Two issues have been at the forefront of the news in America recently: COVID-19 and systemic racism. In this discussion series, we delve deep into the intersection of these two topics, their exacerbating effects on other social justice issues, and what we can do as active citizens in the Athens community to help. The goal of this roundtable series is to have lively peer discussions and for everyone to learn more in depth the relevance of this issue to not only the community but to each individual.
When is each discussion?
The virtual roundtables will take place on September 30th, October 28th, November 18th, and December 9th during the Fall 2020 Semester. All roundtables will be held at 6:30PM on Zoom.
Past topics covered in the roundtable:
Join the peer-to-peer discussion where we all share our experiences, knowledge, and future actions we can take in the realm of Education and it's intersection with Systemic Racism and COVID-19!
Name: Sarah Vidyasagar How did I get involved in IMPACT?
How I got involved with IMPACT: I heard about IMPACT before I even stepped into my first class as a college freshman! A few days after accepting my admission into UGA, I spent the day in Athens with a couple of my friends talking to different upperclassmen. I heard about the spirited football cheers, nasty Creswell bathrooms, and IMPACT at UGA. I was immensely intrigued when one upperclassmen talked in depth about how a one-week service trip was the highlight of her three fun-filled years at UGA. I knew that going on an IMPACT trip was an opportunity I did not want to miss at UGA, so I signed up as soon as applications opened. I went on an IMPACT trip with the service focus of Community Health and Well-being to Indianapolis, IN during the Spring Break of my freshman year. The trip made me feel much more at home at UGA, gave me lifelong connections, and helped me learn what service I could do to impact my community. I was so happy to have that special experience and wanted to go on another as soon as I could. I then went on a Winter Break trip in December 2019 to Tuscaloosa, Alabama focused on Affordable Housing, and this past Spring Break I was a site leader on the service trip to Philadelphia, PA that focused on serving with the disabled community! I’m so lucky that the upperclassmen I talked to told me about IMPACT at UGA because these trips have made me into a better person and a more informed service leader. I can’t wait to lead my second trip to Charlotte, NC with the service focus of Shelter and Resource Access, and further my growth and knowledge in service!
Why am I interested in my trip focus?
I first became aware of systemic racism senior year of high school when I watched the documentary, Thirteenth. I really learned more in depth about the topic, however, this summer like most other people when it came to the forefront of the news, political debate, and social media. It was interesting to observe and participate in the call for racial social justice while in the middle of a large pandemic. COVID-19 has exacerbated many issues in our society, and I am really excited to dive into it’s intersectionality with systemic racism. These two issues are very present in our own community and country so I am especially interested in discussing it with my peers. I want to deepen my knowledge so I know how best to serve with my community in Athens.
Favorite IMPACT memory?
My all-time favorite trip so far was my trip to Tuscaloosa, AL that was focused on Affordable Housing. Our group did a lot of indirect service building a house with Habitat for Humanity. It was tiring yet rewarding. My favorite memory was when we all ate our sandwiches adjacent to the house we were helping to build on the top of the scaffolding. We were able to talk in the sun right on site of the project we were helping with. I don’t even remember what we talked about as we scarfed down our PB& J’s but I remember laughing hard and feeling extremely happy. Fun Fact: This trip was also where I met my co-SL Kelton!!
Contact info Sarah Vidyasagar she/her/hers 770-367-5872 smv84065@uga.edu
Name: Kelton McConnell How did I get involved in IMPACT?
During my first year at UGA, I heard from multiple people about IMPACT and how wonderful the experience was, but I, unfortunately, missed the deadline to apply my first year. The next year I made sure to sign up in time and that trip marked a turning point for my college career! I met so many wonderful people that I would likely have not met otherwise, and the service and introspection aspects of the trips assisted tremendously in my maturation and growth to whom I am today. After my trip, I wanted to share this eye-opening experience with others, and I sought out becoming a site leader to assist another generation of IMPACT participants to learn about social justice and their roles within it.
Why am I interested in my trip focus?
COVID and systematic racism are currently under a major spotlight within the US, as COVID cases and deaths keep rising and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement continues to protest against police brutality and oppression. These topics highlight major systemic issues that permeate multiple social systems in the US, from food systems to aging communities. These foci interest me because the extreme gravity and awareness of COVID and racism require long-overdue action and there are many intersectionalities with other social, economic, and political issues that dictate more discussion.
Favorite IMPACT memory?
During my first IMPACT trip, our group would visit the YMCA to shower every night, and every time we drove there, we would play “YMCA” by The Village People while singing and dancing along! (The drivers, of course, refrained from dancing) This IMPACT trip is also where I met my co-SL Sarah!
ABOUT OUR TOPIC:
Systemic racism consists of racism that has become integrated into social levels and has transcended interpersonal racism to become institutional. It permeates every level of society, such as food security, housing, education, employment, and healthcare. COVID-19 has highlighted the systemic inequity and racism present in the US by emphasizing the societal discrimination on social determinants of health.
KEY TERMS:
Social Justice: justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society Healthcare: the organized provision of medical care to individuals or a community Equity: the quality of being fair and impartial Systemic Racism: systems and structures that have procedures or processes that disadvantage populations based on race COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an illness caused by a virus (SARS‑CoV‑2) that can spread from person to person and is responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Racism: a belief that race accounts for differences in human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race Colorism: prejudice or bias against persons based on color/complexion of their skin Redlining: illegal discriminatory practice in which a mortgage lender denies loans or an insurance provider restricts services to certain areas of a community, often because of the racial characteristics of the applicant’s neighborhood. source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/redlining
MORE ABOUT OUR TOPICS:
General Information Expanded:
“African Americans have the highest mortality from colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US, and are diagnosed at younger ages (average 64 years) compared with white individuals (average 68 years).”
Racial and ethnic minorities have higher representation amongst essential workers and those living in poor and overcrowded living conditions that make physical distancing and sheltering-in-place challenging for some and impossible for others.
About 44 million people have no health insurance while 38 million people have adequate health insurance. This means that nearly one-third of Americans face each day without the security, knowing that if and when they need it, medical care is available to them and their families.
An 11 country survey according to the Commonwealth Fund found that adults in the United States are far more likely than those in other countries to go without needed care because of costs and struggle to afford basic necessities, such as healthy food and housing.
Although 29% of Americans do have public insurance, this percentage and the coverage provided do not match that enjoyed by the rest of the industrial world. Medicare and Medicaid may support some medical costs for the elderly and low-income residents respectively as many still have to pay thousands of dollars in deductibles, premiums, and copayments.
How COVID-19 and Systemic Racism Looks in Athens/GA:
Currently, 3 out of 10 people in Athens are living in poverty.
There are no hospitals or clinics in 16 surrounding counties, which puts more of a stressor on hospitals in Athens. This can be seen in the lack of ICU beds during COVID-19 in Athens, with 92% of the beds being full.
59.8% of Athens-Clarke County households have someone with at least one chronic condition, 9% have an adult aged 65 or older with a serious illness.
29.2% of Athens-Clarke County citizens are Black; 10.8% are Hispanic or Latino
51.9% of deaths from COVID-19 are White people when they make up 60.2% of the Georgia population. 42.2% of deaths from COVID-19 are Black people when they make up 32.6% of the Georgia population