 It's almost impossible to comprehend what is taking place right now. Thousands of Americans are dying every single day because of COVID-19. And as this global pandemic continues on, it's affecting people that we know and love. And it's no longer just something that you see on the news. Like, this is getting really real. American lives are being lost. And it's something that is so hard to wrap your head around because it's so much devastation. The numbers are getting so high that psychologically, I think that our brain kind of, at least mine does, it shuts off in a way to where I guess it protects us, you know? So we can maybe recover from this and move on when it's all over. But as we kind of grapple with this reality and we get more data, this virus is not impacting everyone equally. It is disproportionately taking black lives according to data. And I read a report from Vox that was just absolutely gut-wrenching. So as Fabiola Cineas reports, as of Tuesday, black people made up 33% of cases in Michigan and 40% of deaths, despite being just 14% of the state's population. In Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, where black people represent 26% of the population, they made up almost half of the county's 945 cases and 81% of its 27 deaths, according to a ProPublica report. In Illinois, black people made up 42% of fatalities, but make up only 14.6% of the state's population. In Chicago, the data is even graver. Black people represented 68% of the city's fatalities and more than 50% of cases, but only make up 30% of the city's total population. In the south, the numbers are also grim. In Louisiana, black people accounted for more than 70% of deaths. In the state population, that is 33% black. About 33% of the state's 512 deaths as of Tuesday morning. In the south, the numbers are also grim. In Louisiana, black people accounted for more than 70% of deaths in a state population that is about 33% black. About 33% of the state's 512 deaths as of Tuesday morning have occurred in Orleans Parish, where black people make up more than 60% of the population and where 29% of people live in poverty, according to 2018 census data. Louisiana's first teen death, also one of the first teen deaths in the nation, was that of a 17-year-old New Orleans resident, Jaquane Anderson, an aspiring NFL player, according to local reports. On Wednesday, New York deemed the county's epicenter of coronavirus cases finally released preliminary data of COVID-19 deaths broken down by race, with 90% reporting in the state. 18% of deaths have been black people, despite being only 9% of the population. In New York City, with 65% reporting, 28% of deaths have been black people. While the city's population is 22% black, Hispanics have made up the highest death rates in both the state and the city, 14% and 34% respectively, despite being 11% of the state population and 24% of the cities. Well before the novel coronavirus arrived that America shores, black people across the country, regardless of socioeconomic status, have lived with chronic illnesses, long-term health conditions like diabetes and hypertension at high rates. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, the death rate for black people is generally higher than that of whites for heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma, influenza and pneumonia, diabetes, HIV, AIDS and homicide. When combined with COVID-19 in the body, people already suffering from chronic illnesses or from comorbidity suffer the worst health outcomes. The underlying conditions increase a patient's chance of hospitalization and even death. Some health professionals also stress that we pay attention to black people with less prevalent chronic conditions like lupus and Crohn's disease or those with renal failure who can't stay home because they must go outside for treatments like dialysis as they may be more vulnerable to coronavirus too. In Detroit where black people make up 80% of the city's population, chronic illnesses have already created a lethal storm. Detroit represents 7% of Michigan's population but 26% of the state's infections and 25% of deaths. So that is devastating. I don't know what to say to that. You know, it's really, really tragic. People who are already vulnerable in these positions, it's not shocking that they're going to be, you know, hit the hardest by it. But when you kind of get it all laid out in front of you and you see the numbers, it's kind of just, it's a gut punch. Like it's so hard to grapple with, right? Because, you know, there's so much suffering going on right now that it's almost incomprehensible. You know, so what do you do to help these people right now? Like I don't know what the answer is. Is there a correct policy solution that we can implement? I'm trying to think through this rationally and, you know, what we can do to have a real concrete effect on people's lives. But you know, this is one of those instances where you don't really have an answer and it's okay to admit that maybe we don't have an answer. Maybe we just do everything in our power currently to help people in need. And, you know, that's always right, but certainly now more than ever. So, you know, when you see this, people who are black Americans disproportionately, already going to be susceptible to these types of illnesses and whatnot and poverty certainly doesn't help. It just makes for such a horrible situation and whenever we all face these types of crises, it impacts them a lot harder. And this is true for everything. Like this is the story of life. You know, people in society who are already vulnerable are going to be the worst off whenever we have these types of crises. It doesn't matter, you know, what it is. It's always going to be worse for them. Hurricanes, terrorist attacks, global pandemics. So what we have to do is everything in our power to close all of these gaps, all of these racial disparities. And, you know, that's really hard to do, but there are practical solutions that we can implement as a society to try to, you know, mitigate these things. It's just a matter of, are we willing to fight? Do we care enough about these communities to fight? And, you know, I want to say instinctively yes, but we haven't seen action from lawmakers that suggests that they actually do care, that they are touched by these numbers, you know? So, I don't know what to say because there's no right words here, but this is really, really devastating and whatever we can do at an individual level to minimize the pain and suffering, we have to do it. So even though you're getting a little bit antsy about saying home, you're feeling cabin fever, it's worth it. It will be worth it in the long run. If you stay home, we practice social distancing and self-quarantine and it ultimately saves more lives because this can't go on. This is just, it's so much pain and agony for these communities and everyone that it's just, it's so difficult to, you know, really even comprehend.