The first U.S. Covid vaccine was given to a New York nurse on Dec. 14, 2020. As vaccinations rolled out, data revealed racial disparities—more white people were getting vaccinated, while people of color faced higher death rates. Seeing this gap locally in Pinellas, our group, then Indivisible Safety Harbor/North Pinellas, knew we had to act.

Partnering with Indivisible FL-13 (St. Pete), we formed a coalition of leading community groups to address vaccine inequity, voicing our concerns in a letter to Dr. Ulyee Choe and County Commission Chair Dave Eggers.

On Feb. 23, 2021, members attended the Pinellas County Commission Board Meeting urging them to improve vaccine access in communities of color, citing barriers like limited internet and transportation. They recommended the Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center in Safety Harbor—founded by Black leaders and serving low-income families in Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, and eastern Clearwater—as a site. Commissioner Dave Eggers told Dr. Ulyee Choe more needed to be done, and the center was soon designated as a vaccination site.

A month later, we held a Zoom call with Dr. Choe and several representatives from the 18-member coalition. Dr. Choe identified vaccine hesitancy as the biggest challenge, driven by misinformation and mistrust. “We could use your help sharing accurate information,” he said.

We responded to Dr. Choe’s request. While one team focused on Safety Harbor, a second team targeted Clearwater’s historically Black North Greenwood community and surrounding neighborhoods with a high Latino population, which had the lowest vaccination rate in Pinellas.

The team reached out to churches, civic groups, rec centers, libraries, and local businesses like barbershops and retailers. Keeping the message non-political, we asked these trusted voices to promote the vaccine as safe and beneficial for individuals and families. We shared information on nearby vaccine sites, the Health Department's pop-up clinics, mobile units, and programs for the homebound. Another Indivisible member joined the effort, using his influence in Latino organizations to encourage local residents to get vaccinated.

We also asked the Tampa Bay Rays, who own the Rowdies, to make public service videos, in English and Spanish, encouraging the vaccines. Players and coaches from both teams participated, and we made sure the videos were widely distributed.

These strategies proved effective. By the fall of 2021, this ZIP code had moved out of last place. Additionally, as our work progressed, our team witnessed firsthand how the health inequities in these neighborhoods span well beyond the impact of Covid exposure.

Coalition of Concerned Pinellas County Organizations - Working Together Against COVID:

Indivisible Safety Harbor/North Pinellas, Indivisible Fl-13, Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center, Historic Bethel AME Church, St. Petersburg, Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, Allendale United Methodist Church, St. Petersburg, NAACP Clearwater/Upper Pinellas County Branch, North Pinellas Advocates for Racial Equity, ACLU-Pinellas Chapter, Clearwater Friends (Quakers), LULAC Pinellas Council # 7069, NAACP St. Petersburg, Pinellas Coalition for Immigration Justice, Pinellas County Network of Spiritual Progressives, Pinellas DSA, UNITE Pinellas, Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay Healthcare Collaborative, The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, Safety Harbor, Women Talk Black 

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