Lehigh Valley advocates highlight racial inequities

Lehigh Valley advocates highlight racial inequities

By Ben Stemrich

January 27, 2021

President Joe Biden is taking aim at systemic racism across the country by signing a series of executive orders on Jan. 26. 

In the Lehigh Valley, advocates are highlighting top areas that need to be addressed now. 

Karen Britt, professor of Business at Northampton Community College, says equality in the USA is still a dream, not a reality.

“We look at the inequities in regards to economics in regards to voting rights, all of those things come into play and this is where it’s still such a political divide,” Britt says.

COVID-19’s role in highlighting racial inequity was another topic of conversation during a virtual event on Jan. 26 moderated by Lehigh University.

Chad Williams is Lehigh’s director of Multicultural Affairs.

He says black and brown people have good reason to mistrust the health care system.

“COVID has really shown us that the health care disparities and inequities in our country make it so that Black and brown folks always have less access to care, less quality care,” Williams says.  

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