Healthcare inequities and historical trauma have left Black Americans with a reluctance to accept interventions pushed by public health authorities. As pandemic exit strategies hinge on the uptake of a vaccine, there’s a need to engage trusted, culturally relevant figures with the vaccine effort.

While the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 left many Americans distressed, the killing of George Floyd exacerbated this feeling among those in the Black community. Canvas8 spoke to Breeshia Wade, the author of Grieving While Black, about the impact of racism on grief in different communities.

The events of 2020 have seen organisations across the world denounce systemic racism, but dismantling racial bias is complex and time-consuming work. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Anatasia Kim to discuss the concept of allyship and how it can be fulfilled at an organisational level.

Black teens and young adults are hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccine due to a lack of trust in healthcare services, a study shows. But they also trust info from friends and family more than professionals, presenting an opportunity to ease concerns by offering advice in a way that resonates.