America's Battle against the COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Injustice: Through the Eyes of the Disabled D.I.V.A. A Chronicle of Events

By Dr. Michelle King-Huger, Ed.S.

America's Battle against the COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Injustice focuses on one of the most tumultuous, historical, and unforgettable times in America.

The time period for the chronicle of events is between March 2020 and the end of the year. Dr. Michelle King-Huger, Ed.S. shares personal reflections from a cultural perspective upon how America dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and social injustice during this unprecedented time. The year also sparked racial upheaval which brought forth one of the most recent social injustice awakenings in our country in decades. This book continues to be relevant to situations in people's lives because it will always remain significant and purposeful in current society and culture.

The book tracks the COVID-19 pandemic on a monthly basis--with numerical statistics, the changes we faced as Americans, and how our country handled the battle against this invisible enemy. America witnessed, through the age of modern technology and science, how racial and social disparities were prevalent during this pandemic. The 2020 year became a tempestuous and stormy one, full of protests and rallies because of how social injustices and systematic racism appeared to become even more visually evident in our country.

Thought-provoking words, quotes, and poetry of Rep. John Lewis, Presidents Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy, Dylan Thomas, Maya Angelou, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.-- and these are just a few names that are included throughout the book. Heartfelt and opinionated words from fellow Americans are part of a relevant and qualitative survey. Dr. Michelle King-Huger, Ed.S offers suggestions and encouraging ideas for self-growth for your mind, body, and soul, along with biblical phrases that immerse the reader.

America's Battle against the COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Injustice is a page-turner that you just don't want to put down!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638443353

Book preview

Entry 1

Why Now?

I decided to write this book on April 9, 2020, when millions of people joined my exclusive club where membership is free. This club is the special place for my fellow disabled D.I.V.A.s, which include other determined individuals with a victorious attitude. This club is a special place where we are members even without our willingness to join. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this novel virus has unfortunately welcomed so many new members into this exclusive club as they became a part of the disabled population, since this pandemic relentless attacked our country and the world!

So many people are now confined to their homes, not knowing what the future holds for us as we reflect and think about our lives and all the things that we had taken for granted. We came to realize that this virus did not seem to care who you were or where you lived. It did not care if you were young or old, rich or poor as it ravaged throughout the land. Medical professionals, researchers, and scientists said that the coronavirus pandemic has a more devastating effect upon people over sixty-five; people with heart ailments, lung disease, diabetes, cancer; and those with underlying conditions. One thing that always confused me was what illnesses are defined as underlying conditions? I believe that many individuals have some sort of underlying condition, wouldn’t you agree?

The COVID-19 virus also seemed to have more of an effect on those in the African-American community. Millions of people of color who are and have been at a disadvantage due to systematic and societal circumstances that my ancestors have endured for many, many years reared its ugly head once again. This institutional racism continued to resurface and became blatantly obvious particularly at this time.

In many parts of our country, we realized that many of the frontline workers were and are minorities who also had many health issues. Many of these hardworking people did not have the choice to stay safe by staying at home. My black and brown people were disproportionately attacked as this virus of a blob monster swept through this country with such a vengeance that with each case, I could literally hear my heart sob.

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

—Galatians 1:3 (KJV)

The coronavirus pandemic made the world stop in its tracks! The day-to-day routines that we considered a normal part of life were taken from us like a balloon that we let go as we watched it fly into space.

Living, as we once did before, will never be the same. So many people across our country and across the world now felt disabled, and I wonder if this horrific experience will change the insight and perspective of man to show compassion for those who are less fortunate than others. I pray that it will open the eyes and hearts of my fellow men to the millions of disabled Americans who went unnoticed before so many others became members of this exclusive club where membership is free.

Entry 2

A Salute to the Frontline Heroes!

How can we thank you enough? Words cannot express the gratitude we feel as you risk your life and the life of your loved ones to save others.

The doctors, nurses, police, firemen, EMT/EMS workers, and all of those people who work in a hospital—How can we thank you enough? The doctors, nurses, caregivers who work in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, as they deal with heart wrenching and insurmountable odds. Let’s not forget those who clean and cook in all of these establishments who are an integral part of the spokes on this wheel—How can we thank you enough? Those who work in grocery stores, markets, restaurants, and all of the essential establishments that operate throughout the pandemic—how can we thank you enough?

The farmers, the delivery drivers, the United States Postal Service, and so many more frontline workers—we now have come to realize that we cannot thank you enough! Last but not the least, we thank those particular members in governmental positions who, when faced with so much adversity, stood up for what was right for their constituents. Praise God as we thank you for your service!

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather

the assessment that something else is more important than fear.

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

Entry 3

What Happened?

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus erupted and swept through the city of Wuhan, China. Hundreds of thousands were affected, and thousands of people died. First it was said to come from an infected bat. Then we heard that seafood markets in China that carried this infection were at fault.

We also heard theories that there was a mishap at a laboratory in China. Maybe one day, we will really find out what happened, and maybe, we never will, but I do know this—that the coronavirus blob of destruction was present and growing in size as it spread across the world.

Devastation and death hit the Asian countries, then it moved through European countries and parts of Africa and other parts of the world. We watched on television and heard about what was happening, but we kept about our daily lives as normal. Should we have been more concerned? Should we have started to prepare for this pandemic earlier?

Many have complained that if we had the Pandemic Task Force department in operation at the White House, things would not have been that bad in the United States and we would have been more prepared. Many have complained that we were behind the eight ball with our preparation of what was eventually to occur that would change our lives forever. I really do not have an answer for that.

Throughout history, the world has been faced with plagues, illnesses, and epidemics. An epidemic is more likely to be spread only in a specific community or population whereas a pandemic is spread to multiple countries or continents across the world. Before the development of vaccines and medicines for treatments, hundreds of thousands of people died when an epidemic surfaced. Since history repeats itself, we trust in our