Great question. I wanted to write a book that would be a first draft of the history of the long epidemics for the year of covid and beyond but that would speak to an interested reader, not just a specialist in the field. There are lots of specialists in the field and i thought my valueadded might be to translate from specialists in the field to reader who are fascinate by the blizzard of legal issues that werent really on most peoples anda until now. We never thought about pt epidemics but think about them now, particularly what we can learn from them andhat do we know when its going to be over. I want to begin, john, if i can, really at the end of your book, and then ill pivot book at the end of our interview to ask you more but this question. You write, america has two histories, one ugly,he other far more appealing. In the months and years ahead, americans will hold the power between them. Lets hope the make the right choice. Im going to be asking you more but what that right choice
December 14th is the day already marked in the history books. Its the tragic anniversary of the massacre as andy hook elementary school. December 14th happens to be the anniversary of the death of george washington, who died on this day in 1799. But when the history of these times is written, december 14th, 2020, will warrant a double entry. Today, december 14th, 2020, the day that we passed the solemn milestone of 300,000 Coronavirus Deaths right here in the United States. Also marks the first day of the Vaccine Rollout in this country for the deadly coronavirus pandemic. These images of Front Line Health Care workers and residents of Nursing Homes are filling our televisions today and providing a realtime solve to our pandemicweary nation. Fridays latenight approval of the pfizer vaccine, which is expected to pave the way for approvals of similar vaccines in the coming weeks and months. Today, december 14th, 2020, also marks the day that is typically noted by broadcasts like this one
Say again welcome and thank you to our panel and amanda barrett, fda managing editor of theassociated press. Sanchez, editor and Senior Vice President at the Minneapolis Church news and dorothy packer, Investigative Reporter for wbbm. In my hometown of chicago and president of the National Association of black journalists. Thank you allfor being here. And over to you. For having me and thank youagain to our panelists, thank you to everybody whos joinedus today. I hope you get a lot out of this conversation. This is important and we have a great group of panelists that will dig right in. So i want to take with kind of an overarchingquestion. Newsrooms have been announcing a lot of great changes over the last few months. New diversity leadership positions, taskforces, theyre creating new projects after years of inequities in our american newsrooms, some of have even characterize it as systemicracism in american newsrooms, has anything really changed . Amanda, id like to startwith you. Th
White americans. Unfortunately, this information about distrust and medical systems like a significant role on these outcomes. Last monday, had the pleasure speaking with the doctor, an emergency physician visiting professor of health, policy and management and the George Washington University Institute school of Public Health. The doctor previously served as the Health Commissioner for the city of baltimore. She led the nations oldest operating Health Department to fight the Opioid Epidemic and print child health and treat racism as a Public Health issue. The doctor has been a leading voice call for policies and practices during this coronavirus pandemic. On monday we spoken with about the impact of covid19 on communities of color in the u. S. [silence]. I believe we have video to play here. Thank you doctor for joining us. I would like to start off by asking you but the current data but the disparities in the covid19 rates. In the outcomes people of of color around the United States.
This. Im the executive director of the National Association of Journalism Institutes and we are very happy to be hosting this event on newsroom protests and it has anything really changed. Thank you to the National Press club members for planning this program in partnership with us and the communicators committee. Its going to be a very interesting and informative conversation. First among our wonderful panelists and then we hope youll join in by sharing your questions using the q a queue. So im going to turn this over to our moderator in a moment, Michael Carter who is usa today managing editor, ethics but first i want to say again welcome and thank you to our panel and amanda barrett, fda managing editor of the associated press. Sanchez, editor and Senior Vice President at the Minneapolis Church news and dorothy packer, Investigative Reporter for wbbm. In my hometown of chicago and president of the National Association of black journalists. Thank you all for being here. And michael o