Faith-based leaders join forces to fight against COVID-19

By: Darryl Sellers

Our African American communities are facing daunting challenges as we fight against COVID-19. More transmissible variants of the coronavirus are sweeping our nation in the year-long pandemic which is especially troubling for Black people, who are 3 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than white people.

The Black Coalition Against COVID (BCAC) is one organization which is keeping Black communities informed about COVID-19 with Facebook Live events. Reverend Calvin Butts, pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York, was a guest who spoke about faithbased communities joining the fight against COVID-19.

As co-chair of the Choose Healthy Life Black Clergy Action Plan, Reverend Butts stood with the science community to help quash the HIV virus and AIDS. Reverend Butts is providing Black communities with current and accurate information about COVID-19. He said standing with science is vital to help faith-based organizations get the word out. “We’re trying to save lives,” he said.

In late-January, Reverend Butts rolled up his left sleeve to get his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at his historic church. Reverend Butts said this is one example of the Black churches’ commitment to serve as an example to our communities.

Reverend Butts, a champion to conquer COVID-19, encourages Black communities to take a “leap of faith” and get vaccinated. “The Black pastor is still the most trusted of all,” Reverend Butts said. “We’ll have great success, the same way we did when we confronted the AIDS pandemic.”

For more BCAC information: Black Coalition Against COVID-19