NAACP Culpeper #7058

Also Serving Madison and Rappahannock Counties

Tag: #BlackLivesMatter

COVID-19 Variants, Vaccinations and the Black Community

As the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus continues to rise, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance on face masks.

The CDC recommends that people, regardless of their vaccination status, wear a face mask in certain indoor situations where there is a risk of “substantial and high transmission” of COVID-19. This includes schools, retail stores, and some businesses.

This comes as California becomes the first U.S. state to mandate regular COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated teachers as their state data shows a rising 22% new cases per week.

While health disparities leave African Americans vulnerable to COVID-19 at higher rates, our research shows that 51% of African Americans say they are fully vaccinated, and 54% continue to wear masks in public and private settings.

Click to Find COVID-19 Vaccines Near You

While we continue to learn more about the coronavirus and its delta and lambda variants, the NAACP’s COVID. Know More portal has information and resources you need to protect yourself, your family, and your community. Visit the website today, and fight back with facts.

Remember, if one of us is vulnerable, all of us are vulnerable.

Read. Share. Protect. Visit the COVID Know More information hub for additional insights. We’re in this, together.

 

FIGHT WITH FACTS

Enough with playing it nice and safe in the fight against anti-Blackness.

It seems that a healthy handful of White folks wait to express their outrage and disgust over racial injustice after a highly publicized or sensationalized tragedy takes place. Often, after a new hashtag begins trending on social media, a variety of tweets and posts speaking out against anti-Blackness and anti-Black violence soon follow. Which, I suppose, is fine, but very few extend far beyond their comfort zone in their advocacy efforts. This is not to say that allyship in any form is not helpful, but it’s time to start being clear about what is needed and what ultimately perpetuates White supremacy and further insulates White guilt. Let’s be honest: to combat anti-Blackness in America, we don’t need allies. We need abolitionists.

We Don’t Need Allies, We Need Abolitionists

While following the Derek Chauvin trial, I’ve noticed one common theme that also struck me immediately following the gruesome killing of George Floyd – White people speaking out against racism after the fact. It seems that a healthy handful of White folks wait to express their outrage and disgust over racial injustice after a highly publicized or sensationalized tragedy takes place.

Tell Gov. Ralph Northam to Take Action Now!

#EndQualifiedImmunity

The Culpeper Branch #7058 stands in solidarity with the Isle of Wight Chapter and the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP in calling on Governor Ralph Northam to call a special legislative session to pass HB2045 sponsored by Del. Jeff Bourne. Local, state and federal officials must properly investigate this matter to the fullest extent, and propose a Plan of Action for the Town of Windsor and the Commonwealth of Virginia to immediately act on.

Tell Gov. Ralph Northam to Take Action Now!

Unmasked: A COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall

 

In the next episode of the series on Thursday, February 25 at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT, we will provide an update on the spread of COVID-19 and the latest research on vaccines, therapies, and options.

 

 

Moderated by ABC News Senior National Affairs Correspondent, Deborah Roberts, we will speak with champions at the forefront of stabilizing the crisis and ensuring a healthy recovery including:

  • Derrick Johnson, President & CEO, NAACP
  • Dr. Chris Pernell, Public Health Physician
  • Dr. Reed Tuckson, Founding Member and CEO, Black Coalition Against COVID-19
  • Dr. Cameron Webb, Senior Policy Advisor for Equity, White House COVID-19 Response Team

 

 

How COVID-19 Hollowed Out a Generation of Young Black Men

While COVID-19 has killed 1 out of every 800 African Americans, a toll that overwhelms the imagination, even more stunning is the deadly efficiency with which it has targeted young Black men like Bates. One study using data through July found that Black people ages 35 to 44 were dying at nine times the rate of white people the same age, though the gap slightly narrowed later in the year. And in an analysis for ProPublica this summer using the only reliable data at the time accounting for age, race and gender, from Michigan and Georgia, Harvard researcher Tamara Rushovich found that the disparity was greatest in Black men.

They were pillars of their communities and families, and they are not replaceable. To understand why COVID-19 killed so many young Black men, you need to know the legend of John Henry.

How COVID-19 Hollowed Out a Generation of Young Black Men

The Rev. Dr. Kejuane Artez Bates was a big man with big responsibilities. The arrival of the novel coronavirus in Vidalia, Louisiana, was another burden on a body already breaking under the load. Bates was in his 10th year with the Vidalia Police Department, assigned as a resource officer to the upper elementary school.

Black Voices Change Lives!

Over the last several weeks, we’ve witnessed what the world has never seen before.

All 50 states, dozens of countries, and hundreds of thousands of people across the globe have stood up in this moment of solidarity and offered the resounding statement: Enough is enough!

And now recognizing that our very lives depend on the actions we take next, it has never been more important for us to recognize the power that we have in this moment through our VOTE.

The NAACP has launched our Early Volunteer Program website to help us mobilize voters to take action in November. This customized site will provide up to date information surrounding state primary elections, NAACP election activities, and opportunities for you to lead your community to the polls.

Our lives depend on how we advocate for ourselves today. By adding your voice and your impact, YOU can help chart the course for our future.

Thousands have already joined us, but we need your voice as well.

Help us to ensure that democracy works for us all.

Volunteer

Our Response

#WeAreDoneDying

The Mission of the Culpeper branch of the NAACP is the same as it is nationally, to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

While we celebrate the victories of the past and continue, peacefully, to expand on those victories, we are reminded by the current events across the nation that there is much work to be done.

We must confess, we are tired of fighting the same fight, over and over.  However, we do not have the luxury of resting.  We must continue the pursuit of equality by eliminating the systemic racism that continues to be prevalent in our country.  We will not rest and pass the responsibility on yet to another generation.

Over the last few months, we have had to contend with the results of inequities in both healthcare and economics in our communities; and yet you hit us with another battle to fight.  We have had to contend with the brutality and humility perpetuated towards our community over-and-over again.  We will not be compelled to respond with knee-jerk reactions.  We are going to move forward together, methodically, with a well-planned movement.  This can only be achieved by including those of all creeds, colors, political and religious persuasions.  We will continue to work with our local leaders, including our law enforcement; to whom we have worked to build strong bridges.

We are not going to accept the spread of divisiveness promulgated by a few,  determine how we move forward.  We know our worth and the strength of our VOTE.  We have remained a non-partisan, peaceful organization, however, those who have made the decision to sit back and let our democracy continue to be crushed will be voted out in our continued pursuit of equality.  As Dr. King said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”   “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

To all the Ahmaud Arberys, George Floyds, and Breonna Taylors, our promise to you is that “We will not give up the fight for equality and justice.  Yes, we are tired, we are hurt, but while standing on the shoulders of those before us, we will never give up hope.  Our Faith will remain strong, and we will never be broken as long as we have breath in our bodies.”

In Solidarity,

Sandra Reaves-Yates, President
NAACP Culpeper Branch #7058

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