John,
Today was my turn to get my second COVID vaccination. Just like the first, it couldn't have been easier. It was nothing, nearly painless, and I know that I did the right thing for our kids, elders, and communities.
Whenever it's your turn, I urge you to take the vaccine, too. I shared the experience of getting my first vaccine with folks on my social media — if you missed it the first time around, you can watch it here:
Truth be told, getting the vaccine wasn't something I was looking forward to. I was nervous — because when it comes to health care, America has a history of medical exploitation of Black and brown people, and those actions still impact our communities today.
For example, with COVID-19, Black people are more likely to catch the virus. According to the CDC, Black and Latino Americans are dying of COVID-19 at three times the rate of white people and being hospitalized at a rate four times higher.
Our communities are impacted by redlining, poor health care, underfunded schools, lack of green spaces, food insecurity, and more. That's why I constantly emphasize how important it is that we immediately and explicitly reconcile our country's history of racism.
Peace and love, everyone. Stay safe, and let's defeat this virus!
— Jamaal Bowman
