There is no recovery from COVID-19 without an equitable recovery.
That is why LA Civil Rights has been engaged with LA County Department of Public Health, city agencies, community-based organizations and local medical providers to expand equity in the COVID-19 response.
COVID-19 exposed the existing inequities in our society. Long-existing disparities in wealth, work and access to health care came to the fore in stark terms. By February 2021, twice as many African-American residents of Los Angeles had died of COVID-19 than white residents. For Latinos, the rate is three times as high.
In 2020, LA Civil Rights was asked to serve on the Los Angeles County COVID-19 Equity Committee to expand access and equity for all Angelenos affected by COVID-19. Our work includes:
- Translation of COVID-19 Equity Community Flyers in collaboration with the Office of Immigrant Affairs.
- Purchasing and distributing 1,500 thermometers to high-need populations in partnership with the Brotherhood Crusade, Community Response System of South Los Angeles, Homeboy Industries, Mayor’s Fund LA, Charles R. Drew University and USC Keck School of Medicine.
- Removing the ID requirement for COVID-19 testing.
- Expanding walk-up COVID-19 testing.
- Hosting COVID-19 testing and vaccine drives at public housing sites, religious and cultural sites, for transgender & non-binary communities and for immigrant populations in partnership with Kedren Health.
LA Civil Rights currently serves with VaccinateLA, a coalition of community, government and academic organizations working with LA County vaccination teams to give equal access to the COVID-19 vaccine and other resources to communities of color. Learn more about Vaccinate LA at https://vaccinatela.info.
