Context critical in COVID-19 coverage
In response to the information in the article “‘Disproportionate’: Latinos and COVID-19” (Times-Standard, June 28, Page A1), we collaborated and came up with a list of points that we wanted to address in regards to COVID-19 and the Latinx community in Humboldt County. Our reason for reaching out is to extend an invitation to discuss the risks we encounter as an immigrant population in Humboldt County in the midst of the pandemic.
Why are Latinx communities the highest infected demographic within Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Communities?
The Latinx community in Humboldt County has less protection and support in their jobs. We have heard of many instances in which jobs do not provide protective gear or information in Spanish regarding the pandemic. Additionally, the undocumented community does not have the same ability of staying at home and need to work in the front lines as they do not receive unemployment benefits nor did they receive the emergency relief stipend from the federal government.
The use of statistical results in Humboldt County COVID-19 dashboards should be presented within a better context and accuracy to prevent the real violent cost that this brings on communities of color.
“‘Disproportionate’: Latinos and COVID-19”: This headline leads us to think, what then is the purpose of the headline in this piece?
The statistics and graph provided in the article on demographic and positive infection rates do not reflect the headline of the article. A better context would present the white community as the largest positive cases group (at 47.29% of positive COVID 19 cases) in comparison to the community as a whole.
Why is it dangerous to target BIPOC communities in the context of the pandemic?
The headline of the June 28 article holds up the Latinx population as a target to discrimination.
At the start of this pandemic about 39% of Asians were more likely to have “racist and racially insensitive views about people who are Asian.” (Pew Research Center, July 1, 2020). Similarly, four in 10 Black and Asian adults had reported that people have acted uncomfortable around them because of their race/ethnicity from the beginning of the pandemic outbreak. “Three in 10 Asian adults (31%) reported to have been subject to slurs and jokes because of their race and ethnicity since the outbreak began.”
We believe that the headline of this article can have a similar effect, and create an association between the Latinx population in Humboldt County and the pandemic, thus continue to perpetuate the discrimination that Latinx suffer.
• By plainly focusing on the statistics without attempting to understand the context we can put the Latinx community at risk.
Making assumptions as to why the Latinx population is disproportionately affected by COVID is not helpful without research and perspective.
• Our Latinx population is forced to take lower level jobs that do not provide financial stability, nor do they supply their workers with basic protection.
• Therefore often Latinx people are forced to take essential jobs that discriminate and take advantage of their needs.
If health experts are really trying to reach out into the Latinx community, how can they accomplish this?
Centro del Pueblo was aware of these problems as they started arising and from the start of the pandemic and has done its best to inform and help our Latinx community.
• However, funding and resources are limited, and this has made it harder to help serve our Latinx community.
We invite those who would like to help support the Latinx community to contact Centro del Pueblo.
Best regards,
Centro del Pueblo cdphumboldt@gmail.com 707-683-5293