Over the last year, we've been reminded that systemic racism has had a devastating impact on our society. For centuries, health inequities have contributed to Black Americans and people of color suffering worse health outcomes than their white neighbors. This six-episode series, hosted by Michael Sneed, Executive Vice President, Johnson & Johnson, features conversations with Black doctors and nurses on the front lines of health equity with the hope that by Starting the Conversation and listening, we create empathy. Through empathy, we gain understanding. And, through understanding, we inspire change.
Episode 5
Los Angeles: Dual Pandemics
In the latest episode of Starting the Conversation, Michael Sneed, Executive Vice President, Johnson & Johnson, travels to Los Angeles, where he speaks with two community healthcare heroes fighting the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism. They reveal why we’ve heard so much about “vaccine hesitancy” among Black and other people of color—and the answers have more to do with practical barriers such as a lack of transportation or a lack of trust in healthcare and government programs than concerns about vaccines themselves.
If these conversations speak to you, please consider joining the effort by learning more about the
National Medical Fellowships and
National Black Nurses Association.