Preventing the Spread
Healing our divisions: Lessons learned in the midst of a global pandemic
COVID-19 cases are on the rise, and fatigue has set in for millions of Americans who are longing for the days of old. We are regularly reminded to be vigilant as we continue to combat the detrimental effects of the Coronavirus, and I hope we will all heed these reminders. The good news – We have a vaccine!
The holiday season is a time when we would typically gather with co-workers, friends, and family members for office parties, festive events, concerts, and dinners. More importantly, it’s always been the holidays that pull people together – and the rituals we share that reinforce the ties that bind us. This period brings with it a great sense of hope, optimism, and anticipation of new things to come.
However, 2020 has brought with it some of the greatest challenges many of us have witnessed in our lifetime. The challenges of the global pandemic were further exacerbated by a social justice awakening across the country and within our own backyards. We remain in the midst of a post-presidential election that clearly shows the deep divisions that daunt us as a nation. The way we work has changed; the way we learn has changed; the way we worship has changed; and the way we interact with one another has changed. The good news – we have a vaccine!
If only those shots could cure our deep divisions. And while we don’t have an antidote for what ails us, I do believe there are effective ways each of us can bring about healing, create an environment where we all can thrive, work together, and create an inclusive community. Ironically, achieving that ideal will require a mindset that is completely opposite of what we’ve been taught this year to slow the spread of COVID-19. In fact, if you examine the habits we’ve been asked to adopt, I’m wondering if they are the very antithesis of what will be needed to bring about true racial healing and reconciliation.
Racism is difficult to see (in many cases), and the actions required to stop its spread are not always visible. As you read on – know that I’m talking in a figurative sense and not a literal one. COVID-19 is still ever present and will require continued due diligence in our everyday actions to combat it. Therefore, please remain steadfast in practicing good prevention while awaiting your vaccine.
By the same token, what if we begin practicing the following steps in 2021 in the hope of healing our racial divides?
o Don’t socially distance - Get proximate:
The Center for Disease Control has advised each of us to remain at a minimum of 6 feet apart. If we are to address racism in our country and within our communities, we must be willing to get proximate to one another and proximate to the issues that still divide us. We have more in common than we realize. Bryan Stevenson reminded us that if we are to bring about true change, we must get proximate to one another and the issues we face. He noted that if we would show a willingness to get close to those who are suffering, we could find the power to make real change. William Stafford shared, “If you don’t know the kind of person I am, and If I don’t know the kind of person you are, a pattern others made may prevail in the world, and following the wrong god home we may miss our star…” It’s time for the patterns to be broken.
o Take off your mask:
Wearing a mask is key in the fight against Covid. The uncomfortable truth is that many of us were wearing masks long before this virus. We often cover up our true selves. Sometimes we conceal our personalities, hide behind our identities and affiliations, camouflage our concerns, and disguise our distinct characteristics. Taking off your mask exposes you and allows others to really see you. You become vulnerable and susceptible to the other person. This is where trust begins. Author Brené Brown explains it this way, “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage.” Be courageous, pull down the mask.
o Don’t be so quick to wash your hands (of others):
Let’s face it, social media is here and is not going away. While it can certainly play a significant role in connecting us, it also brings a new dynamic to our relationships. The dictionary has added new definitions to words like unfollow, unfriend, and cancel. In other words, through the click of a button we are able to remove someone from our social network. Liked something on Facebook I disagreed with? Unfriend. Retweeted a statement I was conflicted about? Unfollow. Supported a candidate or position I opposed? Cancelled. Social media has allowed the world to take a glimpse into our everyday lives, beliefs, and experiences and in too many cases is the culprit of our growing “cancel culture.”
Perhaps when we wash our hands for the recommended twenty seconds, we think about how to extend grace to the person who may have inadvertently, ignorantly, or mistakenly offended us. A wise man once reminded us that as we, “….excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love– see that we excel in this act of grace also,” 2 Corinthians 8:7. Grace is that unmerited favor that allows us to live a life free from shame, guilt, and fear. It is this grace that allows us to work diligently to bring about justice without fear of retribution but with the goal of restoration.
o Admit you are asymptomatic:
An asymptomatic individual is infected with the virus but does not exhibit any physical or visible symptoms. Being asymptomatic presents problems because individuals are spreading the disease without realizing it. Many of our daily routines now involve a temperature check prior to entering our schools, hospitals or places of work. This practice helps us determine (with some degree) if we have the symptoms of COVID-19. Admittedly, it gives me a false sense of security and a feeling that I am virus free. This notion is completely wrong.
Just as we are to assume we are all carriers of the Coronavirus, we should also acknowledge that we also have our preferences, prejudices, and stereotypes. In some instances, we are very aware of these, but in many cases we are not. We often refer to this as unconscious biases. Much like individuals who are asymptomatic for the virus, our unconscious biases are easily spread to other people without our realizing it. Most susceptible to this spread are our own family members. While it is uncertain what the effects of Covid has on our children, it is well documented that our words and actions influence our youth. When left unchecked, our biases have the potential to manifest themselves in harmful ways. The most harmful being the perpetuation of systems built around race that have had long-term detrimental implications on Black, Brown, and Indigenous people. Like the virus, racism is literally a matter of life and death.
o Don’t quarantine:
The 2020 NBA season was played in what became known as “The Bubble.” This was an isolated area at Walt Disney World that was created to protect the players from the pandemic. It was overwhelmingly successful, and the NBA season concluded with the Lakers winning the championship in October! There have been moments in 2020 when I wanted to travel to an undisclosed, isolated area to get away from the cares of this world. There were moments when I wanted to disconnect and check-out socially, physically, and emotionally. Some of you have chosen to do just that. You have made the decision to go into your bubble because you find comfort and familiarity there. Your neighborhood, your circle at work, your place of worship and your sphere of friends all share your same beliefs and experiences. This creates a safe space for you. So, why should you even concern yourself with matters of race, equity, inclusion and justice?
Well, just as COVID-19 has impacted every last one of us, so too has racism. Racism is at the center of our deep divisions, our social and economic mobility prospects and our nation’s overall prosperity. When the difference in life expectancy for a child born in census tracts within a couple of miles of one another in our community is 17 years, that should concern us. Bryan Stevenson noted, “Many of us have been taught that if there’s a bad part of town, you don’t put your business there. But I am persuaded that we need to do the opposite. We need to engage, invest and position ourselves in the places where there is despair.”
It’s time to leave your bubble.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., explained, “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” The coronavirus has affected every one of us in some form (directly or indirectly). It has created devastating consequences for our families, communities, and places of work. One person infected has the potential to infect several others. Racism has had these same detrimental effects within our nation since its founding. It too has had devastating consequences that ultimately affect all of us directly or indirectly. As we move into 2021, let’s do so with a new sense of self-awareness and a personal commitment to take responsibility to do our part to heal our divisions.
Russell W. Booker, Ph.D., CDE