On April 20, 2023, American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley presented COVID-19 Black with the 2023 Greg Ranstrom Network Leadership Award.
The Greg Ranstrom Network Leadership Award, named in honor of the late Greg Ranstrom, ALF Fellows Program Director of 15 years, recognizes networks for the common good that demonstrate cross-sector collaboration and impact for equity.
About COVID-19 Black
As the Founder & CEO Emeritus of Unity Care and Founder & Chair Emeritus of the Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet, André Chapman has dedicated his life’s work to advocating for underserved communities while challenging formal system partners on how to effectively engage communities of color.
In late March Mr. Chapman awoke in the middle of the night thinking about the disproportionate impact COVID-19 was having upon the Black community. He thought about the confusion and misunderstanding about the disease within his own family and the organization he was leading at that time. He recognized the lack of trustworthy communications and education about COVID-19 for the Black community, and he felt compelled to take an offensive stand.
From that 4 a.m. brainstorm, COVID-19 Black was born. An initiative of Unity Care in partnership with the Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet, COVID-19 Black aims to educate African Americans not only about how to protect themselves from COVID-19 but also about the other health and wellness issues impacting their community. We refer to these as the backpacks of trauma that affect all aspects of our lives: health, education, housing, employment, legal system, environmental and social well-being.
COVID-19 Black is an opportunity to leverage our collective strengths so that our community is better engaged, informed and educated about the preventive measures needed to fight this health crisis. COVID-19 Black is also a platform to shape a narrative of our own content and storytellers to best convey our messaging and strategies for overpowering this legacy of discrimination.
