REBOOT! Emergency COVID-19 Relief for Black American Descendants of Slavery

It has been established that Black Americans are dying at higher rates from the current COVID-19 Pandemic. Explanations range from the perceived health habits of Black Americans, while ignoring the role of environmental racism and employment discrimination in the health outcomes. Environmental racism is the ecological outcome that results from institutional racism and redlining.  Racial employment discrimination not only persists but has not changed or declined by some estimates over a course of twenty-five years. While the persistent variable of racial employment discrimination has been identified as implicit bias, overt forms of racism persist in the workplace. Because of this persistence of racial employment discrimination, Black Americans who are descendants of the institution of chattel slavery are overrepresented in what is now termed "essential" jobs (previously referred to as service jobs). Even in the health industry, where workers are at the forefront of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Black Americans represent a higher percentage of the lower-paying occupations within the industry compared to our percentage in the sector altogether.

Phase 4 Emergency COVID-19 Relief for Black Americans

For adult Black Americans with adjusted annual household incomes of less than $150,000 COVID-19 Relief Benefit (CRB) and COVID-19 Housing Incentive (CHI).

1. an average monthly COVID-19 Relief Benefit of $6,000, adjusted by regional Cost-of-Living-Adjustment (COLA), and

2. a Housing Incentive of up to 60% of monthly housing expense, not to exceed $2,000.00 per month, for a period of twenty-four months.

3. Emergency COVID-19 Health Insurance Benefit (CHIB) & COVID-19 Hotline.

A. Health insurance equal to that provided to federal employees at or above the standard of a "silver" plan on the marketplace through the Affordable Care Act. Dental and vision should be included. This health insurance should be provided over a scope of twenty-four months.

B. Due to reports of medical facilities denying Black Americans coronavirus testing, a hotline should be established. This hotline should not only report such medical facilities but should fast-track the screening of Black Americans, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic.

4. Monthly Center for Disease Control (CDC) reporting of the rate of testing for the coronavirus among Black Americans, infection, recovery, and death rates of Black Americans.

These figures are based upon the costs of living differences across the US. (Please see Appendix) These figures also consider discrepancies in property values between redlined and non-redlined areas where the latter category has more favorable air quality. This proposal considers excise tax and other fees associated with metropolitan urban regions that include transport costs, higher costs and demands in water treatment, waste management, and increased energy usage.