The Restoration House COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic: Challenging Systemic Racism and Ableism through Community Solidarity and Action
This paper reviews the advocacy efforts, community organizing, establishment, operation, and lessons learned from a project in Hamilton, Ontario to build the first-ever COVID-19 clinic for Black and other racialized people, people with disabilities, and those experiencing barriers to access COVID-19...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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McMaster University Library Press
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Health Reform Observer - Observatoire des Réformes de Santé |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/hro-ors/article/view/5435/4524 |
| _version_ | 1797668176880730112 |
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| author | Ameil Joseph Terri Bedminster Kojo Damptey Sarah Jama Gessie Stearns Madison Brockbank |
| author_facet | Ameil Joseph Terri Bedminster Kojo Damptey Sarah Jama Gessie Stearns Madison Brockbank |
| author_sort | Ameil Joseph |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper reviews the advocacy efforts, community organizing, establishment, operation, and lessons learned from a project in Hamilton, Ontario to build the first-ever COVID-19 clinic for Black and other racialized people, people with disabilities, and those experiencing barriers to access COVID-19 vaccinations. Community advocates, academics, and health leaders who are from and serve Black and other racialized and marginalized groups in Hamilton responded to the overwhelming impacts of COVID-19 on marginalized Black and other racialized groups in Hamilton through relational solidarities that allowed for community members to lead the advocacy, design, and operation of a clinic to serve those most in need with the knowledge and expertise most capable of such an intervention. Amidst resistance of municipal and provincial officials to act for healthy equity, racist backlash, and problematic organizational and institutional responses to the needs of Black and other racialized community leaders, Restoration House clinic advocates and community leaders responded to the demand by maintaining focus on community through collective solidarities. The Restoration House example offers several contributions to how we think about community and public health advocacy, organizing, and operational interventions through crises and beyond.
Cet article passe en revue la campagne de revendication, les efforts d’organisation communautaire, la mise en place, le fonctionnement et les leçons tirées d’un projet mené à Hamilton, en Ontario, et visant à établir la toute première clinique COVID-19 pour les personnes Noires et racialisées, les personnes handicapées et celles qui rencontrent des obstacles à l’accès aux vaccinations COVID-19. Les défenseurs de la communauté, les universitaires et les dirigeants du secteur de la santé issus et au service des personnes Noires, racialisées ou marginalisées de Hamilton voulaient trouver une réponse adéquate aux effets disproportionnés de la COVID-19 sur les personnes Noires, racialisées ou marginalisées de Hamilton en utilisant les solidarités relationnelles qui ont permis aux membres de la communauté de diriger la revendication, la conception et les activités d’une clinique pour servir les personnes qui en ont le plus besoin avec les connaissances et l’expertise les plus à même de mener une telle intervention. Dans un contexte d’hésitation des autorités municipales et provinciales à agir résolument pour l’équité en santé, de réactions racistes et de réponses organisationnelles et institutionnelles défaillantes aux besoins des leaders de la communauté Noire et d’autres communautés racialisées, les défenseurs de la clinique Restoration House et les dirigeants communautaires ont répondu à la demande en maintenant l’accent sur la communauté par le biais de solidarités collectives. L’exemple de la Restoration House apporte plusieurs contributions à notre réflexion sur la défense des intérêts de la communauté et de la santé publique, l’organisation et les interventions opérationnelles en cas de crise et au-delà. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:25:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bb4b993fdf7e47d8868a1fc5c0579025 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2291-6369 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:25:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | McMaster University Library Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Reform Observer - Observatoire des Réformes de Santé |
