Today, I'm an African-American man in my early 50s who fights high cholesterol, prediabetes and hypertension.
In other words, despite being a tireless and formidable opponent of systemic injustice, I am someone whom Covid-19 could easily kill.
The data is there: Covid-19 hits Black America harder.
If the African American community wants to defeat this virus - and create a pandemic-resistant black community - we are going to have to make big changes both in our public systems and in our personal lives.
This virus is particularly deadly for African-Americans because it is - in fact - a pandemic jumping on multiple pre-existing epidemics which were already ravaging the black community. Diseases like hypertension, diabetes, asthma and obesity make the virus much more deadly. And African-American communities have these diseases in numbers that are out of proportion.
Why are African Americans so vulnerable?Why is that? The reasons for poor health outcomes in the black community are complex. It's not just workaholic crusaders like me whose health is sub-optimal. African Americans tend to work in physically difficult jobs - those who demand a lot, pay less, and have poorer health insurance. It's a recipe for poor health here. In addition, doctors have been shown to provide better quality services, even when we have health insurance. In addition, we tend to live in neighborhoods where stores sell less healthy food; fast food and liquor stores provide too many meals in urban America.
There are also other factors. Many traditional "black foods" contain far more cholesterol and sugar than the US Food and Drug Administration recommends. And for some African-Americans, healthier choices - like adopting an herbal diet, exploring meditation, practicing yoga, etc. - may appear culturally foreign. While navigating the perilous waters of racial prejudice and simultaneously caring for families and communities often in distress, it can be difficult to prioritize personal care. All of these factors combined make African Americans more likely to have illnesses that make Covid-19 deadly.
We need complex solutions - no false choices.How can we fix it? Two familiar currents of thought have emerged:
- The government must take more responsibility for ending the structural and systemic racism that is presently manifesting in our health and economic systems.
- Black people need to take more responsibility for our individual health choices.
Too often, these two options are presented as opposite solutions - even conflicting points of view. And anyone who insists on # 2 could be accused of blaming the victim and ignoring systemic racism.
But this is a falsely framed debate. We are not faced with either / or a choice. We can insist on structural reforms, while adopting positive personal lifestyle changes. I certainly intend to do both in the future. After all, any significant improvement in the well-being of blacks will require major change - on the part of institutions AND individuals.
There is no doubt: the system must change.For an activist like me, the need to change the system is obvious. Ensuring the health of African Americans means tackling the lack of access (food deserts), racial discrimination in health care and the epidemic of over-incarceration. It means confronting the legacy of structural inequalities that devastated black communities long before anyone has ever heard of the coronavirus. African Americans and our allies should step up the fight for these reforms.
And we also have to change.That said, we also need to take on more responsibility for our own health. And strengthening our immune health must be the number one job. Science clearly shows that our life choices - around sleep, nutrition, stress, etc. - directly affect our ability to strengthen our immune system. And at a time when the virus is causing disproportionate damage to our communities, we must ask ourselves: what can we do as individuals to protect ourselves and our loved ones from harm?
For example, we can all promise to eat healthier. Drink more water. Move our bodies. Treat emotional pain with therapy, rather than eating comfortably or using drugs. Engage in spiritual or religious practice. Meditate. Rest. Sleep more. And let's not forget to practice gratitude. In the midst of this scourge, each unworked and unassisted breath is more precious than ever.
Black influencers set the agenda for world culture. We can make the quest for personal health as cool as we did the quest for personal wealth. Imagine if rap videos and black TV shows started depicting healthy pumps, peloton and green drinks, the same way they often portray foreign fashion and cars.
The health and well-being of black people is already gaining ground.Here's the good news: there is already a vibrant health and wellness movement in the black community. (Did you know that African Americans are the fastest growing vegan population?) Those of us looking to make even the smallest improvements may find that the advice and support we need is already there there, from authentic voices that speak of our experience.
From longtime practitioners and teachers to the most recent voices and advocates, here are a few well known:
- Jessamyn Stanley:Yoga teacher, defender of body positivity and author of "Every Body Yoga". Through his yoga classes, his blog and his book, Stanley demonstrates that yoga is for people of all shapes, sizes and origins.
- angel Kyodo williams: An ordained Zen priest, the founder of the Center for Transformative Change and the author of "Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living With Fearlessness and Grace and Radical Dharma". Through her leadership and her writings, she is a leading voice in American Zen Buddhism.
- Healhaus: A black-owned wellness center in Brooklyn that specializes in meditation and yoga classes. These are free live streaming courses in the wake of the coronavirus.
- Toni Mitchell: A vegan fitness expert who posts recipes and workouts on his YouTube channel
- Black Mental Health Alliance:A powerful mental health resource for the black community.
Implementing the necessary structural reforms will take time. But the lifestyle choices we make - about what we eat and drink, how we live, how we treat our bodies and manage our stress - can take effect immediately. Large racial bias systems limit our options. And yet, even within these limits, we have choices to make. I cannot control the words that come out of the mouth of a politician. But I can control the food I put in my mouth.
After this pandemic, the work of creating a healthier black community that is more resistant to pandemics must begin in earnest. In times of crisis, when our lives are at stake, we have to put everything on the table. We must use all the tools and weapons at our disposal.
As for me, I will better protect my own health and well-being. I will, not instead of fighting for social justice, but so that I can continue to breathe and prosper long enough to win the battle.