ABSTRACT
Many of us on the frontlines of healthcare and health access in the United States interpreted the platitude, we're all in this together, as a shallow response to the country's failure to create a healthcare system that welcomes all citizens. Essential workers, the working poor, and jobless always have been disproportionately affected by sickness, loss of life, and medical bankruptcy; indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic simply have laid bare the hard facts of how many Americans, particularly black Americans, are sailing in different boats—if they have a boat at all—than white Americans. During the pandemic, black Americans have experienced more severe illness and death from COVID compared with white people. This essay documents ways the Vanbert Health Equity Project, an eclectic group of people of faith, are working with black churches to look upstream for ideas that keep people on protected during any healthcare storm.