| spelling | doaj.art-bb4b993fdf7e47d8868a1fc5c05790252023-10-02T16:13:19ZengMcMaster University Library PressHealth Reform Observer - Observatoire des Réformes de Santé2291-63692023-10-01111https://doi.org/10.13162/hro-ors.v11i1.5435The Restoration House COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic: Challenging Systemic Racism and Ableism through Community Solidarity and ActionAmeil Joseph0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5575-6804Terri Bedminster1Kojo Damptey2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7986-5477Sarah Jama3Gessie Stearns4Madison Brockbank5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8736-8398McMaster UniversityRefuge Newcomer HealthHamilton Centre for Civic InclusionDisability Justice Network of OntarioMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityThis paper reviews the advocacy efforts, community organizing, establishment, operation, and lessons learned from a project in Hamilton, Ontario to build the first-ever COVID-19 clinic for Black and other racialized people, people with disabilities, and those experiencing barriers to access COVID-19 vaccinations. Community advocates, academics, and health leaders who are from and serve Black and other racialized and marginalized groups in Hamilton responded to the overwhelming impacts of COVID-19 on marginalized Black and other racialized groups in Hamilton through relational solidarities that allowed for community members to lead the advocacy, design, and operation of a clinic to serve those most in need with the knowledge and expertise most capable of such an intervention. Amidst resistance of municipal and provincial officials to act for healthy equity, racist backlash, and problematic organizational and institutional responses to the needs of Black and other racialized community leaders, Restoration House clinic advocates and community leaders responded to the demand by maintaining focus on community through collective solidarities. The Restoration House example offers several contributions to how we think about community and public health advocacy, organizing, and operational interventions through crises and beyond. Cet article passe en revue la campagne de revendication, les efforts d’organisation communautaire, la mise en place, le fonctionnement et les leçons tirées d’un projet mené à Hamilton, en Ontario, et visant à établir la toute première clinique COVID-19 pour les personnes Noires et racialisées, les personnes handicapées et celles qui rencontrent des obstacles à l’accès aux vaccinations COVID-19. Les défenseurs de la communauté, les universitaires et les dirigeants du secteur de la santé issus et au service des personnes Noires, racialisées ou marginalisées de Hamilton voulaient trouver une réponse adéquate aux effets disproportionnés de la COVID-19 sur les personnes Noires, racialisées ou marginalisées de Hamilton en utilisant les solidarités relationnelles qui ont permis aux membres de la communauté de diriger la revendication, la conception et les activités d’une clinique pour servir les personnes qui en ont le plus besoin avec les connaissances et l’expertise les plus à même de mener une telle intervention. Dans un contexte d’hésitation des autorités municipales et provinciales à agir résolument pour l’équité en santé, de réactions racistes et de réponses organisationnelles et institutionnelles défaillantes aux besoins des leaders de la communauté Noire et d’autres communautés racialisées, les défenseurs de la clinique Restoration House et les dirigeants communautaires ont répondu à la demande en maintenant l’accent sur la communauté par le biais de solidarités collectives. L’exemple de la Restoration House apporte plusieurs contributions à notre réflexion sur la défense des intérêts de la communauté et de la santé publique, l’organisation et les interventions opérationnelles en cas de crise et au-delà.https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/hro-ors/article/view/5435/4524healthy equitycommunity advocacysystemic racismcovid-19solidarity |
| spellingShingle | Ameil Joseph Terri Bedminster Kojo Damptey Sarah Jama Gessie Stearns Madison Brockbank The Restoration House COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic: Challenging Systemic Racism and Ableism through Community Solidarity and Action Health Reform Observer - Observatoire des Réformes de Santé healthy equity community advocacy systemic racism covid-19 solidarity |
| title | The Restoration House COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic: Challenging Systemic Racism and Ableism through Community Solidarity and Action |
| title_full | The Restoration House COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic: Challenging Systemic Racism and Ableism through Community Solidarity and Action |
| title_fullStr | The Restoration House COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic: Challenging Systemic Racism and Ableism through Community Solidarity and Action |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Restoration House COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic: Challenging Systemic Racism and Ableism through Community Solidarity and Action |
| title_short | The Restoration House COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic: Challenging Systemic Racism and Ableism through Community Solidarity and Action |
| title_sort | restoration house covid 19 vaccination clinic challenging systemic racism and ableism through community solidarity and action |
| topic | healthy equity community advocacy systemic racism covid-19 solidarity |
| url | https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/hro-ors/article/view/5435/4524 |
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