Two events converged in early 2020 to expose vast disparities and inequities that have been harming many racialized and marginalized people for decades and shake up healthcare systems around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic and the brutal killing by police of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, created a groundswell of emotions that erupted in protests and calls for social justice. Governments, corporations, and businesses made statements against racism, primarily anti-Black racism, instituted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, and appointed DEI managers to show they were taking action to tackle racism and uphold social justice. However, grassroots community organizations had the most impact in mobilizing populations and effecting change to contain and reduce the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus, as well as challenging leaders to do more than just talk about dismantling systemic, structural, and institutional racism.
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