Health Gap Community:
Welcome to our Friday update for April 24. We have details about a new Virtual Town Hall this Saturday , and some reminders about voting, accessing free internet service and staying safe as COVID-19 continues to evolve. As always, please let us know if you have questions or suggestions, and please stay safe!
Best,
Renee Mahaffey Harris,
Health Gap President & CEO
Join Us for a COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall #3
The coronavirus is disproportionately impacting the Black community and other vulnerable populations. Join our panel of local leaders and experts for our 3rd Virtual Town Hall, moderated by Cincinnati City Councilmember Jan Michele Lemon Kearney and hosted by the Center for Closing the Health Gap. This week’s panelists include:
To join the event, please visit our Facebook Page or access our Zoom webinar at https://zoom.us/j/93279872997?pwd=MDU0bzB3TVFybzFMUDk3UVl1NDd3QT09 .
To listen to a recording of our first two Town Halls, click here for April 11 and here for April 18.
Black Community Impact. Stay Informed!
The Health Gap has joined a collective organized by the NAATPN, a non-profit committed to addressing the social and economic injustices that have marginalized our communities and led to deep health disparities. The collective has requested decisive government action amidst the COVID-19 crisis and its disproportionate impact on the African American community. Read more here .
The Council on Black Health has developed new messaging to counter the misinformation about Black people being immune. Check out their website for good insights that put the whole issue in an important historical context and provides a great list of resources for further reading.
Your Vote Matters More Than Ever
The Ohio Primary Election has been extended to April 28. Make sure your voice is heard! Click here to check out a short video and other details to complete your ballot.
More Resources
Please visit our community website at www.covid19communityresources.com for constant updates from across the region about how to stay safe and learn how this emergency is affecting our community.
Health Gap CEO Named to Governor’s Strike Force
Renee Mahaffey Harris, president and CEO of the Center for Closing the Health Gap, has been named to the Minority Health Strike Force established by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. The Strike Force is a working group of leaders and experts across the state who will collectively examine why African-American Ohioans are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus.
The Governor announced that, for the 11,499 cases in which the Ohio Department of Health knows the race of coronavirus cases, 24.1 percent of patients are African-American, 54.6 percent are white, and 21.2 are other or multi-race. African-Americans make up about 13 percent of the Ohio population. The disparity highlights racial inequalities in the “social determinants of health,” including socioeconomic and cultural factors that influence access to resources and health care, according to a health department report released this week.
