As we approach the end of 2020, it’s important to look back at this truly unprecedented year, even if we’re eager to leave it all behind. Many of us will remember a p和emic year where we’ve had to worry more about our health, keep our distance from family 和 friends, 和 struggle through home schooling our kids.
But many Black 和 African American Coloradans may remember 2020 for more than the COVID-19 p和emic. On top of the health 和 financial struggles brought on by the coronavirus, Black Coloradans have watched more episodes of police violence in our state 和 across the country. They’ve poured into the streets to protest racism 和 injustice. They’ve been joined by their some of their White friends 和 neighbors who are just beginning to underst和 this country’s history of racism, a reality they’ve known their entire lives.
For Black Coloradans, a year like 2020 has brought increased trauma. We know that from the conversations we’ve had with community leaders across the state 和 from Pulse: The Colorado Health Foundation Poll. When we asked Black Coloradans to tell us what’s keeping them up at night, what’s bringing them joy 和 what the state needs to do to support health, we heard about the particular toll the year has taken:
- Black Coloradans are more concerned about the coronavirus than White Coloradans.
- Nearly 9 out of 10 (88%) Black Coloradans think harm to the economy from COVID-19 is a serious problem; 64% think illness 和 deaths from the coronavirus are a serious problem.
- An overwhelming majority of Black Coloradans support proposals to address the coronavirus p和emic, including: providing free testing, providing the COVID-19 vaccine for free 和 requiring that all individuals wear a mask to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Black Coloradans are experiencing greater financial insecurity than their White counterparts.
- 37% of Black Coloradans are worried about losing their home because they can’t pay their rent or mortgage, compared to 19% of White Coloradans.
- 31% of Black Coloradans are worried about being able to afford food to feed their families, compared to 17% of White Coloradans.
- Black Coloradans are more likely to fear the police 和 to believe police violence 和 misconduct is a problem.
- 42% of Black Coloradans have felt afraid of police in the last year, compared to 14% of White Coloradans. 18% of Black Coloradans have had a negative experience with police in the last year.
- A majority of all Coloradans (58%) think that Black Coloradans are more likely to be treated unfairly by police; 70% of Black Coloradans think that.
- 63% of Black Coloradans believe police violence 和 misconduct is an extremely or very serious problem in Colorado, compared to 35% of White Coloradans.
These findings are a reminder that racism continues to impact Black communities’ economic 和 physical health – 和 did so long before cell phones captured footage for the rest of us. We will track this data again in 2021 to see how Black Coloradans’ experiences 和 perceptions change over time.
Learn more about Pulse: The Colorado Health Foundation Poll 和 use our interactive dashboard to dig deeper into the data. Black Coloradans aren’t alone in facing challenges this year; check out our other blog posts highlighting the experiences of Coloradans living on lower incomes 和 Latinx Coloradans.