A series of 15-min videos were produced to provide resources to pastors in African-American communities to aid them in conveying accurate public and mental health information about COVID-19. Video presenters included trusted experts in public and mental health and pastors with considerable experience responding to the needs of the African-American community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four culturally specific core themes to consider when providing care to African Americans who are at increased risk during the pandemic were identified: ritual disruption, negative reactions for not following public health guidelines, trauma, and culture and trust.

The unprecedented global disruption caused by COVID-19 has illuminated structural racism and systemic inequities in healthcare, public health, and socioeconomic status. How these inequities are addressed will influence whether we can control or stop the pandemic. Prioritizing collaboration and equity and investing financial and social capital into community leadership is essential to mitigating and addressing both the short-and long-term repercussions of COVID-19. Through analysis of, and evidence from, the lived experiences of a national network of African American pastors, the authors recommend four strategies to expedite recovery from the pandemic in the African American community and to promote enduring beneficial societal change: (1) public health and faith communities should initiate and maintain ongoing relationships that are based on trust; (2) recognition and acknowledgement by public and health care organizations that faith community leaders possess unique knowledge of their communities; (3) inclusion of faith community leaders as full partners when planning and strategizing, making decisions, solving problems, and developing policies that affect community wellbeing; and (4) use of an intersecting approach that recognizes the multifactorial realities of COVID-19 and uses remedies that effectively address existing and new problems in a comprehensive, long-term manner.

Coalitions and collaborations with African Americans in the United States are often between people with equal humanity but unequal power. Endeavors between historically harmed communities and representatives of systems that continue to harm them frequently lead to intentional and unintentional miscommunication, mistrust, and distrust. The causes for health inequity are complex and should include consideration of systemic racism. In most standard public health models, departments typically take the lead and invite select members of the community to help. This article describes a collaboration that took place in Marin City, California, between African American churches, the department of public health, and community-based organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This example focuses on the value of African American history and cosmology as a foundation for respectful cross-cultural collaboration in implementing a COVID-19 vaccination effort. A cross-cultural collaborative model was developed for use by this coalition to guide the development and implementation of community response teams. Unique and shared responsibilities provided by the coalition partners are examined. Humanistic principles, including empathy, positive regard, trust, and grace, are held as central to the model when planning, implementing, and evaluating activities undertaken by cross-cultural coalitions. Sustainability issues are considered concerning staffing, funding, and public policy.

The unprecendented global disruption caused by COVID-19 has exacerbated systemic inequities in healthcare, public health, socioeconomic status, and structural racism. How systematic inequities that are expressed at the intersection of human activities are addressed will influence whether we can control or stop the pandemic. Priotizing collaboration, equity, and investing financial and social capitol into community leadership is an essential part of mitigating and addressing both the short- and long-term repercussions of COVID-19. Through analysis of and evidence from the lived experiences of a national network of African American pastors, the authors recommend four strategies to expedite recovery from the pandemic and to promote enduring beneficial societal change: (1) public health and faith communities should initiate and maintain ongoing relationships that are based on trust; (2) recognition and acknowledgement by agencies and organizations that faith community leaders possess unique knowledge of their communities; (3) inclusion of faith community leaders as full partners when strategizing, decision-making, problem-solving, and policy development sessions occur that affect community wellbeing; and, (4) use of an intersecting approach that recognizes the multifactorial realities of COVID-19 and uses remedies that effectively address existing and new problems in a comprehensive, long-term manner.