institute of Human Development and Social Change Summer 2020 at: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/ihdsc/on-the-ground/asian-american-experiences-racism-during-covid-19
21-Day Ignatian Racial Equity Challenge
This 21-Day Challenge was initiated by the Ignatian Solidarity Network at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. The goal of this program that the challenge will provide a way for people to begin or continue the process of anti-racism in their lives and communities by exploring racial equity in light of personal faith and Ignatian Spirituality. The Ignatian motto is "for the greater glory of God" and this program is aimed at working at reducing racism in our society  which they say is "for the Greater Glory of God.

You can sign up for the 21-Day Ignatian Racial Equity Challenge at their website: https://ignatiansolidarity.net/ignatian-racial-equity-challenge/

Other resources available for those who take on this 21-Day Challenge are:

Racial Equity Tools Glossary at: https://www.racialequitytools.org/glossary


Let's get to the root of racial injustice a TED talk at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aCn72iXO9s

There is no Neutral: Nice White People Can Still Be Complicity in a Racist Society at: https://www.npr.org/2020/06/09/873375416/there-is-no-neutral-nice-white-people-can-still-be-complicit-in-a-racist-society


Social Justice Standards: The Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework at: https://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/2017-06/TT_Social_Justice_Standards_0.pdf


As Non-Black POC, We Need to Address Anti-Blackness article in Yes Magazine at: https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2020/07/06/non-black-poc-anti-blackness/

Microaggressions are a Big Deal: How to talk them out and when to walk away at: https://www.npr.org/2020/06/08/872371063/microaggressions-are-a-big-deal-how-to-talk-them-out-and-when-to-walk-away


Children are not Colorblind: How Young Children Learn Race at: https://nmaahc.si.edu/sites/default/files/downloads/resources/children_are_not_colorblind.pdf
Additional Resouces on Racial Equality and Social Justice during COVID-19

COVID-19 - Racial Equity & Social Justice Resources from Racial Equity Tools at: https://www.racialequitytools.org/fundamentals/resource-lists/resources-addressing-covid-19-with-racial-equity-lens



What if ...White People Took Responsibility for Our Roles in This Moment? By Kathleen Osta at National Equity Project at: https://medium.com/national-equity-project/what-if-white-people-took-responsibility-for-our-role-in-this-moment-12b979d27eb6

A Note to Black People Coming Into Consciousness During 2020 Pandemic-Quarantine by Eli Davis at National Equity Project at https://medium.com/an-injustice/a-note-to-black-people-coming-into-consciousness-during-the-2020-pandemic-quarantine-8fdf80265134

From The Opportunity Agenda: Ten Lessions for Talking About Race, Racism and Racial Justice at https://www.opportunityagenda.org/explore/resources-publications/lessons-talking-about-race-racism-and-racial-justice

Anti-Racism Defined at Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre at: http://www.aclrc.com/antiracism-defined

2. Food Insecurity

Food Insecurity in the United States during COVID-19

The New York Times Magazine published two incredible articles on the Food Insecurity in this country not only during COVID-19 but what has been occurring in this country over the years.
The first is am article on the topic and the second is a moving photo collage of people all over this country who are suffering from Food Insecurity.

1. How Hunger Persist in a Rich Country Like America - Beyond the pandemic emergency, there is a food crisis hidden in plain sight: Millions struggling for years to feed their families at NY Times Magazine

2. America at Hungers Edge an Interactive photo essay at NY Times Magazine

3. Economic Inequality

4. Housing Disparities

COVID-19 Impact on Homelessness

Coronavirus and Homelessness an 8 part training series on addressing COVID-19's impact on the homeless in the USA from National Alliance to End Homelessness

Housing/Homelessness COVID-19 Response A vast resource for addressing the COVID-19 impact on the homeless from National Low Income Housing Coalition


Fears mount about impact of coronavirus on homes at Washington Post March 15, 2020

Racism, Homelessness, and COVID-19 a report from the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty

COVID-19 and people experiencing homelessness: Challenges and mitigation strategies at Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) June 29, 2020