How Black church leaders and USC are overcoming vaccine hesitancy in Watts
Alvin Stafford faced a critical challenge when he became pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church last November: Los Angeles was in the midst of its second COVID-19 wave. Being the pastor of a Black church in Watts gave him a front-row seat to the pandemic’s devastation. Several members of the congregation lost their jobs. Many […]
Boyle Heights residents helping neighbors get vaccinated
LOS ANGELES — Women in Boyle Heights are knocking on doors to encourage their neighbors to get vaccinated. «Promotoras,» or community health workers, are working where they live as part of University of Southern California’s Community Vaccine Navigators program. They receive training and a stipend to encourage their neighbors to get the vaccine Just over […]
Watch faculty and students’ video clips that encourage COVID vaccinations
Jeremy Kagan knew he and his fellow Trojans had to do something. “Communities surrounding our campuses in South Los Angeles and East Los Angeles were getting vaccinated at lower rates,” said Kagan, a professor who teaches graduate courses in directing at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The internationally recognized director, writer and producer of feature […]
Why we’re using filmmaking to encourage vaccination by Black and Latino Angelenos
People have recognized the power of storytelling for thousands of years. The Bible relies on parables like the prodigal son because stories successfully convey the underlying message in a memorable way that’s easy to pass along to future generations. But when public health leaders and medical professionals need to communicate crucial, potentially life-saving health information, […]
