Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist and Difficult Women, spoke to Trevor Noah about how people can help communities that have been worst affected by the new coronavirus pandemic. Gay noted that the pandemic has thrown into sharp relief the inequalities experienced by black people in America.
"The inequities are systemic and when something like a pandemic happens, those inequities become even more pronounced," explained Gay. "And we're seeing that now with the truly horrifying mortality rates for coronavirus in the black community."
Data from cities in the U.S. is showing that the coronavirus is killing black people at a "disproportionately higher rate," according to the New York Times. In Chicago, the outlet reports, African-American people account for 72 percent of coronavirus-related deaths — despite comprising less than a third of the population. "What we need to do is create actual systemic change to suggest that perhaps universal income and Medicare for All are no longer farfetched leftwing fantasies, but realities everyone is going to benefit from — but especially black people," Gay added.
So, how can people help? Gay told people to look at what's going on in their own community and decide which organisations would benefit the most from your money.
"I think food banks are a really good place to send your money right now, Planned Parenthood, and RAINN, because domestic violence rates are increasing at really alarming rates now that everyone's at home and people are feeling economic pressure," she said.
Topics Health Social Good Trevor Noah COVID-19
