Congratulations to our Executive Director, Sheba Williams, on her appointment to "Virginia's COVID-19 Racial Disparities Task Force" as an advisor.
In a letter sent Tuesday, May 12, 2020, to Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, the state’s lieutenant governor proposed the creation of a statewide task force that would focus “on taking action to aggressively address and remedy” racial disparities in coronavirus cases across the commonwealth. African-Americans make up 19.2% of Virginia’s population and LatinX communities
make up 8.3% of our population. Together, these communities represent 27.5% of Virginia’s population, but a staggering 64.3% of overall COVID-19 cases, and this number continues to rise.
Ms. Williams will be tasked with addressing special populations, to include jails, prisons, courts, group homes, congregate settings that serve the houseless population and other special groups.
