Race & Wealth Inequality During COVID-19
Originally posted 6/10/20
Though perhaps no one is unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, those who are disadvantaged by the system feel the repercussions of inequality more deeply than ever. From negligence to dire housing and economic situations, marginalized neighborhoods — largely composed of Latinx and African-American populations — are suffering from the effects of poverty, a factor that closely intersects with race.
While it seemed that poorer areas of Los Angeles were less affected during the first stage of the pandemic, this discrepancy was actually attributed to a lack of testing. During the earlier months, the virus was not seen as a severe issue by public health officials; as a result, only the wealthy and famous had access to testing kits, which were not free in L.A. until April 29 (1). In fact, the second phase of the pandemic shows a massive surge in infections in poorer communities such as Pico-Union and Westlake, where the most deaths in L.A. have been reported. The smaller amount of initial numbers resulted in an even higher lack of concern and attention for these impoverished communities.
Another issue faced by low-income communities of color is the lack of resources in place, such as housing and healthcare, to prevent and treat coronavirus cases. For example, the dearth of adequate housing and the higher percentage of homelessness in poorer communities contributes to an even higher infection rate. The L.A. County has half of the most crowded addresses in the nation, forcing many people into smaller spaces, making it difficult to properly social distance (4). As discussed in an earlier post, the federal government’s history of segregated housing policies established a correlation between race and wealth, leading to only 44% of black people who are homeowners compared to 74% of white people in 2020 (3). The pandemic further worsened these issues as many now face the threat of eviction from being unable to pay their rent. In addition, rising healthcare prices prevent many low-income families from receiving treatment. The healthcare system already harms black people through implicit bias, providing lower-quality services and ignoring patient concerns, and the current situation only increases the threat to marginalized groups (2).
The preexisting economic conditions left those in poverty vulnerable to the pandemic, and even when the virus is gone, the following recession will hit them the hardest. Generational wealth equates to comfort and safety in times of crisis, assurances that whiter and wealthier neighborhoods have the privilege to experience. Those with privilege (including myself) are able to work remotely, order food and groceries online, and isolate in their own houses. On the other hand, many in disadvantaged neighborhoods do not have the option of working at home because of the disproportionate hiring of black and brown people in the service industry. Even this job distribution is caused by systemic racism: while education — which leads to higher paying jobs — seems to be the escape from poverty, the typical black household headed by someone with an advanced degree has less wealth than a white household with only a high school diploma. The difference widens 10x more when white and black households have the same level of education; this disparity is attributed to a lack of initial wealth and racial biases that prevent employment (3).
As a result, frontline workers are largely composed of marginalized groups and are exposed more frequently to the virus. Those who are not working have lost their jobs, and only 48.8% black adults are employed, lower than the number for other ethnicities (though employment has dropped in general). Furthermore, a higher rate of black businesses, already at a capital disadvantage, are forced to close compared to white businesses (5). From the beginning, disadvantages have been stacked up against black communities, and the pandemic shows how each factor seems to reinforce each other in a cyclical manner.
As UCLA professor Travis Longcore stated:
the pandemic has “just laid bare the structural inequalities of the country. It couldn’t be better designed to fillet open the inequality of the country because of the two completely different experiences” (1).
The vulnerability of poorer communities, largely composed of black and indigenous people of color due to systemic racism, has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing attention to the flaws of existing infrastructure and laws.
Bibliography:
Barboza, Tony, et al. “Coronavirus Ravages Poorer L.A. Communities While Slowing in Wealthier Ones, Data Show.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2020, www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-28/coronavirus-surge-in-poor-l-a-county-neighborhoods-reveals-two-americas.
Bridges, Khiara M. “Implicit Bias and Racial Disparities in Health Care.” American Bar Association, www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/the-state-of-healthcare-in-the-united-states/racial-disparities-in-health-care/.
Heather Long, Andrew Van Dam. “Analysis | The Black-White Economic Divide Is as Wide as It Was in 1968.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 4 June 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/06/04/economic-divide-black-households/.
“L.A.'s Most Crowded Neighborhoods Fear Outbreaks: 'If One of Us Gets It, We Are All Going to Get It'.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2020, www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-22/how-does-overcrowded-housing-affect-the-spread-of-coronavirus.
Stafford, Kat. ABC News, ABC News Network, 1 June 2020, abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/black-businesses-hit-hard-covid-19-fight-stay-70997630.