Page 15 - Sojourner Newsletter-SPRING 2022-5

Vol. 99 Iss. 2 15
immunocompromised people anyway.” To many people in the disabled community, including myself, comments like
these are incredibly upsetting, because they suggest that our lives are unimportant and dispensable, when in fact this
could not be further from the truth.
In addition to the obvious physical impact that COVID-19 has on disabled people, it also negatively influences their
mental and emotional wellbeing. This can be seen within the widespread villainization of people who are unvaccinated.
While I wholeheartedly support getting vaccinated if you are eligible, the reality is that many immunocompromised
people are hesitant to do so because the effectiveness of the vaccine is drastically reduced in weakened immune systems.
According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health, only 50% of fully vaccinated and immunocompromised
2
people are successfully protected from the virus. This illustrates the fact that while the conversation surrounding
vaccination is in desperate need of nuance, that is not something that’s currently present. And that means the disabled
community is once again disadvantaged, because immunocompromised individuals will most likely continue to be
ostracized by those around them for choosing to be unvaccinated. I believe it is entirely unfair that so many people are
currently in a situation where making an informed decision about their physical health is taking a toll on their mental
health.

I think that what I’ve learned throughout the pandemic has reminded me of the importance of speaking out about issues
facing the disabled community. I have to remember that we are our own best advocates. If we do not speak up for
ourselves, there might not be anybody to speak up for us. And I am confident that remaining committed to this fight is
the best way I can prepare myself for the challenges of my future.
1
Desmond, Stephanie, and Dorry Segev. “COVID-19 Vaccines and Immunocompromised People: Fully Vaccinated and
Not Protected.” Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, July 14, 2021.
2 Koma, Wyatt et al. “How Many Adults Are at Risk of Serious Illness If Infected with CORONAVIRUS? Updated
Data.” KFF. Kaiser Family Foundation, April 23, 2020.

THIRD PLACE

Joshua A. Morton of Chesapeake, Virginia was awarded Third place and therefore will receive a $1,000 scholarship and
a National Sojourners Plaque. Hampton Roads Chapter #6 sponsored Joshua.

Just Stay Resilient

America has been proven time and time again as a truly resilient nation characterized by the country and its people to
come back from the many terrible events that have happened throughout history and learn many different lessons as a
result. No matter the event, be it wars, economic disasters, national tragedies or even national disasters Americans have
shown to be quite forthcoming as to how to move on even though times might be rough. In 2021 the United States and
it’s citizens are being tested once again and our greatest problem being faced is COVID-19. Personally, I have been
appalled to watch as many Americans died and numbers of cases increasing, just think about how a person I could’ve
waved to while walking down the street could be in the ICU battling for their life at this very moment had made me sit
down and think to myself about how precious life really is and that I must pick myself up and overcome the many
challenges of life in the future. My contemplation has helped me come to a realization about what I should keep in mind
while living through such a tumultuous time and it can be encapsulated into three words: “just stay resilient.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic had begun I was just a sophomore, back then I had just assumed that the “two week
emergency vacation” would be just that, a vacation but this “vacation” had turned out to be something more, it had
proved to be one of the greatest disasters in American history and I was living right in the middle of it. As touched on
earlier, I was shocked and quite honestly terrified to see so many Americans on TV losing everything they had be it their
jobs, livelihoods, family members, and even their own lives and I knew I had to create a plan for dealing with the
pandemic physically and mentally. As the famous poet Maya Angelou once said “I can be changed by what happens to
me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” I had taken this quote to heart when I learned how I must stay resilient and vigilant
in all of my problems and “Roll with the punches.” No matter what comes my way I must be prepared to deal with the
consequences or even trauma that may come of it. A great example of resilience that I always fall back to in times of
struggle is the Great Depression of the 1930s, many of those living in America at the time had lost their entire means of
income and livelihoods but were determined enough to come out from their place of struggle, move on, and even win a
world war. As the pandemic still rages on we are reminded again and again about the importance of “just staying
resilient.”