Mothers in Action, LA Urban League, Others Surpass 10k Vaccinations along Crenshaw Corridor

By National Urban League
Published05 PM EST, Fri Nov 22, 2024
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Mothers In Action in collaboration with the LA Urban League (Los Angeles, CA), Brotherhood Crusade, FEMA, Cal OES and others have been working tirelessly to bring the much-needed Johnson & Johnson Vaccine to the Crenshaw Community.  The site, which on March 11, ensured that the African American community would have access and equity to the vaccine and within their own community, has been operating a vaccination site at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall for the past four weeks. On Wednesday, March 31, the testing site, which has been considered a “pilot program” site, hit a milestone of 10,000 shots to community members.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a one dose vaccination, so all 10,000 participants are now fully vaccinated. 

Tracy Mitchell, President of Mothers in Action, said “I want to thank the Mothers In Action’s village of volunteers that have staffed the site from day one, and who have committed to continue supporting this effort until April 10, when the site closes.”

Mothers In Action and the Los Angeles Urban League were the community-based organizations that were part of this clinic opening from day one. Brotherhood Crusade joined in the effort shortly after the clinic opened to assist in the community outreach efforts and to get the word out to more people that this was our community’s moment to secure a vaccination.

“The outpouring of support from the local residence has been overwhelming.The opportunity for our community residence to walk out their door and have access to the vaccine has brought so much joy, and a sense of security to our people, has been wonderful,” stated Charisse Bremond-Weaver, president of the Los Angeles Brotherhood Crusade.

Mothers In Action has been instrumental in daily staffing of the site, as well as assisting in community outreach to get African Americans to the table to be vaccinated. Bonnie Thomas-Jeter from the LA Urban League works night and day, seven days a week, managing the vaccine website/list.She is also onsite every day to register the public. 

Michael Lawson, President and CEO of the LA Urban League said, “A large part of the clinic’s success and kudos, has to go to our staff and the many volunteers who have been working at the registration desk and throughout the clinic.  The opportunity for people to see faces they know or organizations they trust have been a big part of the clinic’s success and our outreach efforts.  We have been encouraging those who have come in to tell their neighbors and their family to come and get vaccinated as well.  The fact that people can come in and see people they know or people who look like them plays a major role in convincing people to trust the vaccine, and the Urban League is an institution within this community that the people know and know they can trust,” he said.

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