Major catastrophes may not discriminate, but the suffering they cause lands disproportionately on communities of color. Racial and social inequities are inflamed, and those considered least during the good times remain neglected in bad ones.
MARCUS GREEN
Anti-blackness, orientalism, xenophobia, etc. People across the world are turning to racist ideologies to deal with their fear over the coronavirus pandemic. Since five Nigerians in China recently tested positive for COVID-19, reports have emerged of Africans facing alarming discrimination in the Asian country. Photos show signs banning Black people from buildings and businesses. Some Africans have been singled out for quarantine based on racial profiling. Others have been evicted from their apartments and forced to sleep on the street. Racism is a global problem, pointed out Eddy Zheng (New Breath Foundation) in a virtual townhall yesterday on safety and security hosted by The Peoples Collective for Justice & Liberation. Othering and criminalizing each other will not beat the coronavirus but humanizing and healing each other will. You can help. Please share. Thank you.
I am…
Marcus
liberated
determined
resolute
unafraid
committed
Pictured: Marcus Harrison Green is the publisher of the South Seattle Emerald, and a columnist with Crosscut. Growing up in South Seattle, he experienced first-hand the neglect of news coverage in the area by local media, which taught him the value of narratives. After an unfulfilling stint working for a Los Angeles based hedge-fund in his twenties, Marcus returned to his community determined to tell its true story, which led him to found the South Seattle Emerald. He was named one of Seattle’s most influential people by Seattle Magazine in 2016.
COVID-19 Safety Not Stigma is a portrait campaign to help combat increased racism against people of color during the pandemic, raise awareness about the disproportionate impacts of coronavirus on communities of color, and prioritize safety instead of stigma by the public.
Safety notes: These photos were taken at safe distance outside using a 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens. I wore a mask and sanitized my equipment immediately following. Please remember the CDC recommends at least 6-ft or more of distance from those outside your family cluster.
This project is funded in part by 4Culture