Racism has become a common word throughout the world as news report everyday issues relating to racial inequality. It is the unequal treatment of a person based on his or her skin colour. Since the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world in the late days of 2019 and early 2020, many blacks have been racially discriminated against. There has been persistent racial inequality at workplaces, housing, healthcare facilities and schools, among other places, for the past year. This research done in an industry that produces face masks provides a clear image of racism during the coronavirus pandemic period. To end discrimination, unity in our doings and hard work towards equality are highly essential.
Missouri Masks Industry (MMI) started in early 2020 after the outbreak of Covid-19. It has offered employment to many people in its community. The industry has been producing face masks to help prevent the spreading of coronavirus (Garcia et al., 2021). It serves approximately a hundred thousand people with face masks every week. The industry employees are obligated to work from Monday to Friday, producing at least ten thousand shows in a day (Laurencin & Walker, 2020). MMI has played a significant role in hindering the spread of Covid-19 by producing face masks and selling them at affordable prices to its community (Laurencin & Walker, 2020). The industry sells a pack of fifty pieces of shows at two hundred dollars. During its first month of work, the industry volunteered to supply its community with free masks. Each resident was given five face masks to help the healthcare sector fight the pandemic (Laurencin & Walker, 2020). MMI has been so resourceful to its community during the pandemic period.
However, the community has seriously complained a lot about racial discrimination in the industry. Black employees say that they are overworked as compared to the Whites. According to the research of Garcia et al. (2021), Black people in the industry are expected to work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Alternatively, Whites who work in the industry report to work simultaneously as the African-Americans leave at 3 p.m. Both the Blacks and Whites are entitled to a similar amount of salary. No compensation is ever given to the African-Americans for the overtime (Laurencin & Walker, 2020). In addition, the Blacks say that sometimes their salaries are delayed and unnecessary deductions made while the Whites receive their payments in time. Due to this, the community has led protests against racial inequality (Garcia et al., 2021). They have also made civic engagements where the community works together, helping in protecting public values and concerns, especially against racism (Laurencin & Walker, 2020). People should work in unity and togetherness to control or address issues concerning their community.
Similarly, the education sector has also been associated with racism cases in the past year. According to research, African-American students are racially discriminated against by both the teachers and White students. Laurencin & Walker (2020) says that some white teachers give low grades to Black students even when they deserve to perform well. Over many years, Black students have faced racial violence severally from White students in most schools and necessary actions are never taken (Garcia et al., 2021). Racial enmity is being channelled from generation to generation. Lessons on the importance of respect to people regardless of racial background should be conducted across the world to help in promoting equality.
Most African-Americans have been faced with homelessness as compared to the Whites. Since slavery and segregation, the Blacks have always been denied justice over issues dealing with ownership (Laurencin & Walker, 2020). Homelessness is highly contributed by the lack of equality in the national councils. In the course of the coronavirus pandemic, many people across the world who had visited other countries experienced homelessness (Laurencin & Walker, 2020). Due to loss of employment, most people couldn’t raise money for rent and food. Many Blacks, especially, were in the streets with no place to shelter (Garcia et al., 2021). The national governments should help fighting homelessness by ensuring everyone has the right to property ownership.
The mission of St John’s University is to devote themselves towards academic brilliance and the pursuit of intelligence, which flows free from asking for guidance, religious faith and beliefs. St John’s University has almost the same goal and mission as the Missouri Mask Industry. Both aim at improving the standards of their society through hard work. Henceforth, the Industry and the University should continue serving their community at their very best. Due to this research, I have learnt that society needs a lot of concern from its residents to help solve existing problems.
Racism has been the most witnessed and reported ethical issue during the pandemic period. African-Americans have been the severe victims of racial inequality. Measures of helping solve the moral problem of racism have been invented and put in place in many places throughout the world. This research urges people of the same society or community to develop unity by joining hands in their doings. Racism is a fatal weapon against humanity, and the community should not relax until they put it down.
References
Garcia, M. A., Homan, P. A., García, C., & Brown, T. H. (2021). The colour of COVID-19: Structural racism and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on older Black and Latinx adults. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 76(3), e75-e80. Web.
Laurencin, C. T., & Walker, J. M. (2020). A Pandemic on a Pandemic: Racism and COVID-19 in Blacks. Cell Systems, 11(1), 9-10. Web.