>>> DR. CORBETT, KIZZIE CORBETT
IS RIGHT AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE VACCINE.
SO THE FIRST THING YOU MIGHT
WANT TO SAY TO MY
AFRICAN-AMERICAN BROTHERS AND
SISTERS IS THAT THE VACCINE THAT
YOU’RE GOING TO BE TAKING WAS
DEVELOPED BY AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN
WOMAN.
AND THAT IS JUST A FACT.
>> DR. ANTHONY FAUCI’S MESSAGE
TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO MAY BE
WARY OF GETTING THE CORONAVIRUS
VACCINE.
JOINING US NOW LONG TIME NEWS
ANCHOR TURNED SENIOR PASTOR AT
ROXBURY SENIOR PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH DR. LIZ WALKER.
SHE’S A MEMBER OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS CORONAVIRUS
ADVISORY BOARD.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, AND IN
THIS ROLE I THINK YOU WORK EVERY
DAY ON FIGURING OUT HOW TO
COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY.
WHAT WILL BE THE CHALLENGE TO
AFRICAN-AMERICANS PERTAINING TO
THIS VACCINE?
>> WELL, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
AND I’M DELIGHTED TO BE ON THIS
PROGRAM WITH YOU AND JOE THIS
MORNING, THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR MY
COMMUNITY IS TRUST.
PEOPLE JUST DON’T TRUST SYSTEMS,
THEY DON’T TRUST WHAT THEY ARE
TOLD AND THERE’S LOTS OF REASONS
FOR THAT.
SO WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS TO
BEGIN TO STEM THE TIDE OF THAT
DISTRUST AND MISTRUST THAT’S IN
OUR COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE NOT ONLY KNOW THIS FROM
HISTORY.
THE STORIES OF THE TUSKEGEE
EXPERIMENT OR THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENT ON MEN IN
TUSKEGEE, IT’S NOT JUST THE
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS
THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO ABUSE
BLACK PEOPLE, BUT IT’S THE DAY
TO DAY EXPERIENCES OF NOT
BEING -- OR THE PERSPECTIVE OF
NOT BEING RESPECTED, NOT BEING
HEARD, NOT BEING LISTENED TO IN
DOCTOR’S OFFICES, IN HEALTH CARE
SYSTEMS.
SO IT’S AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE.
VERY VALID REASONS THAT PEOPLE
DON’T TRUST, NOT TO MENTION THE
POLITICIZATION OF THIS VIRUS AND
THE REMEDY FOR THIS VIRUS.
SO THERE’S JUST SO MANY THINGS
THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER AND
PEOPLE SIMPLY DON’T TRUST WHAT
THEY’RE HEARING.
>> REVEREND AL SHARPTON, JUMP
IN.
>> REVEREND WALKER, YOU KNOW,
I’M VERY GLAD YOU’RE ON THIS
MORNING BECAUSE DOESN’T IT ALSO
SPEAK TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT IN ANOTHER SUBJECT ABOUT
COURAGE AMONG EVANGELICALS
POLITICALLY.
DOESN’T IT REQUIRE COURAGE FOR
FAITH LEADERS AND INFLUENCERS IN
THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY
TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP
EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE
QUESTIONED, CHALLENGED AND EVEN
CRITICIZED WHEN WE SEE THE
DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF
PEOPLE THAT ARE DYING AND
INFECTED IN OUR COMMUNITY TO SAY
LET’S GO BY THE SCIENCE.
LIKE DR. FAUCI SAID, THERE WAS A
BLACK WOMAN THAT IS PART OF THIS
VACCINE AND YES, THERE’S REASON
FOR US TO HAVE DOUBT, BUT WE’VE
GOT TO STAND UP AT THIS POINT IN
HISTORY AND DEAL WITH IF THE
SCIENCE IS THERE, WE NEED TO GO
WITH THE SCIENCE.
EVEN IF WE’RE GOING TO TAKE SOME
CLAPBACK IN THE BEGINNING.
>> REVEREND SHARPTON, YOU ARE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I TRY TO REMIND MY CONGREGATION,