‘We want to see racial equity’: New Bedford NAACP calls for more vaccines, outreach in communities of color

March 30, 2021 3:43 pm

Amanda Pitts,

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) – The New Bedford branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has put out a call for action regarding the number of vaccine doses coming into the city and issues of racial equity surrounding the rollout of vaccines.

The organization is calling on the state to send more vaccine doses to the city that’s been one of the hardest hit by COVID-19, and for better outreach in communities of color.

“There are 20 cities that have been deeply affected by COVID-19 and New Bedford is one of the top five,” said Renee Ledbetter, vice-president of the New Bedford NAACP.

While New Bedford remains one of the state’s hot-spots for the virus, Ledbetter said not enough vaccine doses are coming in from the state.

“From what I understand, we’re getting 600 vaccines a week, which is not enough. If we’re able to bring in at least 2,500 vaccines a week, we could probably get everyone vaccinated by the fall and that’s pushing it.”

Ledbetter said the organization isn’t just pushing for more doses, but for racial equity at the city level as well.

“The black and brown community are very hesitant. I want them to know that I’ve been vaccinated, had my first and second vaccination and so has my 91-year-old mother and my 100-year-old uncle,” she said. “I feel like the black and brown community have died in higher rates than other races, that’s why it’s important for us to educate our own people in order for them to take advantage of something that’s going to save their life or someone else’s.”

The organization said in a press release that people of color in the city are being vaccinated at a slower pace.

“The result is that, while the percentage of coronavirus cases in the white community is a smaller number to the overall population, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians suffered infection disproportionately, with rates much higher than their proportion of the population,” wrote New Bedford NAACP President Dr. LaSella Hall. “Acknowledging that people of color are scheduling vaccine shots at a much lower rate than the overall population due to suspicions about the safety of the inoculations, NB NAACP urges better outreach to those communities.”

Responding to the press release, Jonathan Carvalho, public information officer for the city, said Mayor Jon Mitchell “has been vocal about the state ensuring that supply reaches residents equitably and that no city or community is left behind.”

Ledbetter said she hopes leaders on the state level will hear their calls.

“I think I think the city can do more as far as educating and fighting for vaccine. I also think the legislators can do more in order to fight for our area. But I also think that we as people can do more in order to educate and help them fight to get the vaccine in our area because it takes a village,” added Ledbetter. “We want to see racial equity in our community. We want to make sure that the black and brown people are vaccinated at the rate that they need to be vaccinated.”