FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Andrew Cade
(413) 739-7211 EX. 110
THE URBAN LEAGUE OF SPRINGFIELD, INC., IS ALL IN TO SUPPORT THE INCREASE IN AWARENESS ABOUT THE COVID,-19 VACCINE, AS A COLLECTIVE MEASURE TO STOP AND REVERSE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THE VIRUS ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
ALL IN Campaign launches in Springfield to inform, encourage, and identify the need for African Americans to consider the COVID-19 vaccine, in partnership with the National Urban League, NAN, NCBCP and the CDC
Springfield, MA – April 30, 2021, The Urban League of Springfield, Inc., with the support of the National Urban League, in participation with the 90 Urban League affiliate offices around the country has joined forces with the National Action Network, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, and the United States Centers for Disease Control to promote the ALL !N campaign to inform communities of color about the coronavirus vaccine and encourage community members to make thoughtful consideration about taking the vaccine.
About 41% of Black-owned business shut down in the first month of the pandemic, according to researchers, and with only 60% of those remaining expected to survive, the campaign also will shed broader light on how vaccination can serve as a remedy and help Springfield, MA rebound from the devastating economic impact of the virus on communities of color. Additionally, as 30% of African Americans reveal that they do not want to be vaccinated, according to a poll commissioned by the National Urban League and The Alliance of National Psychological Associations for Racial and Ethnic Equity, the All !N campaign hopes to provide more insight to that 30%, including Springfield residents, to equip them with all of the information needed to make their best personal choice concerning the vaccine.
This significant initiative was created to remind African Americans that collective solutions have served our communities best in times past when we have sought substantial change. The ALL !N campaign is a call to action for community members to consider the vaccine, and the trusted source for accurate information. As the National Urban League and its affiliate leaders are among the most trusted voices in Black communities around the US the ALL !N campaign will unify African Americans to stand up against misinformation surrounding the vaccine and its distribution process, and to reject the false notion of intentional harmful agents in the vaccine, or intentional inaccessibility of the vaccine for people of color.
“I believe it is imperative for the Black community to unite, as we have successfully in the past, to continue the fight against this pandemic, together. The ALL !N campaign speaks to the realization that the most rapid and significant changes occur in communities of color, when we take our individual responsibilities to create change, and align them collectively, to realize change,” said, Henry M. Thomas, III, President and CEO of the Urban League of Springfield, Inc., “We need to be ALL !N for this initiative for lasting, post-pandemic positive change and to save lives.”
The campaign launched in cities across the country today and will run through the end of 2021. The campaign will include important updates, including spikes in COVID-19 cases and flu season awareness in the fall. For more information, please log on to our website: ULSpringfield.org.
The Urban League of Springfield, Inc., serves the African American Community in Greater Springfield by advocating for and providing model services that enhance the academic and social development of young people and families, promoting economic self-sufficiency, and fostering racial inclusion and social justice.