Our country is fighting two pandemics: (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) and institutional racism that has robbed countless black men and women of their lives and livelihoods for generations. Both battles are vitally important, urgent, and long overdue. Right now, we are witnessing a surge of new COVID-19 cases across the United States (more than three dozen states have seen an increase in cases in the past two weeks (opens in new tab)). In the wake of George Floyd's murder just a month ago (and the many black murders that preceded it), the "Black Lives" movement is sweeping the nation.

For the past several months, citizens have been encouraged to stay home and not gather in large numbers to stem the spread of COVID-19. However, the fight against racism has forced many to take to the streets in protest. Some worry that this social justice movement may be contributing to the spread of the coronavirus. However, it is actually racism that is exacerbating the effects of COVID-19, especially on people of color.

Dr. Lauren Powell, executive director of Times Up Healthcare (open in new tab), is committed to eradicating gender bias among women in healthcare and advocating for equity, safety, and opportunity for black women in healthcare. Here, as a Black woman and leading health care advocate, she shares her views on the COVID-19 pandemic, the convergence of the "Black Lives Matter" protests, and why our country needs to rigorously combat these two pandemics.

Marie Claire You comment that in the past few weeks your "worst nightmare" has become a reality.

Lauren Powell: Very early in our response to COVID-19, I was talking with a colleague about the worst-case scenario. In his view, the worst that could happen (during a COVID-19 pandemic) would be a natural disaster. My biggest fear was that another unarmed black man would be shot dead and people would take to the streets in protest.

There is no denying that people have the right to protest. It is a First Amendment right, and it makes sense that people would want to protest racial discrimination. But to do so in the midst of a pandemic, especially one that is disproportionately taking the lives and livelihoods of black Americans, was frightening to me. Many in the black community find themselves between a rock and a hard place: racism is contributing to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the black community, as well as the racism that underlies police brutality and, so to speak, modern black lynchings in America.

MC: Has the scope of your work changed in recent months?

LP: At this moment, everyone's eyes got a little wider. Some people's eyes are wide open for the first time, while others are even more wide open to the systemic racism, institutionalized racism, and injustice that permeates so many different institutions. Times Up has always advocated embracing equity and breaking down systems of racism and sexism, but this moment pushes us to make that even clearer and to actually show what good leadership looks like.

MC: Racism and COVID-19 are both taking lives. Now that both are in conflict, how should we approach them?

LP: COVID-19 has been with us for months and racism has been with us for over 400 years. The very true and serious reality is that racism has killed more people than COVID-19. This is not to discredit the threat of COVID-19, but to show that racism is an ongoing threat to America, especially blacks. You may have to have a discussion with yourself about how comfortable you are with going out and protesting. I believe that (protesting during a pandemic) is a safe thing to do. I was very encouraged to see the number of protesters wearing masks.

There have been some preliminary studies (open in new tab) that the COVID-19 hotspots are not necessarily arising from protests. That is encouraging, but people still really need to be safe. On the flip side, it is a privilege to be able to step back and consider which of these two pandemics is the greater threat. It is a privilege to intellectualize this moment. For black Americans, moments like this are an everyday occurrence, and in the very early days when the CDC was recommending that everyone wear masks, there were people in my community, especially black men, who said they didn't know if they could wear masks in public because they were already a threat even if they didn't wear masks . The cost of protecting their own lives and the lives of others could be putting their own lives at risk. Stepping back and seeing the complexity of making such a decision in this particular moment is a snapshot of what it is like to be black in America every day.

MC: Are there many women of color in executive positions in public health who can serve as flag-bearers for these concerns?

LC: Broadly speaking, we know that when compared to the number of women in healthcare, it is basically almost zero (open in new tab) at the leadership level. There is a complete lack of women of color in leadership positions. This is truly unfortunate and indeed catastrophic. If you think about the hierarchy of health care, women of color are often in roles at the bottom of the pyramid: their roles are low-paid and they have no protections like paid leave. It is unfortunate that it takes a pandemic to realize that my neighbor's health, safety, and wellbeing is also dependent on mine. The need for paid leave, equity, and childcare is something that Times Up has focused on for quite some time, and we continue to push for it at this very moment.

MC: What is the safest way to protest?

LP: We have to recognize that there are different ways to demonstrate. Resistance to oppression can be done anywhere. That means equipping people. It is a way to resist an entire system designed to oppress. Treating colleagues well and calling out what happens between individuals is a way to resist a system created to oppress. Then there is digital advocacy. There are people who are considering running for office. I am calling on all of us to understand that activism has many facets and that there is no one right way to protest an inclusive and overwhelming system that is over 400 years old.

If you are able-bodied and have the time and flexibility to take to the streets, now means putting yourself in harm's way. But I think it can be done safely: wear a mask, carry hand sanitizer, and possibly gloves. It is possible to wear a mask, carry hand sanitizer, and wear gloves. If you are participating in a demonstration, it is possible to be 6 feet away from other demonstrators. When you get home, wash your clothes, take a shower, and if possible, stay away from other people in your home.

MC: As a nation, how do we get out of this difficult moment?

LP: That's a paper question. On a macro level, I am proud that there is a social movement happening, but it is not enough. It cannot end with words alone, and it cannot end with protests alone. Protests are certainly important, but they are only the beginning. We should consider what other protests have been like throughout history. The civil rights bus boycott lasted 381 days. Given the proximity of where we are and where we are headed, it takes a very long time indeed to put something front and center.

Time's Up focuses on the intersection of racism and sexism. I am very emphatic that eliminating racism is the foundation for eliminating all other forms of oppression. If we push for the elimination of racism, we can knock down other oppressions as well, like a domino effect.

For a Times Up guide on approaches to equity and inclusion, particularly in the COVID crisis, click here. (opens in a new tab)