In Good Health

When racially-motivated ideals lead to overt misuse of power and senseless death, we have conversations at the Foundation about how the event connects to our mission. How does the death of a man at the hands of police in Minneapolis have anything to do with bringing health in reach for all Coloradans?

The answer? It has everything to do with our work.

In fact, it’s exactly what we’re fighting against. Racism has historically and persistently poisoned our systems, institutions and societal structures, resulting in race-related disparities in education, employment, wealth, housing, food access, criminal justice and health care. These disparities are as old as our country.

Racism is a public health issue. If we are to make any progress

As we continue to make our way through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s become clear that we must also prepare for what some are calling the “secondary pandemic” – a mental health crisis.

To be sure, though, this crisis isn’t new. We’re losing more lives to mental health challenges than ever before, and the state of mental health in Colorado is worsened by the arrival of COVID-19. The threat it poses to our individual and collective well-being cannot be ignored.

The virus brought with it new realities many never imagined – sudden job losses, school closures, isolation, fever checks at businesses, rationing of personal protective equipment and even an inability to hold funerals for loved ones. Each of these

Colorado’s Black/African American residents make up just under 4% of the state’s population, but as of May 12, 2020, they make up 6.44% of the state’s deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. While the coronavirus outbreak and response may be impacting all of us, it isn’t doing so equally, and Black/African American Coloradans are experiencing a disproportionate impact.

Data from public health departments isn’t the only data we have showing this reality. Our April 2020 survey of 1,100 Coloradans, conducted in partnership with Healthier Colorado and Magellan Strategies, highlights some of the ways Black/African American Coloradans have been hit hard by the virus. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Black/African American Coloradans are feeling pessimistic

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is not colorblind. Data detailing who’s getting sick and who’s dying makes it abundantly clear: the virus is having a greater impact on Latinx Coloradans than others. Our April 2020 survey of 1,100 Coloradans, conducted in partnership with Healthier Colorado and Magellan Strategies, underscores the disproportionate negative effects that Latinx Coloradans are weathering.

We’ve highlighted a few snapshots from the survey data that reveal this reality. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, 45% of Latinx Coloradans are struggling to pay for the basic necessities of life – like food, housing and utilities.

That’s up from 28% before the virus hit, and 12% higher than respondents who