The Story of a Black Woman’s Resilience

Black women are getting hit by two pandemics: racism and COVID-19. These pandemics have put even more exposure to systemic inequalities and structural racism. Malcolm X said it best in 1962 that “the most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman.” And unfortunately, that still remains the truth.

“The original pandemic, racism, has ensured Black women have been at a disadvantage in every conceivable arena — hiring, education, health care, banking, etc. Now, coronavirus-induced economic turmoil has rotted away what little safety net many of these women could rely on.”

According to 19th News, “Black women represent about 11% of essential workers even though they’re only 6% of the workforce. They’re also one of the only groups for whom unemployment during the pandemic went up from one month to the next, while for others it went down. About 1.4 million jobs held by Black women have vanished since February 2020.”

But as always, Black women will overcome and prevail. India’s story is just a glimpse of how Black women are combatting these pandemics, creating their own solutions, and paving their way to new heights.