If you would’ve told me a month ago that my life — your life, our lives — would be totally changed by the time April 1 arrived, I probably would’ve thought you were gearing up for a good April Fool’s joke.
Well, April 1 has passed and COVID-19 is still here.
Most of us have never experienced anything like this. I don’t think I ever heard the term “social distancing” until March 2020. I certainly have never been under a stay-at-home order — unless you count being grounded by my parents or the strict rules about leaving the house after giving birth that Black mothers, grandmothers and aunties place on new moms.
People went from not taking this disease seriously to recognizing COVID-19 is no joke.
But there are still so many unknowns, so many questions unanswered. In an era of instant gratification and having so much information at our fingertips, we’re not accustomed to not getting all of the answers when we want them. We are watching this play out in real time, and it’s ever changing.
We’ve seen people have jobs one day and they don’t the next. For years we’ve heard about the ever-growing gap between the haves and the have-nots. COVID-19 has shown just how real this divide is and how much bigger it could get. The ones least able to work from home are those who have low-wage service industry jobs. Either they go to work for employers who aren’t adhering to social distancing guidelines, as we’re learning, or they’re out of work — and money — with no end in sight. This vulnerable population was already living paycheck to paycheck and now there’s no paycheck. Yes, people can and should apply for unemployment benefits, and it certainly helps, but it’s a fraction of your regular take home pay.
In Marion County, the poverty rate among African Americans is 28%; it’s 13% for whites. While not all African Americans live in poverty, a large number of us are among the most vulnerable. I know many times we live as though we’re not in this group — and again, many of us aren’t — but chances are you have a family member in this group or you know someone who is. Whether you contract COVID-19 or not, our community is being and will be hit hard by this disease.
For 125 years, the Recorder has been a resource for the African American community, and this newspaper will continue to do so now. It’s why we endeavor to bring you accurate information and news you can use to help you navigate through this tough time. In addition to our newspaper and website, we will continue conducting virtual town halls where we discuss important topics that affect our community. The Recorder is located in the 46218 zip code, which is home to many in the Black community. We are truly your neighbor.
As editor, I want to educate and empower you. I said this before but it bears repeating: I never want to create panic or hysteria to sell papers. That’s not what the Recorder is about. That’s not what I’m about. This paper is dedicated to connecting people with needed resources, during this time (and in the future), giving hope that this too shall pass and sharing stories of triumph. That’s the neighborly thing to do.
