March 30 COVID-19 Policy & Black Communities Roundup

The Joint Center is working closely with several other Black organizations to ensure that the challenges facing Black communities are considered and adequately addressed in COVID-19 policy decisions.

On March 26, the Joint Center convened several leading organizations that serve Black communities for an online policy discussion with CBC Chair Karen Bass (D-CA) on the implications of congressional responses to COVID-19 on Black communities.  A summary of the first three pieces of federal legislation is here.

Many have chimed in on benefits and shortcomings of the federal stimulus legislation, including the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Leadership Conference, NELP (on unemployment insurance provisions), the NAACP,  NAACP LDF, the National Urban League, and the Urban Institute.

The Advancement Project is hosting a webinar on a Decarceration Response to COVID-19 on April 2.

The African American Mayors Association has COVID-19 resources for local leaders.

Brookings is hosting a series of webinars on COVID-19 this week including

• Wall Street Comes to Washington health care roundtable on March 31.
• Unemployment Insurance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reducing the Impact of this Economic Downturn on April 1.
• The effects of the coronavirus outbreak on marginalized communities on April 2.
• Fighting COVID-19: Experiences and lessons from the frontlines in Asia on April 3

CAP argues that COVID-19 compounds inequality because people of color disproportionately reside in densely populated areas at increased risk to the virus, have higher rates of serious chronic health conditions, and face barriers to health care.

The Center for Urban and Racial Equity (CURE) launched the COVID-19 Equitable Response Community Commons featuring resources grounded in collective care, justice, power-building, and racial equity.

Color of Change will convene a virtual town hall on the Black Response to COVID-19 on April 1.

New America Indianapolis and The Indianapolis Recorder are hosting “COVID and the Black Community,” a weekly online community conversation series.

The NAACP has various COVID-19 resources, including an analysis of equity implications generally and policy briefs on the equity implications on education and voter access specifically.

New York Times published an op-ed column by Charles M. Blow titled “The Racial Time Bomb in the Covid-19 Crisis.”

Slate‘s Julia Craven wrote “How Racial Health Disparities Will Play Out in the Pandemic.”

Third Way will also host a video conference of “The Impact of COVID on the Black Community” on April 1 featuring Congressman Cedric Richmond, Bronx Assembly Member Michael Blake, and Third Way Senior Fellow Akunna Cook.

Urban Institute is releasing a series of podcast episodes on how the coronavirus pandemic will affect vulnerable communities.

The U.S. Black Chambers in conjunction with the Small Business Roundtable produced a policy and legislative resource guide for small business owners.