Joint Statement on the Response to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic: A Public Health Manifesto April 15, 2020 Just as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, COVID-19 has emerged as a global threat. In the United States the effects of the disease have disproportionately impacted African Americans and other communities of color. According to state data currently available (and that includes demographic information), rates of infection and death amongst the African American population far exceeds the representation of African Americans in the overall population (in some instances by a multiple of more than 5). This global pandemic has amplified the effects of pre-existing health disparities, structural impediments, and the ongoing harm done by inadequate strategies to address the dangers of COVID-19 in the African American community specifically, and communities of color overall. This joint public health strategy proposed by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition1 and the National Medical Association2 addresses these concerns, and proposes viable, actionable steps that can be immediately implemented to reduce the possibility of irreparable harm due to COVID-19 on these at-risk communities.